Tag: Nevada

The best public-access and private golf courses in Nevada, ranked

Our hundreds of raters weigh in on the best public-access and private courses in Nevada.

Looking to play the best golf courses in Nevada? Welcome to our annual Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access and private courses.

Following are the rankings for both types of courses, as judged by our nationwide network of raters. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on the first list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.

* indicates new or returning to the rankings

Best public-access courses in Nevada

Wynn
Wynn Golf Club in Nevada (Courtesy of Wynn Golf Club)

1. Shadow Creek
North Las Vegas (13m)

2. Cascata
Boulder City (T196m)

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3. Wolf Creek
Mesquite (m)

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4. Edgewood Tahoe
Tahoe (m)

5. Wynn
Las Vegas (m)

T6. Conestoga
Mesquite (m)

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T6. Incline Village (Championship)
Incline Village (m)

8. Paiute (The Wolf)
Las Vegas (m)

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9. Coyote Springs
Moapa (m)

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10. Paiute (Sun Mountain)
Las Vegas (m)

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11. Rio Secco
Henderson (m)

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12. Paiute (Snow Mountain)
Las Vegas (m)

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13. TPC Las Vegas
Las Vegas (m)

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14. Oasis (Palmer)
Mesquite (m)
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15. Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas Resort
Henderson (m)

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Best private courses in Nevada

Southern Highlands Collegiate 2022
Southern Highlands during the 2022 Southern Highlands Collegiate in Nevada (Conner Penfold/AmateurGolf.com)

1. Clear Creek Tahoe
Carson City (T114m)

2. Southern Highlands
Las Vegas (T122m)

3. TPC Summerlin
Las Vegas (m)

4. SouthShore
Henderson (m)

5. Montreux
Reno (m)

Nevada’s Jarod Lucas in OKC for presumed predraft workout with Thunder

Nevada’s Jarod Lucas in OKC for presumed predraft workout with Thunder.

The calendar has flipped to June, which means NBA teams are intensifying their predraft process and hosting players for workouts and visits. The 2024 NBA draft will take place from June 26-27.

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter this year’s class with a sole draft pick of the No. 12 selection. OKC was gifted the free lottery pick via the Houston Rockets.

The Thunder will host several meetings with draft prospects in the coming weeks. This includes players outside the lottery range as OKC will likely seek to add undrafted free agents or even buy back into the second round if it likes someone enough.

One possibility is Nevada guard Jarod Lucas. He posted on social media he was in OKC for a presumed predraft workout with the Thunder.

The 24-year-old played five college seasons from 2019-24. He spent his first three seasons at Oregon State before transferring to Nevada for his final two seasons.

In 34 games last season, Lucas averaged 17.8 points on 42.1% shooting, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He shot 39.4% from 3 on six attempts. At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, he has good size for a combo guard.

Lucas will likely be an undrafted free agent target. He has a shot to join the Thunder’s summer league squad and possibly be added to the G League’s OKC Blue for next season if he impresses enough.

A full list of 2024 NBA draft prospects that have worked out or visited the Thunder in the predraft process can be viewed here.

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Brock Purdy’s Younger Brother Chubba Decommits from SJSU and transfers to Nevada

Brock Purdy’s Younger Brother Decommits from SJSU and transfers to Nevada

The news of Brock Purdy‘s younger brother, Chubba, transferring from Nebraska to San Jose State lit up the Bay Area last weekend.

The idea of Chubba dominating on a Saturday followed by Brock on a Sunday was storyline gold. Seriously, what could be better than that?

But all those imaginations won’t become reality now that Chubba has decommited from SJSU and transferred to Mountain West-foe Nevada.

The news isn’t surprising after Chubba deleted his initial commitment post on Sunday, Jan. 21 — the same day SJSU announced the hiring of new head coach Ken Niumatalolo who will be taking over for Brent Brennan.

A former four-star from Gilbert, Ariz., Purdy played two years at Florida State, compiling 317 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 147 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Then, after transferring to Nebraska in 2022 for two years, he threw for 529 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions while also rushing for 353 yards and three scores. He was 0-4 as a starter.

Purdy’s commitment to Nevada also comes on the same day SJSU running back Quali Conley entered the transfer portal. 247 Sports’ crystal ball puts Conley’s chances at transferring to UA at 100%.

If Conley becomes a Wildcat, it could signify former SJSU associate head coach, running backs coach, and recruiting coordinator Alonzo “Zo” Carter joining Brennan in Tucson.

So now, if Niumatalolo doesn’t bring in a quarterback through the transfer portal, SJSU’s options are Oregon transfer Jay Butterfield, freshman Anthony Garcia, redshirt freshman Tyler Voss, and redshirt sophomore Walker Eget.

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Also noteworthy, is that Niumatalolo won’t be running his patented triple option offense at SJSU this season and, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, “is expected to target an offensive coordinator for some type of wide-open and pass-heavy system.”

Niumatalolo utilized the triple option in his 25 years of coaching at Navy. In his 15 years as a head coach from 2007-2022, he became the winningest head coach in program history, went to 10 bowl games, and from 2015-19 was a three-time recipient of the American Athletic Conference coach of the year award as the Midshipmen had four AP Top 25 poll finishes.

Valley of Fire State Park is a ‘geological wonderland’ just outside of Las Vegas

Hike through the Valley of Fire.

Less than an hour northeast of the bright lights in Las Vegas, one special destination invites curious travelers to explore a “geological wonderland.” At Valley of Fire State Park, petroglyphs and petrified trees from over 2,000 years ago decorate a landscape of sandstone and limestone rock formations.

This park is like few others in the world. While the park was established in 1935, the region’s history dates back much further. On a hike through Valley of Fire, you’ll see petroglyphs carved by Puebloans about 2,500 years ago. These historic carvings are in stark contrast to the glamorous hotels and casinos located roughly 46 miles away in Las Vegas. Get a taste of what this trip back in time is like with this photo guide to Valley of Fire State Park.

Where to play golf around Las Vegas: Golfweek’s Best 2023 public-access courses

Thanks to Golfweek’s Best rankings, we break out the top courses around Las Vegas.

Ready to make a break from the casinos or hectic pace of the Las Vegas Strip? If you’re looking for the top golf courses around Sin City, Golfweek’s Best has you covered.

If you’re willing to drive a bit, there are several courses in this region that appear on the Golfweek’s Best rankings of top public-access layouts in Nevada. All the courses listed below are within an hour’s drive of Harry Reid International Airport, which sits adjacent to the Strip. But it’s not as easy as pulling up our state-by-state rankings, which list Nevada courses that might be a considerable drive away.

For this exercise, we used Google Maps and punched in each course as of a regular Saturday morning to determine drive times. Keep in mind that traffic near Las Vegas, especially around the Strip, can be slow – take all these times with a grain of salt.

Included with this list is a general map of where to find all these courses. Each one on the list below is represented with a number on the map – keep scrolling to see the numbers.

Included with each course is its position in Nevada on the Golfweek’s Best public-access list. For any course that appears on our other popular rankings lists, those positions are included as well.

A little background: The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or casino, or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

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Las Vegas map
(Google Earth/Golfweek)

Nevada vs. Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The CSU Rams celebrate Senior Day against the Wolf Pack in Part 2 of the Norvell Bowl. Here’s how the Rams can come out with the win.

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Nevada vs. Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams face the Wolf Pack on Senior Day

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

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Can the Rams finish their home stand strong?

WEEK 12: Nevada Wolf Pack (2-8, 2-4 MW) vs Colorado State Rams (4-6, 2-4 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, November 18th — 1 p.m. MST / 12 p.m. PST

WHERE: Canvas Stadium; Fort Collins, CO (36,500)

WEATHER: Cloudy, 59 degrees at kickoff

TV: MW Network

RADIO: K99-FM 99.1 / ESPN 1600 AM

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 19th all time matchup between these two schools. Colorado State leads the series 13-5. The Rams won 17-14 in Reno last season.

WEBSITES: NevadaWolfPack.com, the official Nevada athletics website | CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Nevada | Colorado State

ODDS: Colorado State -12.5

OVER/UNDER: 46.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Colorado State by 10.5

FEI PROJECTION: Colorado State by 9.3

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Colorado State has a 58.29% win probability (26.89-24.12)

Now to the keys to victory for the Rams.

Keys to a colorado state victory

1. Keep the run game going

Every CSU fan now knows the name Justin Marshall. The freshman RB from Merrillville, Indiana had a breakout game with 18 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown. The Rams had 183 yards and two touchdowns on the ground as a team. This is the complement to the air raid passing game head coach Jay Norvell has been looking for all year. If the Rams want to get to a bowl game, they will have to keep this momentum going.

2. No silly mistakes

The Rams are the second-most penalized team in the Mountain West, behind only New Mexico, with 8.2 penalties for 74.1 yards per game. And the majority of those penalties are the bad ones. Too many unsportsmanlike calls setting back the defense. Penalties setting back the offense when getting into red zone territory. This is becoming a worrying trend for the Rams, but something that can be fixed.

3. Stay home on defense

Another run happy team for the defense. Another week of staying home on the edge. Both quarterbacks, AJ Bianco and Brendon Lewis, are dual threats, so the Rams have to keep contain. Nevada’s offense isn’t that good overall, but they have the talent to burn a defense. The Rams will need to stay on assignment to contain this defense.

Prediction

The Rams are still taking this one game at a time. It’s time to celebrate the seniors, but CSU will also take care of business on the field against the Wolf Pack. This is a better CSU squad than last season. And the Rams will show it on the field by not letting this one be close.

Final Score: Colorado State 34, Nevada 17

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Check the yardage book: TPC Summerlin for the PGA Tour’s 2023 Shriners Children’s Open

StrackaLine offers a hole-by-hole course guide for TPC Summerlin and the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open.

TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, site of the PGA Tour’s 2023 Shriners Children’s Open, was designed by Bobby Weed and opened in 1991. Two-time major winner Fuzzy Zoeller provided input.

TPC Summerlin ranks No. 3 in Nevada on Golfweek’s Best ranking of top private layouts in each state. It will play to 7,255 yards with a par of 71 for the Shriners Children’s Open. Tom Kim returns to Las Vegas as the defending champion.

Thanks to yardage books provided by StrackaLine – the maker of detailed yardage books for thousands of courses around the world – we can see exactly the challenges the players face this week. Check out the maps of each hole below.

York Fire burns Joshua trees, brings ‘fire tornado’ to Mojave National Preserve

Firefighters are working to contain the blaze.

At Mojave National Preserve, a wildfire and intense winds are whipping flames across the land. The blaze has been dubbed the York Fire and is California’s largest of the year. As of August 2, the fire is 30% contained. National Park Service (NPS) officials report that the region’s famous Joshua trees face irreversible harm from the fire.

According to data from InciWeb, the York Fire began on July 28 in California’s New York Mountains. Since then, the fire has spread into Mojave National Preserve and crossed state lines into Nevada. The blaze has covered 82,437 acres and “continues to grow to the northeast.”

Firefighters working to contain the flames are reportedly experiencing difficulties due to fire whirls, aka “fire tornadoes.” InciWeb defines a fire whirl as “a vortex of flames and smoke that forms when intense heat and turbulent winds combine, creating a spinning column of fire.” This unpredictable phenomenon can cause flames to spread and make conditions more dangerous for firefighters.

Yuccas on fire with blurry fire in the background.
Yuccas burning during the York Fire in Mojave National Preserve on July 30, 2023. / Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images

As containment efforts persist, conservationists and Mojave National Preserve staff worry over the fate of the region’s native vegetation. Many of the Mojave Desert’s iconic Joshua trees have already been destroyed in the fire. According to the NPS, “If an area with Joshua trees burns through, most will not survive and reproduction in that area is made more difficult.”

Laura Cunningham, the California director of the Western Watersheds Project, emphasized the fire’s devastating effects on Joshua trees when speaking with CNN affiliate KVVU. “It will take a lifetime to get those mature Joshua trees back.”

While native plants remain at risk, Mojave National Preserve reports that the local desert tortoises have been minimally affected. “Fire crews carefully balance fire suppression with resource protection. They will be on the lookout for desert tortoises, making sure to avoid burrows and active individuals,” Mojave National Preserve said in a Facebook post.

Predicting the Eagles’ 16-player practice squad for 2023 after OTAs

We’re taking an early look at predicting the Philadelphia Eagles 16-man practice squad after OTAs and ahead of training camp

The Eagles have concluded OTAs, and they’ll break until late July and then report for training camp as they work to shred a 90-man roster down to 53.

Howie Roseman has been open about building the roster with undrafted free agents, and the 2023 class had several big-named stars holding second-day draft grades.

Philadelphia officially welcomed seven new members to their roster with their 2023 NFL draft class, and the wealth of young talent signed to the training camp roster won’t be reduced to just that group of players.

One week after the draft, the team announced the signings of 9 undrafted rookies ahead of the minicamp.

Recent undrafted free agents who’ve had game action with Philadelphia include Reed Blankenship, Britain Covey, Josh Jobe, Corey Clement, Sua Opeta, Nate Herbig, Kayode Awosika, Joe Ostman, Jack Stoll, Brett Toth, Greg Ward, Marvin Wilson, T.J. Edwards, and future Hall of Famer Jason Peters, who originally signed with the Bills.

We previously released our updated 53-man roster predictions, and with training camp fast approaching, we’re predicting Philadelphia’s 16-man practice.

Penn State forward Kebba Njie transfers to Notre Dame

Shrewsberry continues to poach talent from his old stomping grounds.

The week of [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag]’s guys switching from Penn State to Notre Dame continues.

First, three of his 2023 recruits set to play for the Nittany Lions switched to the Irish. Then, a 2024 recruit selected the Irish when the Nittany Lions were among the programs that had made him an offer. Now, the trend is affecting the transfer portal. Nittany Lions starting forward [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag] announced he also is coming to South Bend.

Njie brings much-needed size to the guard-heavy Irish. He is 6 feet, 10 inches and started 26 of 37 games played as a freshman last season. He averaged 3.4 points and 3.5 rebounds a game while shooting 52% from the field for a Nittany Lions team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament after a surprise run to the Big Ten Tournament title game that they nearly won. He also received ACC experience in losses to Virginia Tech and Clemson.

Njie announced he was entering the transfer portal April 4, not long after Shrewsberry was introduced as Irish coach. Within five days, the Irish had expressed interest in him, joining Indiana, Texas, Texas Tech, BYU, Nevada and UCF. In the end, he joined guard [autotag]Julian Roper II[/autotag] as Shrewsberry’s second successful transfer target.

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