Course Review: The Palms G.C., Mesquite, Nevada
The Palms golf course is the oldest of all the golf courses in Mesquite. The course has hosted many national golf events including the ReMax World Long Drive Championship and the Nevada Open.
The front side nine is carved out around large lakes and mature Palm trees line the fairways. There is plenty of room to roam off the tee box and the water hazards don’t really present too much of a problem other than on the par three holes. The front nine will allow you to find your rhythm and groove your swing. The greens are large and receptive.
The back nine at the Palms is completely different than the opening nine. While there are still a few holes that allow you to hit driver without much worry, most of the holes on the back are narrower and require some thought to club selection on the tee box. The back nine is a thrilled ride of elevated tees playing over deep arroyos and around Palm trees and corner bunkers.
The elevation changes on the back nine afford many scenic views. The majestic mountains in the distance provide a good backdrop to most of the holes and its worth a few minutes to take some pictures.
The signature hole is the par 5, 15th. This is the highest elevated tee on the course with a 114 foot vertical drop from tee to fairway. A good drive is needed to reach the fairway even though it plays considerably downhill. There is a canal on the left and desert to the right both of which come into play with a bad tee shot. Finding the fairway is crucial. If you have landed a tee shot center-cut, from there you can make the classic risk/reward decision. You can lay up to the left side of the fairway which will produce the best angle into the green or go for the green and hope the roll-out treats you well. It’s a good golf hole that can be played many ways based on your shot-making ability.
The Palms has a casual muni feel to it. The staff is friendly, the grill is good and you most likely will run into many local golfers. Mostly the course is just fun to play while offering plenty of challenges.