Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Sean Dudley
/ Categories: News

New 18-hole layout to open in Las Vegas next spring

The construction of a new golf course in Las Vegas is nearing completion and is set to open early next year.

Designed by Fazio Design, The Summit golf course is taking shape and is set to open for play in the spring. Developers Discovery Land Company are the firm behind the project.

GCA caught up with Brian Courcelle from Fazio Design to discuss the new course, which will lie just 15 minutes from the Las Vegas strip.

“The site is extremely interesting, with a lot of topography for the Las Vegas area,” Courcelle said. “While much of Las Vegas is fairly flat to moderately sloped, The Summit site enjoys a location adjacent to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area that is transitioning up into the foothills of the nearby mountains.”

Courcelle explains that the site’s topographic variety means the course passes through differing natural environments. For example, the course’s opening holes are located in a ‘desert’ style area, while a significant part of the course’s back nine plays around a creek with more of a 'lush' feel to these holes.

“Examples of the extremes would be the par three second hole and the par three 11th hole,” Courcelle explained. “The second hole plays level to slightly uphill with western mountain views. The green is set hard long an existing dry valley with a boulder wall. The hole is in an arid desert location and plays over the deep valley to the elevated green.”

“The 11th hole however is near the front of the project and plays downhill and over a stream to a green perched above the irrigation lake. The hole is in a lush location with water, palm trees, and dense landscape. In contrast to the second hole, the 11th hole is playing east with magnificent views of the Las Vegas strip.”

The Summit course features almost 300 feet of elevation change, and a number of ridges and valleys characterise the site.

“Exposed rock seams in the hillsides, large boulder outcroppings, and carved-out dry washes are present and highlighted throughout the golf course and community,” Courcelle said. “Due to its elevation roughly 1,000 feet above the city, the golf course and home sites will have spectacular views of the Las Vegas strip to the east and the protected Red Rocks lands to the west and northwest.”

Work on The Summit course began back in the summer of 2015, and more that four million cubic yards of earth have been moved to shape and create the course.

“Discovery Land Company has made a significant commitment to the golf course, which enjoys very wide play corridors, desert lush landscape, and generous offsets from the real estate,” Courcelle added. “Golfers will enjoy a playable golf course, fast and firm turf conditions, dramatic elevation changes, a variety of golf holes and environments, and of course the amazing views off property. It will be unlike anything in the Las Vegas market.”

The course is scheduled to open in spring 2017.

All photos courtesy of Jarrod Ames Photography

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  • Nemu2

    The eleventh hole is near the front of the project and plays downhill and over a stream to a green perched above the irrigation lake

  • Nemu2

    The course is scheduled to open next spring

  • Nemu2

    The course lies just 15 minutes from the Las Vegas strip

Sean Dudley

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