Golf, nightlife, and entertainment in Vegas: A 5-day itinerary

Booking a holiday to Vegas is on everyone’s bucket list. From the iconic strip to the extravagant hotels and the unmatched entertainment, you truly have to see it to believe it. But what many don’t realise is that Las Vegas is undoubtedly one of the best destinations in the world for anyone looking to combine golf and nightlife.

I was lucky enough to experience all of this first-hand on my golf holiday to Las Vegas in April 2023. I’ve put together my exact itinerary, including a round at Shadow Creek, along with some helpful tips and tricks to help you plan your golf trip to Sin City.

I caught a 7pm flight from Heathrow to Harry Reid International Airport. With an 11-hour journey, I’d always recommend a night flight where possible so you can sleep on the plane and begin adjusting to the time zone early on.

Despite the overnight flight, with an 8-hour time difference, I landed in Vegas at around 10pm.

The airport is conveniently just a short 5-minute taxi journey to the Las Vegas Strip, so it didn’t take long to get to Planet Hollywood Hotel where I was staying.

Vegas certainly isn’t short of options when it comes to accommodation though. Other popular venues I’d recommend include MGM Grand, Bellagio, and Luxor. Through Golfbreaks you can book any hotel on the strip.

Feeling energised, I decided to head out and explore the booming strip. One of my personal favourite casinos was the Paris, with the City of Lights presenting a distinctly chic European aesthetic in the heart of Vegas.

Sadly I didn’t luck out on the slot machines this time, but I was semi-successful with a game of Pai Gow Poker!

My early start on the second day felt like a luxurious lie-in with the jet lag kicking in, so I made it to Paiute Golf Resort for my 9am tee time with plenty of time to spare.

After warming up at the driving range, I joined a group of locals and played the signature track at the resort – the Wolf Course. Stretching out to 7,604 yards, this was a long one!

Luckily my group just so happened to be members at Paiute and were happy to give me all the tips to play the course more strategically. The severe undulation definitely added to the difficulty of the track, but the unobscured mountain views and raw dessert beauty made for an incredible round of golf.

The highlight? The par-3 island green on the 15th speaks for itself.

After a post-round drink at the clubhouse (and a small fortune spent in the pro shop), I decided to visit the North Premium Outlets. Of course, the great discounts on big brand names were one reason to visit, but what really sold it to me was the sign showcasing one of America’s most iconic restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory. You can also find one of these on the Vegas Strip at Caesars Palace!

My third day in Vegas kicked off with a trip to Egg Slut at The Cosmopolitan Hotel. Yes, that it the real name of a real restaurant! I’m still dreaming about their Fairfax Sandwich to this day. If you plan on visiting make sure you get there early doors to avoid queueing, it’s certainly a popular breakfast spot!

The rest of the day was spent exploring the different hotels on the strip. I would recommend visiting the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens which is expertly redesigned each season and truly magical to walk through.

For some high-end designer shopping, Caesars Palace is tough to beat and an experience in itself to explore. Of course, don’t forget to visit The Venetian with the iconic Grand Canal. You can even book a gondola ride!

I closed the day off by visiting the famous Topgolf high-tech driving range. With Toptracer games, five unique bars, DJs every Saturday night, and even two pools, this is the ultimate place for golfers and non-golfers alike to spend an evening. I highly recommend booking in advance via the Topgolf website.

While at Topgolf I also ran into a local comedian who recommended I go to Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club. More on this later…

After a day of exploring, I was ready to spend a day on the course. It was only right that I returned to the fantastic Paiute Golf Resort to play Sun Mountain.

It lived up to its name with a clear blue sky throughout the round. At 7,112 yards it’s shorter than the Wolf and not quite as challenging, though it’s hailed as the resort staff's favourite track. Beware of the howling desert winds, they will certainly make your club choice tricky!

Other courses in Vegas you could add to your itinerary include Reflection Bay, TPC Las Vegas, Snow Mountain Course, Cascata Course, and Rio Secco.

For lunch or dinner, I highly recommend booking a table at Hells Kitchen, but if like me you left it too late, Gordon Ramsay Burger in Planet Hollywood is also a great option!

Earlier on I mentioned Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, well that’s where I ended up this evening. It was probably the most unexpected yet brilliantly memorable event. I’m talking belly-aching laughter. If you come in late, expect a spotlight on you and a few jokes made at your expense! Whether you’re sitting in the front row or the back of the room, nobody is safe…

For the final day in Vegas, I was back on the course. This wasn’t just any course though, this was Shadow Creek.

I had to move hotels for the night to stay in an MGM property because the limousine service that they send to collect you will only pick you up from there, so a night in the MGM Grand it was. The drive is about 30 minutes and the driver was really engaging and knowledgeable about Shadow Creek and the history of the course.

Bobby (my Caddy) watched me warm up on the range and by the time we got to the first tee via the putting green, he seemed to have worked out my ability. He handed me a 3 wood off the first hole, told me where to aim and promised me it was the right club. Had it hit off the middle of the club, he may well have been right.

By the time I got to the green, my caddy handed me a wedge which I found a little confusing – “You want me to chip on the green?” I asked him. Turns out this was not even the fringe, I was still 20 feet from where the green starts. Suffice to say, the condition of the place is totally immaculate.

You run through some amazing holes with incredible scenery and stunning water features defining what can only be described as the experience of a lifetime. Bobby kept me entertained with stories of previous rounds where he’d caddied for Tiger, Phil, and a money game with 4 British players who will remain anonymous, but ended up costing one of them a hefty wad of dollars!

I could hardly go all the way to Vegas and not watch the famous Vegas Golden Knights in action, of course, I’m talking about ice hockey! I was lucky enough to get tickets for round 1 game 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and what an experience it was. The atmosphere was simply electric.

Regardless of whether you’re an ice hockey fan or not, if you get the chance to go I urge you to do it! The Golden Knights also went on to win the Stanley Cup that year, which made this experience all the more special.

To close off the perfect trip, it’s only right you get a souvenir. I recommend picking up a deck of playing cards which were actually used at the casinos. You can get these at any of the numerous gift shops on The Strip. I know what you’re thinking, but the corners have already been cut off, so no sleight of hand will help you here.

Las Vegas absolutely lived up to its reputation for over-the-top entertainment, world-class golf, and striking desert beauty. I’m already looking forward to my next visit!