Los Prados Golf Club

Situated snugly at the heart of the multi-million dollar gated villa community of Los Prados, this is a golf club that exudes sophistication even before you've ascended the drive. Encircled by a dense border of perma planted palm trees and towering tropical shrubs, Los Prados Golf Club is the hidden gem of Las Vegas' North West Valley, that everyone wants a piece of.

Owned by the Los Prados Community Association, the golf club is very much a “public welcome” retreat serving many of the 1,300 strong immediate community, as well as Las Vegans. Los Prados Golf Club remains one of the North West's best kept secrets, purely because the association don't over indulge natives with aggressive marketing. Built in 1987 by the stalwart course architect Jeff Hardin, Los Prados quickly captured the hearts of Las Vegas, for it's decidedly contemporary layout. Sparkling watercourses and lagoons with sandy banks and miniature palms add to the tropical theme, offset by the vivid green of Bermuda grasses and gently rippling landscapes. It was one of the first courses in Las Vegas to feature such an abundance of water hazards.

Stretching 6,000 yards from the back tees, the par-70 rated course provides ample space for game-play, with conveniently planned buggy tracks around the perimeter. Forget about zipping from tee to tee, as there are strict rules in place regarding use of the vehicles around the site. If you are packing an entire iron-set and foregoing the caddy, it could still prove pretty handy, since most tee-offs are only a relatively short walk from the track. The greens are fast; the fairways narrow and the bunkers extremely random in spacing, but while a slope rating of 107 might seem fair game to the discerning pro, the mountain gusts are a force to be reckoned with.

The stately layout of Los Prados commands spectacular views across the North West's canyon lined valley, as well as partial glimpses of the Strip to the South. Each hole seems to have been strategically aligned with the best panoramas at the fore – some find it's almost too much of a distraction. According to locals, many of the par-3 to par-5 shots play incredibly short, so driver precision is a prerequisite. That being said, there is one particular hole that all concur to be the easiest going – the “Virtual 19th”. It is in fact the clubhouse restaurant and lounge; a desirable banqueting space decked out in elegant neutral tones and serving up some of the best steakhouse fayre this side of the Strip!

Los Prados Golf Club (5150 Los Prados Circle, Las Vegas). (Rating 64.8; Slope 103; Yards 6,000; Fee $45). Owned by the Los Prados Community Association. Par 70, almost 6,000 yards. Fast, protected greens, tight fairways. Not for the faint of heart. (I-15 north to US 95 exit, then to Craig Road exit headed east. Second left onto Jones Boulevard, to Lone Mountain Road. Head east (right) on Lone Mountain Road ¼ mile to course on left.)