Landmark courses, from Scotland to Vegas

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Well, I can finally say that the unofficial summer golf season has opened for me. I played in my first golf tournament of the year on Memorial Day. Tee off time was 8 in the morning, the weather was perfect, and no one on our team had a holiday hangover. How it happened was in my real life I'm involved in the mailing business, and this tournament was organized by the U.S. Post Office to enhance communications and relations with the Las Vegas business mailing community. I expected little business to be conducted, just a great time on the course. It was a four-man scramble, and our team was ready to go.

Wildhorse Golf Club in Henderson, 2100 W. Warm Springs Road, just off Green Valley Parkway, is one of the oldest courses in Las Vegas. When it opened in 1958, it was one of the first golf courses in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Golf Club, 4300 W. Washington Ave., is the granddaddy of all, having opened in 1945. The Las Vegas National Golf Club, 1911 E. Desert Inn Road, opened soon after in 1961.

Wildhorse was first named Paradise Valley Golf Club, and other names followed. Showboat Country Club, Los Verdes, Indian Wells and Royal Kenfield came and went. It wasn't until 1994 that Wildhorse Golf Club was established. Hank Greenspun was the original developer and sold the property to Howard Hughes in 1968. It hosted the PGA tour event the Sahara Invitational from 1970 to 1972, with Babe Hiskey(?), Lee Trevino and Lanny Wadkins -- the three winners during that time.

The course plays to a par-70, including five par-3s and three par-5s. We started on the 16th, a par-5, 535-yard hole that dares players to hit it big. Most of the driving opportunities on the course are wide open, and taking advantage of this, started the day 2-under thru 2. Then the beverage cart came our way. Oh, well, it was a holiday.

One of the most challenging holes, and the most fun to play, is the par-4, ninth hole. In fact, this hole has been ranked as one of the toughest in Las Vegas by Vegas Golfer Magazine. A mean 398-yard par-4, it has two lakes to navigate; the second lake requires a long iron to a green bordered by traps. An accurate tee shot requires both accuracy and distance control, something I don't have in my bag.

We finished our round at 2-under and headed to the awards ceremony to applaud scores that obviously were going to be lower than we posted. And we weren't disappointed. The winners posted a 16-under, a round that included 14 birds, one eagle, and three of those damn pesky pars. At the awards banquet, gnawing on the coconut shrimp, delicious ribs and tender chicken, we all made a vow: go get golf lessons.

Having the opportunity to write a golf column sometimes has its perks. A loyal reader gave me a golf towel from his visits to Scotland some 20 years ago. Ken says, "I stumbled upon it while moving and thought you would enjoy it." Indeed I do, and here's why. Probably like me, you collect and display golf bag tags, logo'ed golf shirts, and even logo golf balls. My personal favorites are from the Monterey Peninsula. Courses such as Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, and Spyglass Hill Golf Club. They're great fun and conversation starters, a kind of badge of distinction, so to say. Well, the St. Andrews Links are thought by some to have existed since 1400 A.D., and are regarded by all to be the birthplace of golf. You can see the towel in the picture. Unfortunately, I don't have the skills to translate Latin, but I believe the "Dum Spiro Spero" translates to "Never Up, Never In." Or perhaps "No Mulligans Here."

No really, here's a history lesson according to Wikipedia: "Dum Spiro Spero" means "While I breathe, I hope." Coined by Cicero, an ancient Roman author, orator and politician, it's exactly what I mantra at the beginning of each round I play. Bottom line here is that the towel will lead to many a story, and perhaps a free pint of ale in the clubhouse. Thanks, Ken.

For those of you who are into Boy Scouts, Troop 678 is having a fundraiser on Saturday at Silverstone Golf Club, 8600 Cupp Drive. I personally was a scout, having reached the rank of Eagle, but that was before golf was invented. For a fun day, call Mary Gutierrez at 372-2929.

John Asay is a longtime golfer and local freelance writer. Contact him at jasay@reviewjournal.com.