LAS VEGAS’ BEST BETS

One thing every major Las Vegas hotel-casino shares, besides plenty of neon-driven bombast and row upon row of slot machines, is a “high limit” gaming area composed of $100-and-up slots and high-minimum table games attended by well-mannered dealers and overseen by tuxedoed pit bosses. Only the biggest bankrolls need apply.

Still, the lion’s share of casino square footage is reserved for the rest of us, folks on an actual budget. When it comes to giving you options for blowing your cash, Vegas excels like no other city.

It's the same monetary spread on the golf side of Sin City’s ledger: A handful of resort courses will set you back a pretty penny, led by Shadow Creek at $500 a pop (if you stay at an MGM property, that is, otherwise, no dice on a tee time). Cascata, a stellar Rees Jones creation in sere hills on the road to Boulder City, isn’t far behind in cost or cachet. Both those courses are worth the outlay, at least once, as are favorites such as Bali Hai, the Wynn and Royal Links. But by far the largest selection of golf layouts in V-Town remain in the “affordably upscale” category, with a few qualifying as outright bargains.

Leading that bunch is Angel Park on the west side of town. With two full-length Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay courses, an executive circuit that offers nighttime golf and amenities that rank among those at much higher-ticket tracks, it’s a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Paiute Resort, a 20-minute drive north of the Strip off Highway 95, is another excellent stand-alone destination, with three Pete Dye 18-holers and facilities that cater to groups. Siena, Tuscany and Aliante are also fine choices, forming a three-cornered geographic tour of Vegas’s particular brand of high-desert fun. Venture about 40 minutes north of town off of I-15 and you’ll come across Coyote Springs, a sublime Jack Nicklaus Signature design that pretty much defines middle-of-nowhere golf solitude. It’s more mid-priced, but within reach of most adventurers.

While winter is a crapshoot in Vegas and environs weather-wise, it really hits its stride in March and April, before the monster heat hits. So you’ve got plenty of time to get on a roll in America’s gaming, and resort-style golfing, capital.