Course Closure

Was going to post this in Ken’s golf trip thread but thought it deserved to be a topic of its own. I’ll be heading to Vegas again sometime in July, probably for 10 days or so. Last year I took a side trip up to St. George and will likely do that again this time. One of the courses that had been on my list to play was Kokopelli, which intrigued me for various reasons. I say that in the past tense, as I see that despite opening just a couple of years ago it is now closed for good. Did anyone on here get a chance to play there? I’m curious as to what it was like.

Sounds like a combination of the remote location and poor economy likely was the reason for closure. Kind of a depressing topic, but are there other courses in the area that could be heading this direction? The two public courses at Lake Las Vegas have been closed for about 3 years now. Not sure if or when those may open again. I’ve always worried about Coyote Springs – terrific course but so remote, and the rest of the initial project hasn't developed. As someone that visits the area frequently and enjoys playing a variety of nice courses, I hope this doesn’t become a trend.

Unfortunately, I've never heard of that course, but I'm sorry for the closure. I'm actually suprised that more courses haven't closed. The Falls at LLV is an example. You had a Tom Weiskoff design on land that probably cost a mint and a clubhouse that was nicer than some of the old joints on thedtrip. Trappings like this cost money. I played there twice. Both times at prime time and the course was empty. This was before the economy went south. For years LV built courses like this (OR close to it) and got by based on the fact that LV was the place you had to go. Couple that with the golf boom of the nineties and the captive nature of golf in town and a lot of people would pay the high fees, they wouldn't normally pay at home. I know a lot of locals that rarely played the "Resort" courses because of cost. They played Boulder City, Desert Rose and LVGC. Fast forward to the economic downturn, waning interest in golf and you've got big problems. Now you deals everywhere and cover your ears Mrs. Howell III, the unwashed being allowed to play some private courses. A new water surcharge just started that will hurt them some more. It ain't over yet. Chapter 11 here we come!

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

ps: At least Tiger's back. Oh wait, no he's not. My mistake, I guess he is..................................................

Even without the recession, golf was way overbuilt; rounds played started dropping well before the shiat hit the fan.

We read about it all the time, and I think it is spot on, but the time required to play golf is the leading culprit. The complexity of the game, its unfriendly face relative to newbie players, its continuing disengagement from more than half the population, Baby Boomers not retiring like the oldsters who came before; it's a recipe for contraction.

The PGA of America, USGA and the other "powers" of the game can continue to launch all the initiatives they want, but until the hidebound game and its uppity guardians realize time isn't leaving the game behind, it is burying it, the corner will not be turned.

Shadow Creek was a disaster for the Vegas market. Not the course itself -- far from it -- but the model it introduced, as far far lesser tracks then came along thinking they could price a round such that a seaside course in Kohala looks undervalued. Resort golf always is "overpriced" relative to what one finds back home in Wichita Falls -- how could it not be? Vegas took it to the absurd.

In my opinion, the LLV courses kept up their aura of exclusion long after many of the others softened. There were several summer afternoons, I’m thinking around 2006 to 2008, where I considered going out there but passed because even on the 110 degree afternoons they still wanted close to $150 for a round.

I did finally play The Falls in 2009, and was charged a pretty reasonable rate. It may have been ‘super-twilight’ or something, I don’t remember how late in the day I got out there. I don’t believe I was the only one playing there, but it was close. It was maybe a month later that I saw they had closed the course, and I believe Reflection Bay followed shortly thereafter. Never did get to play a round at Reflection Bay. Wanted to, but couldn’t justify the cost. They were charging 3 times the rate that even places like Rio Secco or Bear’s Best were at that point.

You are correct. The courses, like the larger development, tried damn hard to be something beyond and above. Reflection was (is) the real deal. Just a super course. The Falls had (has) some great holes, but the whole thing is way contrived and it couldn't sustain as a larger routing, and then the heavy equipment showed up. If you've not played SouthShore, give it a try.