Shadow Creek Golf Course Review

About Shadow Creek Golf Course

This Shadow Creek Golf Course review covers what is widely ranked the finest course in Nevada — a Tom Fazio masterpiece in North Las Vegas, about 25–30 minutes northeast of Summerlin, that transformed 350 acres of flat Mojave Desert into an improbable woodland paradise. Casino developer Steve Wynn commissioned the project in the late 1980s at a reported cost exceeding $60 million: more than 20,000 mature trees were imported, streams and waterfalls were sculpted into the terrain, and mountains were constructed to frame each hole. Fazio and collaborator Andy Banfield opened the course in 1989 and it quickly earned its reputation as the most exclusive round in America. MGM Resorts International later acquired Shadow Creek and today access is strictly gated: you must be a paid hotel guest at an MGM Resorts property Monday–Thursday (invited guest only on weekends), and the green fee is $1,250 per player — the highest published rate in the United States. That fee includes a dedicated caddie and complimentary round-trip limousine from your Strip hotel. Our verdict: no course in Nevada demands more to access, and no course in Nevada delivers more in return.

Access Rules & Pricing

To play Shadow Creek you must be a registered, paid guest of an MGM Resorts International property in Las Vegas (Bellagio, MGM Grand, Aria, Park MGM, New York-New York, Vdara, and others qualify). Monday–Thursday: hotel guests may reserve a tee time. Friday–Sunday: invited guests of MGM Resorts only — standard hotel guests may not book on weekends. A maximum of two golfers per occupied room may reserve access. The green fee is $1,250 per golfer (2026 published rate) and includes a private caddie and round-trip limousine. Book by calling (702) 399-7111.

Reviews of Shadow Creek Golf Course

Our editorial take: Shadow Creek is a place golfers argue about before and after they play — about the fee, the access barriers, the manufactured nature of a parkland course built in the Mojave. And then they finish their round and stop arguing. Tom Fazio created something that has no earthly right to exist in the Nevada desert: a flowing, mature, beautiful course with complete visual isolation, world-class conditioning, and a routing that uses its man-made landscape with the same strategic intelligence as the great natural courses. The $1,250 is a number that requires no caveats; it is the price of the experience. If you are staying at an MGM property and the number doesn't stop you, book it. Nevada doesn't have another course in the same conversation.

Good to know before you play

• Access eligibility: You must be a paid, registered guest of an MGM Resorts International property in Las Vegas to book a tee time. Qualifying properties include Bellagio, MGM Grand, Aria, Park MGM, New York-New York, Vdara, and several others. Only two golfers per room may access the course. Confirm eligibility when calling (702) 399-7111.
• Weekday vs. weekend rules: Monday through Thursday tee times are available to any paid hotel guest. Friday through Sunday, only invited guests of MGM Resorts may play — standard hotel-stay access does not apply on weekends.
• What the $1,250 covers: The green fee includes a dedicated private caddie and complimentary round-trip limousine transfer from your MGM hotel to the course in North Las Vegas. The caddie fee is not included in the green fee and is customarily tipped separately.
• Yardage and difficulty: At 7,560 yards from the tips and par 72, Shadow Creek is a genuine championship test. The tree-lined corridors amplify the parkland atmosphere but leave little margin for wayward drives. First-time players consistently note that the visual drama of each hole creates real pressure to perform.
• Distance from Summerlin: The course is located in North Las Vegas, approximately 25–30 minutes northeast of Summerlin. The limo transfer from Strip hotels takes roughly 20–25 minutes and is scheduled with your tee time — there is no need to arrange your own transportation.
• Caddies and pace of play: Shadow Creek runs all rounds with caddies and deliberately limits the number of groups on the course at any time. Pace of play is actively managed and rounds are rarely rushed. Arrive at your hotel pickup point on time — limousines depart on a fixed schedule.

Frequently asked questions about Shadow Creek Golf Course

Where can I find reviews and ratings for Shadow Creek Golf Course?

You can read player reviews of Shadow Creek Golf Course — rated for conditions, value, layout, greens, pace, and staff — and add your own here on Summerlin.Golf. Shadow Creek Golf Course is also profiled on major golf platforms including GolfPass, GolfNow, Golf Digest, and Google Reviews. For the official scorecard, rates, and tee times, visit the Shadow Creek Golf Course official website.

How much does it cost to play Shadow Creek Golf Course?

The green fee at Shadow Creek Golf Course is $1,250 per player (2026 published rate). This fee includes a dedicated caddie and complimentary round-trip limousine transportation from your MGM Resorts hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Shadow Creek is consistently listed as the most expensive course in the United States and reservations require an active stay at an MGM Resorts International property.

Who can play Shadow Creek — what are the access rules?

Access to Shadow Creek is restricted to guests of MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas (including MGM Grand, Bellagio, Aria, New York-New York, Park MGM, Vdara, and others). Monday through Thursday, paid hotel guests may reserve a tee time. Friday through Sunday, access is limited to invited guests of MGM Resorts. Only two golfers per occupied room may qualify. Reservations are made by calling (702) 399-7111.

Who designed Shadow Creek and when did it open?

Shadow Creek was designed by Tom Fazio (with collaborator Andy Banfield) and opened in 1989. It was originally conceived and built by casino developer Steve Wynn at a cost exceeding $60 million, transforming a flat Mojave Desert site with more than 20,000 imported mature trees, sculpted terrain, streams, and waterfalls. MGM Resorts International later acquired the course along with the Mirage properties.

What is the par and yardage at Shadow Creek Golf Course?

Shadow Creek Golf Course is an 18-hole championship layout playing to par 72 from the back tees at 7,560 yards, making it one of the longest resort courses in the country.

Where is Shadow Creek located and how far is it from Summerlin?

Shadow Creek Golf Course is located at 3 Shadow Creek Dr, North Las Vegas, NV 89081 — approximately 25–30 minutes northeast of Summerlin and about 10 miles north of the Las Vegas Strip. Transportation is included in the green fee: a private limousine picks up guests from their MGM hotel and returns them after the round.

What is Shadow Creek best known for?

Shadow Creek is widely ranked the #1 golf course in Nevada and among the top 20 courses in the United States. It is best known for its extraordinary artificial landscape — a lush parkland oasis of streams, waterfalls, and forest carved from the desert at enormous cost — its extreme exclusivity, and its record-setting green fee. Shadow Creek has been a recurring favorite on national best-course lists since Golf Digest first ranked it in the 1990s.