Why Bali Hai golf is vibin’ in Las Vegas
There’s a unique feel at Bali Hai Golf Club, the only championship golf course remaining on the famed Las Vegas Strip. Bali Hai—a tropical golf oasis resting in the shadows of the Strip resorts—is the last course standing in the heart of the Las Vegas resort corridor, after the closing of the historic Wynn Golf and Country Club. The Wynn course originally opened in 1952 as the Desert Inn Country Club and was home to the first Tournament of Champions in PGA Tour history.
Bali Hai is keeping the decades-long Las Vegas Strip golf tradition alive and well. The fun and intoxicating Vegas vibe oozes from the facility, course and staff, and creates a memorable golf experience for a typical foursome, a group celebrating a bachelor or bachelorette party, a corporate outing expertly organized by Alex, the California Kid, or golfing spouses looking for a game.
“And then there was one …,” says Las Vegas Golf Hall of Famer and PGA of America legend Joe Kelly, who oversees the Bali Hai experience. “What you will find is we are totally embracing the feel of Vegas and doing away with what some may call the ‘boringness’ of the game, if I can so boldly make up a word to describe the sometimes staleness of golf. When you play in Vegas, you want it to feel like Vegas, and at Bali Hai, you’re hitting tee shots shadowed by dramatic resort views, listening to a Bluetooth speaker in your cart playing your favorite songs, enjoying a beautiful Par Mate female caddie spicing up the round, all in a fabulous golf setting on a challenging and playable golf course in a perfect location, minutes from any Strip resort.”
Vegas Joe would know.
The Bali Hai ambience seamlessly permeates the entire facility.
An award-winning clubhouse exudes class and quality, and includes plush sitting areas, a fully-stocked pro shop, hand-picked artwork, and a full bar and Cili restaurant, which serves delicacies and fun fare under the watchful eye and taste buds of chef Josh Horton. Cili is a stunning backdrop and setting for weddings and other memorable occasions.
The South Pacific-inspired championship course is decorated with hundreds of mature palm trees, lagoon-like water hazards, white sand waste areas and generous fairways and greens. Playable. Memorable. Enjoyable. Those are just a few words that best describe golf at Bali Hai.
A popular on-course attraction is the Par 3 Challenge where you can win a deep discount in the pro shop, and nobody ever leaves disappointed.
“This is the only bet in Vegas you cannot lose ,” Kelly says.
“Hey, turn your music up and it’s mandatory that you have as much fun as you can,” says beverage cart hospitality host extraordinaire, Amber, as a group of golfers heads to the first tee, catching them off guard with her nonchalance, yet firm commitment to keeping the vibe alive.
Amber smiles and shoots a quick wink at the group as they roll to the first tee, much more like a celebrity entourage staking claim to a VIP area than a typical foursome politely falling in line and awaiting their turn.
And away they (picture yourself here) went.
When you’re in Las Vegas, you should feel like you’re in the place to be. You want to be in the right spots with the right people, getting taken care of in the right way. You know, the Vegas way.
Well, for Vegas golf, the right way is the Bali Hai way.
And everyone needs a guy in Vegas. At Bali Hai, the California Kid or Vegas Joe are each your guys. Let them show you the time of your golf life that you will relive in your mind a thousand times.
It’s time to experience the Bali Hai vibe today.
Blog special to Bali Hai by Brian Hurlburt, the Las Vegas Golf Insider. Follow @LVGolfInsider or LasVegasGolfInsider on Facebook.