Shadow Creek

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Danny D
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Shadow Creek

Post by Danny D »

Hi gang!

The last week of February I ran across a course I had never heard of before. When I started checking it out, I found it to be one of the most fascinating stories I have ever seen. I starting watching videos of it, and reading up on it's history, and I fell in love with it.

As I have come to understand it, (and I may be wrong in some areas) a billionaire that loved golf, bought a flat piece of land about 15 miles out of Las Vegas. He had an oblong square plot of land dug out, and then had good soil brought in to fill it up and shape it into a 18 hole course. He hired Tom Fazio to design it. The open pit was about 75 feet deep, 1500 yards long, and 830 yards wide, and parts of the course protrude above land level. There are 6 or 7 lakes throughout, and a creek that flows thru it with waterfalls. Also trees bushes and shrubbery were brought it from all parts of the country. The more I looked it over, the more I liked it, and the more doubt I had about being able to do it. It looks by far to be the toughest course I've ever seen to replicate because of it's topography. I kept looking, and kept avoiding it until one night I decided to start to work on it, not knowing if it would ever get done.

I spent 2 full months, at 4 hours a night, just doing the elevations. It has a lot of contours. :fear: I finally finished the elevation adjustments a couple of days ago and have just begun tweaking the shapes, starting with the cart paths. This is as far as I have made it, so far. (2 months??? My God, Sage would have finished the whole course a month ago. :laugh: ) There is a possibility I may have set a record for the most elevation points used to start a layout before creating any shapes. Keep in mind that these are only elevation points and not shapes that have been created. The shapes are just beginning now that the elevations are set.

I hesitated saying anything about the course because due to time and health issues, I don't know if it will ever get completed, . But I am going to give it my best effort while I can. Adelade reminded me that it might be best if I checked with everyone to make sure someone else hasn't taken it on. I've not seen any discussions about it in the past, but I may have missed it if there was. If someone else is actively working on it, please let me know.

Here's a view of the elevation verts only. There are 6109 of them.

sc-elev2.jpg
sc-elev2.jpg (217.89 KiB) Viewed 2155 times
sc-elev1.jpg
sc-elev1.jpg (1.05 MiB) Viewed 2155 times


Some side notes: This was not originally a public course, but I understand that it has recently been made public. However, it's for the very rich and currently boasts the most expensive greens fees in the world, at $1000.00 a round IF you can actually get a tee time. It also takes a special invite from the owners, and you must be staying at the Las Vegas MGM Hotel to be able to get invited. Here's a explanation from their site.

"How can you play glitzy Shadow Creek? Though it is technically open to the public—ranked fifth on Golf Digest’s latest 100 Greatest Public list—you must stay at an MGM property, taking only an MGM-owned limo to and from the course. Of course, all of that isn’t always enough—being a high-roller and working with a casino concierge to set it up is the best way to secure a tee time."


If you do, you are taken there by limousine. I'm going to guess that there are not many Linksters that have ever, or will ever, get to play this course IRL. (I may be wrong. Some of you guys have been around a while and may have played it. :dunno: )

My hope is that I can complete it so we can all enjoy a round at the course with "the most expensive greens fee in the world". :thumbup:

Dan :cheers1:
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
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sagevanni
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 6:21 am
Location: Somewhere on flat earth

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by sagevanni »

Hi Danny,

I had this course marked on GE to some day try but you look to be WELL on your way.....!!!!!!!

What you have looks like a GREAT start...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep us all informed on your progress..........

Best to you...............!!!!!!!!!!!!! :smile:

Sage...... :smile: :cheers1: :smile: :cheers1:
If there is one thing ................ummmmmmmm.......I can't remember.
Ian Wells
Posts: 561
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 3:02 am

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by Ian Wells »

:dunno: Dan,
I looked long and hard at this course after I did Pasatiempo as it is stunning, but I thought it was just too difficult for me.
It is certainly a course worthy of your design talents. :tiphat: I look forward to seeing your APCD build.
(When I look at your top view grid it reminds me of an antique Spanish map, or is it just me?) :dunno:

Good luck. :cheers1:
Ian
pmgolf
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 2:41 am
Location: near Richmond, VA

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by pmgolf »

Wow, Dan! What a big task to take on! Good luck to you!

Pete
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Weeler
Posts: 241
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 3:52 pm
Location: Watertown, WI

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by Weeler »

Dan.......this was a post I made back in February in the thread "Nevada Courses"


Re: Nevada courses
Post by Weeler » Thu Feb 03, 2022 12:06 pm

I saw an LPGA event at Shadow Creek a couple of years back, and even though it has some major "eye candy", it looked like a really nice layout, with a few challenging holes. As the cameras moved around the course, I just thought it would be a very good choice for a LINKS design.

BTW.....I'm really glad you chose to do this course for Links, I'm sure it will be a challenge....but well worth it !
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Danny D
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by Danny D »

Weeler wrote: April 23rd, 2022, 2:32 pm Dan.......this was a post I made back in February in the thread "Nevada Courses"


Re: Nevada courses
Post by Weeler » Thu Feb 03, 2022 12:06 pm

I saw an LPGA event at Shadow Creek a couple of years back, and even though it has some major "eye candy", it looked like a really nice layout, with a few challenging holes. As the cameras moved around the course, I just thought it would be a very good choice for a LINKS design.

BTW.....I'm really glad you chose to do this course for Links, I'm sure it will be a challenge....but well worth it !
Hi Ron...

This was the post that made me take a look at Shadow Creek. Thanks for the tip. I had told you back then that I had no plans for any new courses, but after looking at it, I said if I ever did decide to take on another build, it would be Shadow Creek. I avoided it for quite a while, but kept looking at it until eventually I said, what the heck. You have nothing else to do. Give it a go. So I did. I just hope I can get it done. :whistle:

Best wishes,

Dan
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
John B
Posts: 57
Joined: August 29th, 2019, 1:10 am

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by John B »

It's an incredible course, one which I've been able to set foot on a couple of times but haven't had the pleasure to play. Next month starting on May 25th the LPGA tour will have an event there. It will be shown on the Golf Channel.

Currently the only in person viewing options I see available for the LPGA event are listed as a package deal where you have to book multi night stays at one of the MGM resorts and start at about a thousand bucks per person and go on up to about three grand a person. No thanks. However if they do start offering simple general admission tickets for a reasonable price I might consider going if I don't have any prior commitments that week.

Anyway, yes it's a fantastic course even to set foot on. If you're able to do so then I am sure you won't be disappointed. If not, then you can always get a good look at it when they show the LPGA event on tv.
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Danny D
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by Danny D »

John B wrote: April 26th, 2022, 1:49 am It's an incredible course, one which I've been able to set foot on a couple of times but haven't had the pleasure to play. Next month starting on May 25th the LPGA tour will have an event there. It will be shown on the Golf Channel.

Currently the only in person viewing options I see available for the LPGA event are listed as a package deal where you have to book multi night stays at one of the MGM resorts and start at about a thousand bucks per person and go on up to about three grand a person. No thanks. However if they do start offering simple general admission tickets for a reasonable price I might consider going if I don't have any prior commitments that week.

Anyway, yes it's a fantastic course even to set foot on. If you're able to do so then I am sure you won't be disappointed. If not, then you can always get a good look at it when they show the LPGA event on tv.
Thanks for that info John. I'll see if I can catch that LPGA event on TV. :thumbup:

Best wishes,

Dan
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
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Jimbo
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Joined: August 29th, 2019, 3:55 am
Location: Victoria-but a Raven at heart!

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by Jimbo »

I just visited the website-Dustin Johnson's father in law loves the course!
...don't forget the phone booth! :whistle:
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Danny D
Posts: 1107
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Re: Shadow Creek

Post by Danny D »

Jimbo wrote: April 26th, 2022, 9:15 am I just visited the website-Dustin Johnson's father in law loves the course!
...don't forget the phone booth! :whistle:
Yah, that and a couple of underground tunnels :smile:

Dan
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
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