Cascata

Overview: Cascata is a Rees Jones design in Boulder City, south of Las Vegas, where lush golf is routed through the rugged River Mountains. The current profile lists 7,137 yards and par 72. Red Mountain rises to roughly 3,600 feet above the course, while lakes, streams, rock outcrops and constant undulation create a desert setting unlike a conventional resort layout. Jones and co-designer Keith Evans used the canyons and natural drainage lines to give each hole its own space, with many views closing off the next shot rather than revealing the whole course at once.

History: Cascata opened in 2000 after an extensive search for a site that could support a mountain course close to the Las Vegas market. Rees Jones's own account describes 440 acres with ancient stream beds and a landform that suggested a desert-links routing. The course was originally built for MGM and later passed through the Caesars and Harrah's ownership history. Its architectural identity has remained consistent: green fairways and moving water set against exposed desert rock.

Did You Know? Rees Jones has said that helicopters were used to search the Boulder City hills for the right routing before the final holes were laid out. The design then followed the canyons and rock outcrops, helping keep many holes visually separate from one another.