Golf

Desert Rose Golf Club Details

• Opened:
  1964.
• Course designed by:
  Joe Lee and Dick Wilson.
• Course Management:
  American Golf.
• General Manager / Director of Golf:
  Bill Horttor.
• Head golf professional:
  Matt Craduck.
• Course Record:
  Rusty Postlewait, 62.
• Tee Time Policy:
  Reservations are taken up to seven days in advance. Rates vary from $65-$95.
• Course Map:
  Click here.

Desert Rose Golf Club Review

Opened in 1964, Desert Rose recently spent several million dollars upgrading its par-71, 6,511-yard course, and the results have been impressive. The mature layout is routinely kept in remarkable shape, especially for a municipal course, as the many locals who play it can attest. Many of the locals prefer walking, though carts are always available. Grass transition areas throughout make walking a pleasure, especially as the Bermuda greens and fairways are kept slightly longer to make for both healthier grass and softer walking. Both walkers and riders can appreciate the shade from the many pine trees that stand staggered along most of the fairways opposite the wash.

Along with the magenta light suffused in the sweep of surrounding mountains, the ever-present wash is the distinct hallmark of Desert Rose. The wash runs alongside or through every hole on the course. Along the front nine it's typically dry, but the back-nine wash often flows with a wide stream. The key is most of the trouble is right; water hazards or wash guard the right side of 15 of 18 holes, but the wash thankfully precludes the need of fairway bunkers.

The greens, by contrast, are well bunkered (and true), and they undulate enough to allow for some tough pin placements. Five bunkers frame the green on the 490-yard, par-5 sixth hole. It's one of three par 5's that are mouth-watering short. Others are 510 and 502 yards; but the No. 1 handicap hole, No. 4, plays 607 yards to a narrow green bracketed by both sand and grass bunkers.

The signature hole is No. 2, a 411-yard, slight dogleg right, par 4. The tee shot must carry at least 100 yards to clear a wash and reach a fairway whose right side is protected by a pond that stretches all the way to the green. To come out smelling like a rose, aim the second shot to the left side of the green, regardless of the flag position.

Desert Rose hosts the Clark County Amateur each year. PGA Tour pros Craig Barlow and Robert Gamez are former winners of the event.

Course statistics: