Las Vegas National

Decadent public golf courses are a dime to the dozen in the vicinity of Sin City and when you've got the family on-board for a week's break, you may find yourself compromising on that sunny six hours up at Black Mountain. Kids can't be kept amused for that long, let alone within a scenic space designed for championship challenges. Las Vegas National Golf Club on the East Desert Inn Road is the only solution. Combining the classic Nevada backdrop of canyon valleys, with a course designed to bring fun back into play – even the kids will thank you for introducing them to the game.

Located two blocks North of the East Flamingo Road, the former Sahara Country Club enjoys a prominent position among the mega resorts of Sin City. Boulevard Shopping Mall sits just five minutes from Las Vegas National Golf Club, along with the opulent Las Vegas Hilton beside Las Vegas Country Club. Hotels in the area are considerably cheaper than those concentrated around the Strip, so you could even bag a bargain choosing somewhere close by.

Set across 140 acres of relatively flat pastures, the Las Vegas National Golf Club incorporates beautiful parkland, watercourses and lakes, within an ancient hemmed conservation area. Designed by former caddy Bert Stamps in 1963, the par-71 course is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of existence in it's present maturity. Little has been altered of the 18-hole fun course since it was first constructed, although you will find a commitment to exceptional maintenance and ground-keeping, on a par with the sophisticated Country Club layouts that just ooze exclusivity.

Traditional links is the name of the game at Las Vegas National. It may be devoid of handicap tests, yet the course certainly offers up it's own fair share of notorious challenges. Extending to 6,418 yards from the back tees, you'll find the first throes good to pleasurable going, however the 11th is a somewhat unexpected surprise, since the elevated green is almost entirely encircled by trees. The 222-yard, par-3 16th features a sudden drop around 40 yards shy of the green, which extends down to a glistening creek. With it's dog-leg bend to the left, you may fall short of making this in two.

Home to the Las Vegas National Academy of Golf, the National Club plays host to a variety of practice facilities, including a manicured driving range. Both natural and synthetic grasses are on offer, making this a great place for the kids to score a few hits. Putting the fun back into golf, this traditional links layout is one for all the family.

Las Vegas National (1911 East Desert Inn Road, Las Vegas). (Rating 72.1; Slope 130; Yards 6,815; Fee $105). Traditional design. Host for PGA and LPGA tour events. Five tough par 3’s. Near the Strip. (Tropicana Avenue East to Eastern Avenue, left, to Desert Inn Road, then left.)