Phoenix to Las Vegas road trip: 19 stops worth the detour

A fresh Nicklaus design at the base of the White Tanks, Troon-managed and currently open for daily-fee play. Catch it while you can, as it is slated to go private as the community fills in.

A rolling high-desert course northwest of the Valley in old ranching country, with saguaro-studded hills and big quiet. A scenic escape from the city.

A lavish Caesars course with a stream running through the clubhouse.

a canyon scramble to riverside hot springs

A 27-hole municipal-style course in Boulder City with desert-mountain views near Lake Mead, well-conditioned and well-priced. A local value favorite.

steep, raw desert downhill near Las Vegas

a slot-canyon ladder climb to riverside pools below Hoover Dam

The bolder of Verrado's two courses, with big elevation swings against the White Tank Mountains. A Tom Lehman design the West Valley quietly considers its best public play.

a neighborhood Phoenix brewery widely rated among the state’s best

A wedding-cake "castle" on a cactus hill in Phoenix, ringed by one of the oldest saguaro gardens in the country.

A Rees Jones course in the Black Mountain foothills of Henderson, home to Butch Harmon's school and once a PGA Tour qualifier site. Canyon-and-mesa golf.

A tropical-themed course right on the Strip.

A Rees Jones layout tucked into the mountains northwest of the city, miles from anything. The elevation changes and total seclusion make it feel like a private retreat at public prices.