ALERT: (Renovation)
From 7/1 – 10/17 the Lakes Course will be closed for greens renovations.
* Please note that although we put a great amount of effort into forecasting course maintenance, we still recommend you contact the golf course to confirm this information.
Primm Valley is a 36 hole facility one exit West of the CA/NV border For those of you who have or will be driving the oft-traveled I-15 corridor from the greater Los Angeles area to Las Vegas, it’s the green oasis on the North side of the highway. Featuring 2 world-class Tom Fazio designs, Primm Valley is one of those rare facilities that rises above its remote location. Once you’re on the property, it’s easy to forget that you’re in the middle of mostly uninhabited desert, save for the few times you can see Buffalo Bill’s and Whiskey Pete’s off in the distance.
The Lakes course is the older of the two layouts, and slightly shorter at 6,945 yards from the longest of the four sets of tees (6,540/6,085/5,397). I found the course to be scenic, the more playable of the two on the property, and not particularly challenging. Most of the reviews and the publications that name Primm among the notable area courses identify the Lakes as the better of the two, and my guess is that in any foursome playing both courses, there will be a split decision by the end of the day.
A feature I’ve been looking for more and more lately, and one that I find most people include when talking about enjoying a round of golf is whether or not there is a true short par 4 on a golf course – the answer here is yes. The 10th is a great birdie opportunity, and the aptly named “Temptation” invites a direct carry of manageable proportions to take your shot at an eagle.
One of the quirks of the Lakes is that the course returns to the clubhouse at the 15th hole, only to send the golfer back out on a 4-3-4 par triangle to finish the round; a strange routing decision for a piece of land that was essentially a blank canvas when the course was built. The choice seems to have paid off in that this closing stretch contains three of the best holes on the course.
The Lakes course is in beautiful condition, especially when you consider the native climate in July. The bentgrass greens roll very nicely, and I suspect at around a 9ish on the stimpmeter that they can get much quicker (though I’m not sure you’d want them to). The fairways are manicured but soft, unfortunately, leading to a few mud balls and cutting down the roll. The sand and the rough are both excellent. Asking for better conditions in July out in this area is plain silly – Primm’s got you covered and you won’t ever be looking for a comment card to complain about the shape of the course.
Tom Fazio has a reputation for building playable and visually striking golf courses, and that’s precisely what you’ll find here – two very attractive layouts that make great use of surprisingly rolling land (manufactured, I presume), and won’t eat every last one of your golf balls like some desert courses.
Primm Valley, at just 40 minutes from the Strip, is every bit as close to the action as many of the courses that eagerly pitch themselves as Vegas-area layouts. With 36 world-class holes of Tom Fazio golf, beautiful desert and mountain views, and excellent course conditions that are certain to give you a great shot at playing a round of which you’ll be proud, Primm Valley is a great choice for a venue for a mini roadtrip from southern California or a day-jaunt the morning after a big night in Sin City to get some fresh air on the links.
