Bill Bowman
Contributor
Bill Bowman is a Las Vegas-based writer who has more than 40 years in the sports-writing business. He's spent the past 16-plus years covering the golf scene in Vegas and has teed it up for magazine profiles with celebrities including comedian Bill Engvall, actor Jeffrey Donovan (USA's Burn Notice), ESPN personality Colin Cowherd, NASCAR's Kurt Busch, Collective Soul's Ed Roland, the Baltimore Ravens' Jonathan Ogden and many others.
Recent articles
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May 16, 2016
A round at Royal Links Golf Club in Las Vegas lets you take on replicas of 18 historic holes that have been used in the British Open rotation. From the clubhouse-turned-castle to the monuments paying homage to the game, you'll find yourself feeling a world away while only miles from the Strip.
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March 16, 2015
Golf and Las Vegas go hand-in-hand. Add in March Madness and you've got the makings of a great outing. Whether it's for just one weekend of the event or the entire two weeks, you'll have plenty of time to check out the golf courses and hoops excitement. Just make sure you start making those tee times early because, like the NCAA basketball tournament, you've got to be in the field to be part of the excitement.
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November 12, 2014
After a five-year hiatus, Reflection Bay Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas is back, and it's better than ever. Bill Bowman has more from Sin City.
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September 23, 2014
Variety, value and views. It's that simple when you're talking about the Palm Valley Course at Golf Summerlin. This Billy Casper/Greg Nash-designed layout is the original Golf Summerlin course, opening in 1989. It's also the longest of the three, and the design -- with a variety of challenges in the length of the holes -- makes tremendous use of the land. If you're looking for a solid round at affordable prices with nice Las Vegas views, you've come to the right place, Bill Bowman writes.
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June 16, 2014
Mesquite, Nevada boasts seven top-flight courses that offer enough variety and challenge that you can play a different one every day and not feel like you're playing the same hole day after day. With that in mind, here's Mesquite Golf 101: Your guide to teeing it up.
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June 13, 2014
The front nine at The Palms Golf Club near Mesquite, Nevada is a rolling, resort-style course with palm-lined fairways, numerous ponds and a plethora of bunkers to test golfers' accuracy. On the back nine, however, prepare for desert golf at its finest. The variety of holes, the challenges and the views make The Palms a course that will appeal to everyone in your group, Bill Bowman writes.
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June 2, 2014
Bill Bowman has enjoyed hundreds of rounds of golf in Las Vegas over the years. Here are his 10 favorite courses in Sin City.
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April 21, 2014
Royal Links Golf Club in Las Vegas features holes replicated from the British Open rotation, including the Road Hole, Hell Bunker and the Postage Stamp. But that's only one reason to play this Dye Designs course. Bill Bowman offers up five reasons to tee it up at Royal Links the next time you hit Vegas.
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March 19, 2014
Players need to follow one simple rule at Conestoga Golf Club: Think before you swing. Located just an hour north of Las Vegas in Mesquite, Nev., Conestoga is the only Troon-managed facility in the area. It stretches out to 7,232 yards, but with five sets of tees, it's definitely playable for everyone -- providing you use your brain and don't try to overpower the golf course. Ready for the challenge? Let's hit the course.
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February 24, 2014
Under normal circumstances it's not easy to pick at top 5 list of anything. Then make it about golf courses -- golf courses on Maui in particular -- and the task is really difficult. But that's what we asked Bill Bowman to do following his recent trip to Hawaii. Here there are his picks for Maui's five best courses. Do you agree?
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February 18, 2014
The easy way to pin down the word "unique" is to go to the dictionary where you'll see: "Unlike anything else." Welcome to Las Vegas, the epitome of unique. That uniqueness extends to many of the golf courses here where you'll find course designs unlike anything else. Here are five that brand Las Vegas with a uniqueness all their own: Bear's Best, Royal Links, The Legacy, Wynn Golf Club and Bali Hai.
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February 18, 2014
Veteran Las Vegas golf writer Bill Bowman has been fortunate enough to tee it up with some high-profile personalities over the past 15 years. He has seen not only the slices and shanks, but also the autograph signings and the celebrities having the time of their lives on some of the finest golf courses in Sin City. Here are some of his favorite memories.
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February 11, 2014
You're on vacation in Maui, so obviously you are going to tee it up. But there is more to this Hawaiian island paradise than fantastic golf courses. Bill Bowman helps guide you through a typical day on Maui, combining golf with a myriad of other activities that this island paradise has to offer.
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January 7, 2014
Okay, here are the choices: Pony up $2,500 -- or more -- for a quick trip to New Jersey for the Super Bowl. Or, you can make your reservations for a four-day, three-night stay in Las Vegas, play a couple of rounds of golf on lush, top-of-the-line courses, take in a show or two on the Las Vegas Strip and indulge in a wide range of dining and drinking options. All that for the same money -- or maybe even a little less.
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July 9, 2013
When it comes to most things in Las Vegas, it's glitz, glamor and grandeur. But what about good, old-fashioned golf? Here are six underrated courses in the Vegas area. These layouts don't always get the big headlines when it comes to Sin City golf, but they will surprise -- and impress -- players.
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July 8, 2013
Nestled among the many golf choices in Las Vegas is The Revere Golf Club, home to not one, but two 18-hole Billy Casper/Greg Nash layouts. The Concord is a course with a true desert feel and mountain views. The Lexington is more of a challenge with great elevation changes. No matter which of the two Revere courses players take on, they'll find a golf experience that will bring them back for more. But take our advice and play them both.
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December 19, 2012
Welcome to Painted Desert Golf Club, where the desert surroundings and lush landscaping come together to form a solid golf experience. The course winds through neighborhoods in northwest Las Vegas and meanders over and around sections of desert areas. It's not the longest course you'll find in Vegas. It's not the most challenging course, either. But when it comes to golf experiences and people running the show, you'll be impressed.
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February 9, 2012
Royal Course at Ka'anapali Golf Resort on Maui gets the majority of the rave reviews. But players need to remember its sister Kai Course is also a tremendous challenge. From breathtaking views and scenery to enough rolling fairways and undulating greens, it's a course that will leave you wanting more, especially in the wake of recent renovations by Robin Nelson.
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February 3, 2012
If you've traveled to Maui, you can't miss King Kamehameha Golf Club's rose-colored clubhouse perched high atop the West Maui Mountains. A winding road rising up the mountain leads players to a golf course that is filled with challenges -- and dramatic views. It's a private club, but players can enjoy all the amenities the club has to offer with its member-for-a-day program.
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January 14, 2011
Golf runs the show in Mesquite. The cluster of resorts and adjoining courses assures it. But even away from the lush fairways, plenty exists to occupy travelers and locals alike. The opportunity is here to do it all, Bill Bowman writes.
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December 9, 2010
Looking to get away from it all? Looking for a nice, tranquil spot to relax? Looking for some great golf? Look no further than Mesquite, Nevada. Located an hour northeast of Las Vegas, Mesquite is home to seven golf courses that will amaze you. Add in fine dining, gaming options galore and plenty of off-the-course choices for the whole family, and you've got the perfect vacation getaway, Bill Bowman writes.
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November 1, 2010
Mix in one of golf's legendary players/designers, a world-class golf destination and 18 challenging golf holes, and you've got the Palmer Course at Oasis Golf Club in Mesquite, Nev. Arnold Palmer's par-71 layout winds over, around and through canyons beautifully. Throw in panoramic views, challenging water features and smooth-rolling greens, and you've got a Palmer masterpiece.
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September 24, 2010
Jack Nicklaus has designed more than 350 golf course, but Coyote Springs Golf Club an hour north of Las Vegas, may be one of his best. You're going to enjoy every part of this golf course. It's a world-class effort by a world-class designer.
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September 10, 2010
Conestoga Golf Club in Mesquite, Nevada opened in January 2010, but one trip around the golf course and you'll feel like you've known it for years. In fact, all it takes is one look at this Gary Panks design and you'll know you're in for a challenging and rewarding round of golf, Bill Bowman writes.
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September 3, 2010
Accuracy. Precision. Length. You'll need it all at Coral Canyon Golf Course, part of the Golf Mesquite Nevada group in Nevada and southern Utah. Keith Foster's 18-hole design provides exquisite golf challenges and scenic beauty -- all rolled into a lush paradise. The first hole, a 525-yard test from an elevated tee, typifies an outing at Coral Canyon. Take advantage of early birdie chances, and watch out for the giant greens, Bill Bowman writes.