After promising to keep the one golf course on the Las Vegas Strip open forever, Steve Wynn decided to close the attraction at his titular resort in late 2017. But a funny thing happened on the way to the shops and water park Wynn planned to build on the site.
High-rollers and well-heeled bro squads looking to book group weekends still wanted to play golf during their Vegas visit. And if they couldn’t play at The Wynn, there are other plenty of other options between the 50+ golf courses between Las Vegas and Mesquite. To bring those folks back to Las Vegas Blvd. (and with Mr. Wynn no longer in the management picture), The Wynn redesigned and reopened the golf Club this autumn in the shadow of Sin City’s iconic landmarks.
Keeping most of golf course designer Tom Fazio’s original creation, the Wynn squeezes a legitimate 18 hole track into a compressed space off the strip — creating a run that players can get around easily in a few hours (a necessity in the desert heat). The track features lush fairways, undulating greens and strategic (if very manageable) challenges, plus an unforgettable finish along a 30-foot-high waterfall.
Playing the New Wynn Resort Golf Club Is a True Pleasure
This is a pure resort golf course. So, it’s deliberately built to offer amusement in place of stiff resistance. It’s not overly long, and most of the fairways flare into bowled edges to funnel stray balls back into play. The Wynn doesn’t want its golfing guests to head back into the casino in a bad mood.
Related Stories
The Wynn experience includes a professional caddie program staffed with several PGA members, a new on-course culinary program, lithium-powered golf carts, an expanded pro shop and a clubhouse with luxury accommodations for all guests. Players with a room reservation at Wynn Las Vegas or Encore can secure tee times 90 days in advance. Non-resort guests can reserve tee times 30 days in advance.
The only golf course on The Strip doesn’t raise its gate for free. Green fees are $550, which can seem a little steep when you consider that price tag rivals the likes of Pebble Beach and Whistling Straits, two of the world’s top golf courses. However, if you consider its location, The Wynn really is the only game of golf in town (or at least the heart of town). We dare you to scroll through the luxury resort’s Instagram and not want to immediately book your trip.
While there’s still construction going on to rebuild a course-connected event and dining space, golf is back on Las Vegas Blvd. to stay — even if the man who almost killed it is not.
How the Wynn Golf Resort Is Adapting To COVID-19
The people behind Wynn Resort Golf Club could never foresee the social distancing realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. With Vegas reopening, this golf facility worked up new procedures under the same protocols as the overall resort to ensure a healthier environment.
The new Cleaning & Disinfecting Protocol sees the golf carts disinfected before and after each round by a designated cart “pit crew.” Locker rooms and foyer area are disinfected at least once every four hours. Employees must wash or sanitize hands after touching any guest equipment like push carts or golf bags.
A further look at these steps offer a general glimpse into the steps most golf courses will observe moving forward. It’s one player per cart unless folks are playing with immediate family members. Tee time spacing to 20-minute intervals. Caddies use their own golf cart and refrain from handling guests tees, ball markers, and golf balls. All self-service items are discontinued, while a welcome packet of tees, ball markers, a scorecard and pencils pre-set in carts for player use.
If you’re planning your first post-COVID vacation, the Wynn Resort is certainly an attractive destination.
Review: Is the True Spec Golf Club Fitting Experience Worth the Money?