Laughlin Ranch Golf Club

Overview: Laughlin Ranch Golf Club is an 18-hole, par-72 desert course in Bullhead City, Arizona, above the Colorado River valley and among the Black Mountains. David Druzisky shaped the 7,155-yard layout through high desert ground with pronounced elevation changes, broad fairways, undulating greens, arroyos, bunkers, ponds and waterfalls. The course is not a flat desert corridor: the land rises and falls between holes, creating different views toward the river valley and making the approach angles as important as distance from the tee.

History: The project formed part of the Laughlin Ranch master-planned community. Construction began in January 2004, with David Druzisky routing the course and Landscapes Unlimited building it on a difficult sandy site. The first nine entered play on December 18, 2004, and the back nine followed in April 2005, which is why 2005 is used here for the complete 18-hole routing. The course quickly entered national new-course coverage, including Golf Digest’s 2006 recognition of Laughlin Ranch among the top new upscale public courses. The club’s current course page retains the original Druzisky authorship and par-72, 7,155-yard specifications.

Did You Know? The official hole guide begins with a par-five first hole whose green sits above the approach and is guarded by bunkers on the left. It is a useful introduction to the course’s design language: elevation, a visible target and a choice between advancing aggressively and leaving a more controlled approach.