Snow Mountain at Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort

All three Paiute courses—Snow, Sun, and Wolf—tested you in different ways, with stunning views of the Sheep and Spring mountains on every hole. A few tee boxes needed attention, but the fairways, bunkers and greens were otherwise immaculate and in excellent condition. Pace of play was fast and well managed by marshals who will firmly remind you to keep moving if you're falling behind. The hot cart girl came by every 3-4 holes and made arguably one of the best transfusions we've ever had.

Be warned about going out of bounds into the desert—getting out of the gravel and cacti wasteland is extremely difficult and will almost certainly cost you penalty strokes (and possibly damaged clubs). Also note that the weather and course conditions vary significantly depending on your tee time. It's frequently windy at Paiute, so factoring the wind into your shot decisions is critical. AM tee times often bring strong, cold winds and super firm, fast greens, while PM tee times tend to have calmer winds and softer greens.

My buddies and I had a fantastic time playing all three courses over three days and would absolutely love to play here again. Highly recommended if you’re in the Las Vegas area and want an unforgettable, authentic desert golf experience.

One of the best courses in the Vegas area. Fairways and greens are in great shape. Will be back again!

Such a beautiful and well maintained course.

Tbe marshals and starters are just fantastic. We play here every year.

The course is in great shape. The views are spectacular. Well worth the drive and the money. Greens are tough.

Spend a weekend in Vegas every year on a golf trip with friends. We’ve played them all, Chimera, Aliante, Rhodes Ranch, Arroyo, Painted Desert, etc. We’ll only play these 3 Paiute courses from now on. High class course. High class groundskeeper. High class experience for not much more than all of the other courses.

A modern, stern test of strategic golf in the desert, but with a classic Dye feel. The designers bring many risk-reward holes into the mix, whether they involve playing over the desert or over one of the many water hazards. This course, although similar in several ways (especially bunkering style and elevation changes) to the adjacent Sun Mountain track, still carries a different emphasis and aura.

From the opening sequence over the first four holes—marked by strong elevation shifts, strategic fairway “tongues,” bold tee-to-green angles, and crafty greenside shaping—Dye sets the tone. It drew me in quickly, while gradually setting a more enduring tone of unpredictability and tension.

Risk-reward is often the name of the game at Snow Mountain. To succeed at hole the short par-4 seventh, for example, a careful decision may be relevant: drive the green (or near it) or instead lay up. On sixteen and eighteen the water hazards take center stage. The former, playing over a huge pond, is an all-or nothing proposition.

Still, the Snow finds a balance, as some of the most challenging holes don’t necessarily involve great risk, but rather precision play. Playing the 611-yard par-5 sixteenth is mainly a matter of careful positioning on all three shots from tee to green; and, if the third happens to be a longer approach, playing for the center of the huge, sloping green is usually wise (hit the wrong side, too far from a pin, and you’ll likely three-putt).

Differences from Sun Mountain

Since Snow Mountain is more oriented to taking calculated risks and shortcuts, it is an even more strategic course than Sun Mountain. Not surprisingly, then, it is also more penal, and with frequent risk/reward comes momentum swings in a round or match.

Water hazards, more frequent here, are also placed more slyly at Snow Mountain, and most do not require a forced carry—only those at 16 and 18 (assuming the green is your target). Fairways, laid out irregularly and unpredictably like those on the Sun, are even more angular and doglegged. Cutting a fairway angle here typically supplies a better reward—a much closer shot at the green. Deciding on risk-reward in several forms (not just carrying water) is far more common on the Snow.

The greens were larger here, and the greenside zones didn’t present as many difficulties as those on the Sun. While mounding and contouring were not uncommon, I still pitched from some awkward lies—just not as many.

Which course is harder? That depends on a player’s style and execution. I lean towards the Snow, mainly because 16 and 18 are highly demanding—but it’s close. Taking more risks also means greater potential for blow-up holes.

Some Conclusions:

–On this finely conditioned layout, I played today in a fine foursome, in which we all seemed to enjoy each other’s company. One of my playing partners, G., became increasingly funny as the round went on; we were both lightly amused by our toils. Great, great fun.

–Having now played this and Sun Mountain, I liked both–especially from tee to green. Forced to choose, though, I’d play Snow again on a return trip, as it is more dynamic; it also had the edge on distinctive and memorable holes.

Greens roll true, sunshine fairway carpet. Awesome experience.

Lush, well watered, out in the middle of the desert (quiet). Paiute is a unique experience in Vegas, in exceptional condition, while being priced the same as the mediocre local courses. There are beautiful mountain views on every hole. There are no watering restrictions here - which means you get inch thick rough that never goes dormant in the winter months.

Tee boxes are cut short. Greens are smooth and fast. Bunkers have good sand. Tee times are kept 10 minutes apart - even on a full tee sheet we were done in 4 hours. If you are a local, it's so worth the drive as long as there's no wind.

The layout is awesome. You have 280 yard dogleg par 4's that dare you to go for the green over hazards. You have multiple par 3's that require a carry over the water. You have several par 4's that dogleg with water running parallel to the fairway. I think Snow has the best layout at Paiute. The finishing holes on both 9's are fantastic.

They have cart GPS, dump (4) bottles of water in your cart, have a snack bar at the turn, and drink cart every ~3 holes. There's a bag drop and they'll even carry your bag back to bag drop for you. The restaurant has a gorgeous view over holes 10 and 18. The pro shop is well stocked with gear. The ranges are in excellent condition and you hit off grass even in the winter months.

The only complaint would be that the wind gets bad depending on the time of year. Paiute is ~10 degrees cooler than Vegas, which is a positive in the summer, but a negative in the winter. But everything about the experience is perfect from bag drop to the after-round meal overlooking hole 18. The (3) courses at Paiute are all in the top 5 of the 100+ courses that I have played across multiple states.

I've played numerous courses in the Vegas area. This is absolutely a top value. The course was in perfect condition. If I lived there, I would make it my number 1. The pro shop has great shirts and hats that I haven't seen at other courses. The patio bar view looks like a post card. Can't say enough good things about this place.

Really enjoyed this course! The conditions were fantastic and the course was very challenging. This was our favorite course during our visit and we will be back!

Great course in great shape. Was in town on vacation and glad I was able to play here. Played the first day on the Sun course and liked it, so booked a tee time the next day for Snow.

Very good conditions. Greens were plush, smooth, and running fast.

Would never hesitate booking a tee time here.