Highland Falls favors precision over power

One glance at the scorecard indicates that Sun City Summerlin's Highland Falls Golf Course is not going to overwhelm the mid- to high-handicapper with its length. However, what the card doesn't show is that they will be challenged from tee to green on virtually every hole.

When PGA Hall of Fame professional and golf course architect Billy Casper designed Highland Falls and its sister course, Palm Valley, he obviously recognized that most of the players frequenting the par-72 track would be, shall we say, Champions Tour-eligible. As a result, the course features a lot of short par 4s and manageable par 3s. However, most of these holes play significantly more difficult than they appear on the card.

Highland Falls clearly reflects a concerted effort to provide a challenge without exasperating shorter hitters; in the process of creating a track around the limitations of his primary audience, Casper crafted a golf course that tolerates short drives, rewards straight shots and punishes wild slashers. Few holes involve forced carries, and guile proves to be of far more value than brawn when negotiating the hazards.

Setting the tone for the round is the 521-yard par-5 opening hole, featuring a ribbon-thin fairway and more bunkers than World War II-era Germany. Avoiding the string of sand traps lining the left side is critical from the tee, but any shot more than chipping distance right of the fairway will find itself amid a sea of yellow range balls. Those who make up their mind in advance not to attack the green in two should seriously consider clubbing down to guarantee a swing from the fairway; the ideal layup yardage is about 120 yards out, which takes the final eight bunkers out of play on the second shot and sets up a wedge approach where accurate players can go flag-hunting.

Highland Falls' greens are not particularly fast, nor do they feature severe undulations. However, a keen eye is required to discern whether the prevailing slope from the mountains or the green's contours will exert more influence on the putt.

At only 363 yards from the back and a paltry 337 from the middle set, No. 5 looks like an easy birdie until players step onto the slightly elevated tee box. Water restrains the drive as players must worry about rolling the tee shot down the hill and into the lake that waits at the fairway's end.

However, it is critical not to lay too far back, as the narrow green is edged on three sides by the same water feature. With no GPS, no yardage book and a fairway that slopes toward the water, it requires some nerve to bite off just the right distance. Anything more than about 225 yards off the tee is just asking for trouble, particularly if the drive drifts to the right. Four, as it turns out, is a fine score on this hole.

The front side closes with a pushover of a par 4 that is drivable for longer hitters. The only danger lies in the pebble-filled bunkers that nibble at the edges of both the fairway and putting surface. Particularly troublesome is the massive one just short of the green, which is nearly 30 yards long. Dribbling a drive into its front edge will test anyone's sand skills.

After another mini-par-4 whose only defense is a perched green comes the 544-yard 11th, which requires three shots to reach for all but the longest hitters. Slicing off the edge of this port-drifting hole is not advisable, as a bunker lurks among the pines lining the fairway's left edge. Not surprisingly, that trap is not alone, as bunkers punctuate both sides of the short grass. The green's front right quadrant is defended by a trio of bunkers, while steep fall-offs ring the rest of the putting surface.

Highland Falls' most scenic hole is the par-3 14th, which plays 206 yards downhill with the Strip as a backdrop. When the wind is rushing up toward the mountains as it frequently does, an abacus is required to calculate the distance as wind resistance and elevation change wrestle for dominance. While the greenside bunker isn't an automatic bogey, long can be very bad.

Highland Falls closes with a 387-yard par 4 that features water from tee to green. Because accuracy is so crucial on the tee shot, clubbing down is prudent for anyone whose drives stray to the right. Even with a fairway metal, most players will hit wedge to a green fringed by water. There is no point flirting with a back pin; front or middle flags are best attacked by landing just short of the putting surface and bouncing up the approach.

While single-digit handicaps may eat this course for lunch, most recreational players will find it a satisfying outing. The lack of distance makes even average hitters feel strong, while the abundant bunkers give straight strikers a decided advantage over their banana-balling counterparts. Highland Falls Golf Course is located at 10201 Sun City Blvd. For more information or to reserve a tee time, call 254-7010 or visit www.golfsummerlin.com.