TPC Summerlin Review

About TPC Summerlin

This TPC Summerlin review covers one of professional golf's most storied private venues — a Bobby Weed design (with Fuzzy Zoeller as player consultant) opened in 1991 in the heart of Summerlin, Las Vegas. Playing at 7,243 yards to a par 72 with a course rating of 74.4 and a slope of 137 from the back tees, TPC Summerlin was built to championship specification from day one. The bentgrass greens and desert-canyon routing place it among the most demanding private-club tests in the Southwest. The course is woven permanently into golf history: in October 1996, a 20-year-old Tiger Woods claimed his first PGA TOUR victory on the 18th fairway during the Las Vegas Invitational. From 1992 through 2024 the layout hosted the Shriners Children's Open each autumn, when the greens quickened to tournament pace and the course showed its championship teeth; the PGA TOUR event concluded after the 2024 edition. Our short verdict: TPC Summerlin is the defining private-club golf experience in Las Vegas — and the benchmark against which every other local course is measured.

Reviews of TPC Summerlin

Our editorial take: TPC Summerlin is the gold standard of Las Vegas private-club golf. Bobby Weed's routing uses the desert terrain with strategic elegance — elevated tees, natural arroyos, and bentgrass greens that demand genuine precision. The par-3 14th (180–210 yards, downhill, no safe miss) and the water-guarded par-4 18th (444 yards) are among the most pressure-packed holes on the PGA TOUR schedule. At 2,700 feet of elevation, ball flight behaves differently than golfers expect, adding a layer of strategic complexity that rewards experienced course management. For private-club members, TPC Summerlin is the clearest "bucket-list" round in Summerlin — a genuine championship test with history embedded in its fairways.

Measured against the national field by our national title TopCourses.golf, TPC Summerlin plays longer than 67% of America’s top 100 courses and predates 65 of them. It is not on that list itself — the ranking runs to a hundred names and the private clubs above it are mostly older and more storied — but the comparison is a fair measure of the test.

Our full review of TPC Summerlin

First published March 27, 2026 as a standalone review; folded into this profile October 27, 2026.

Where history was made

The 18th hole carries the weight of the place. In October 1996, five weeks into his professional career, a 20-year-old Tiger Woods made this fairway and green the site of his first PGA TOUR victory at the Las Vegas Invitational. The water down the left and the 444-yard length make it the kind of finishing hole that decides tournaments, and it remained one of the most demanding closers on the TOUR schedule for the three decades the Shriners Children's Open played here.

Bobby Weed's design

Weed trained under Pete Dye and served as superintendent at TPC Sawgrass before becoming chief designer for PGA TOUR Design Services, and that background shows. His philosophy favours strategy over heroics: rather than punishing every errant shot with a hazard, the layout rewards course management and precise execution. Fuzzy Zoeller's input as player consultant kept the design fair from a competitor's point of view, demanding without feeling vindictive.

The defining trait is how the routing works with Summerlin's natural arroyos and canyons instead of flattening them. At 2,700 feet the ball carries farther than instinct suggests, so the mid-iron is usually the right club when the eye says long iron. Bentgrass greens add another layer: during tournament weeks they ran at 11 to 13 feet on the stimpmeter, and even at member pace they reward accuracy on the approach above everything else.

Signature holes

• 6th, par 4, about 382 yards. A drivable par 4 that opens with possibility and closes with five bunkers. The risk-reward calculation is the whole hole.
• 7th, par 5. Reachable in two for strong players, but the second shot carries water. Tournament scoring here ran from eagle to bogey on the same afternoon.
• 14th, par 3, 180 to 210 yards. Downhill, narrow, firm, and with no safe miss. In firm conditions it is the most intimidating short shot on the course.
• 18th, par 4, 444 yards. Water left, bail-out right, and an approach that has to find the green. Elegant pressure, and Weed at his best.

Tournament weeks, 1992 to 2024

Each October through 2024 the property transformed for the Shriners Children's Open: grandstands on the key holes, hospitality on the premium vantage points, conditioning tuned to a standard few clubs can hold. For corporate outings and member play the course keeps its 74.4 rating and 137 slope without the tournament intensity, which is a different and gentler experience of the same architecture. What happened to the PGA TOUR in Las Vegas after 2024 is covered separately.

The verdict

TPC Summerlin is the benchmark for modern championship design in Las Vegas: challenging without being overwhelming, rewarding strategy over force, and proven over three decades of professional competition. Tiger Woods' first win cemented its place in history, but the architecture would earn the reputation on its own. If you want a public-access contrast in the same corridor, Highland Falls and TPC Las Vegas are the natural pairings; our TPC Summerlin vs TPC Las Vegas comparison sets the two side by side.

Is TPC Summerlin Worth Playing?

If you have access — yes, without reservation. TPC Summerlin is the clearest case in Las Vegas golf where pedigree, conditioning, and design all converge at the same address. The bentgrass greens, the history of hole 18, and the annual PGA TOUR spotlight give it a weight that no other local course quite matches. For those without a membership connection, the course's pedigree from hosting the Shriners Children's Open (1992–2024) still defines its reputation.

Good to know before you play

• Access: TPC Summerlin is a private club — play is limited to members and their guests. Corporate outings can access the course at approximately $250 per round. Contact the club at (702) 256-0111 or visit tpc.com/summerlin. Until 2024, attending the Shriners Children's Open each autumn was the best way to experience the course without a membership connection.
• Course difficulty: At 7,243 yards with a course rating of 74.4 and a slope of 137, TPC Summerlin is the most demanding test in the Summerlin corridor. Elevation of 2,700 feet adds carry distance to every club — instinct suggests a long iron when a mid-iron may suffice.
• Signature holes: The par-4 18th (444 yards, left-side water hazard) is one of the most pressure-packed finishing holes on the PGA TOUR schedule. The par-3 14th (180–210 yards, downhill, no safe miss) demands precise shotmaking under any conditions.
• Greens and conditioning: Bentgrass greens run at tournament pace — stimpmeter readings of 11 to 13 feet per second during the Shriners Children's Open. Private-play conditions are somewhat softer but still demand genuine precision.
• Tournament atmosphere: During Shriners Children's Open week each October through 2024, grandstands, hospitality suites, and full tournament conditioning transform the course into a genuine PGA TOUR venue. Attending as a spectator is the most accessible way to see TPC Summerlin at its best.

Frequently asked questions about TPC Summerlin

Where can I find reviews and ratings for TPC Summerlin?

You can read player reviews of TPC Summerlin — rated for conditions, value, layout, greens, pace, and staff — and add your own here on Summerlin.Golf. TPC Summerlin is a private club and is also listed on GolfPass, Golf Digest, and Google Reviews; for membership and access details, visit the TPC Summerlin official website.

Is TPC Summerlin public or private, and how can I play it?

TPC Summerlin is a private club — play is restricted to members and their guests. Corporate outings can access the course at approximately $250 per round. Contact the club at (702) 256-0111 or visit tpc.com/summerlin for information.

Who designed TPC Summerlin and when did it open?

TPC Summerlin was designed by Bobby Weed with Fuzzy Zoeller as player consultant. The course opened in 1991 as a purpose-built PGA TOUR championship venue.

What is the par and yardage at TPC Summerlin?

TPC Summerlin plays 18 holes at par 72. From the back tees the layout stretches to 7,243 yards with a course rating of 74.4 and a slope of 137.

Where is TPC Summerlin located?

TPC Summerlin is located at 1700 Village Center Cir, Las Vegas, NV 89134, in central Summerlin.

What PGA TOUR event is held at TPC Summerlin?

TPC Summerlin hosted the Shriners Children's Open each autumn through 2024, the event's final edition. The course previously hosted the Las Vegas Invitational — the event where Tiger Woods claimed his first PGA TOUR victory in October 1996 at age 20.

What makes TPC Summerlin's course design distinctive?

Bobby Weed's routing navigates natural arroyos and desert canyons at 2,700 feet elevation, creating elevation changes that affect club selection throughout the round. Bentgrass greens reach tournament pace of 11 to 13 feet on the stimpmeter during the Shriners Children's Open. The par-4 18th (444 yards, left-side water hazard) is one of the most demanding finishing holes on the PGA TOUR schedule.