Local golf courses help high school golf programs

The average cost for a round of play in Las Vegas is $159, while the typical amount of money in a teenage golfer’s pocket is essentially zero. This raises the question of how a promising young player can begin the sport. A solution exists, and many Southern Nevada golf courses have contributed to resolving the issue. Numerous local facilities have invited organized youth groups to use their courses for little or no fee over the years, making high‑school golf feasible. “Every team has a list of courses they have access to,” said Bishop Gorman boys and girls golf coach Dusty Allen. “We use Red Rock Country Club and TPC Summerlin. They are highly accommodating to us. And they’re also accommodating their future clientele.” The arrangement is not as simple as it may appear. Girls compete in the fall and boys in the spring, meaning each group that takes the course is occupying space that could otherwise be filled by paying customers or club members during peak demand periods. “They’re giving up times when they could be making good revenue,” Allen noted, adding that his teams usually play during off‑peak hours. “Most of these teams get access for free.” Mike Messner, head golf professional at TPC Summerlin, works directly with junior golfers. He said he is pleased to do whatever is needed to promote the game among young players. “I wouldn’t consider it an inconvenience at all,” Messner said. “There’s been a significant surge in golf, and it’s an exciting time. We just need to be very strategic between our membership and outreach for the community.” Although some members might view junior golfers as an inconvenience, Messner observed the opposite is generally true. “Our members take pride in seeing young golfers out there,” he said. “They know many of these kids will play at the collegiate level. Every professional started as a junior golfer somewhere. These kids are the future ambassadors of the game.” Karl Larcom, golf director for Boulder Creek and Boulder City Municipal, shared Messner’s perspective. “I grew up as a junior golfer, so this is close and dear to my heart,” Larcom said. “When you were once that kid, you understand it.” He described a symbiotic relationship between course operations and junior golfers that yields long‑term benefits. “They are out there learning tradition, etiquette and the rules of the game,” Larcom said. “To keep things going, you’ve got to support junior golf. That’s what keeps the sport alive.” Other participating area courses include Paiute, Reflection Bay, Angel Park, Painted Desert, Canyon Gate, Aliante, Wild Horse, Desert Pines, LV National, Durango Hills, Coyote Springs (Moapa Valley), Mountain Falls (Pahrump), and Casablanca (Mesquite). This list covers tournaments; teams also schedule matches on various courses that will host them. Although the arrangement has persisted for years, Larcom cautioned that it may not endure indefinitely, as rising expenses for land, maintenance and water are beginning to create challenges. “It’s still a business,” Larcom said. “I don’t see it ever becoming ridiculously expensive, but in the next ten years I can foresee higher fees. Still, we’ll do our best to keep it as affordable as possible.” Allen said he will accept whatever assistance he can obtain. “If these players had to pay full price, it would change high‑school golf dramatically, or it could even disappear,” the coach said. “These courses have been very good to us.” Girls golf competition is currently underway. Bishop Gorman ranks second behind Faith Lutheran in the 5A Mountain League, while five‑time defending state champion Coronado leads the Desert League. In 4A play, Tech heads the Mountain League, 2025 state champion Desert Oasis tops the Desert League standings, and the Sky League schedule begins Tuesday. Perennial powerhouse and defending state champion Boulder City has dominated 3A action after two league matches.