Golf Course Scouting Report: TPC Summerlin

TPC Summerlin is the destination as the FedEx Cup Fall schedule marches on to the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas. Established in 1992, this golf course is a quality host for this October PGA Tour event; it has plenty of variety and interest with the surrounding desert landscape, water hazards, and runoff areas around the greens.

The greens themselves are thoughtfully shaped and provide opportunities for entirely different hole locations throughout the tournament. The surroundings stay fresh due to the delightful mix of sandy desert, trees and greenery, and well-landscaped residences, all with the backdrop of the majestic mountains of Nevada.

Overall: 6.30 - TPC Summerlin won't make it into any rankings of elite golf courses, but it is an exciting track for a low-level PGA Tour event.

Memorable Holes: 6.5

TPC Summerlin has some very cool holes, particularly the par threes and finishing holes, which we will discuss in a few sections. The use of the desert landscape, elevation changes, and water hazards makes these holes stand out. The 442-yard 12th is a good example; this strong par four features a green nuzzled tightly against a beautiful pond and is framed by an enormous mountain in the distance. The 430-yard bunkerless sixth is also unique due to the angled drive over desert, the undulating fairway, and the uphill shot to a raised green.

Interest: 6.5

As previously mentioned, the green complexes at TPC Summerlin provide intrigue. Multiple greens have little fingers or bulges that will allow for very interesting hole locations. I am a huge fan of the 15th hole: this 341-yard par four presents numerous options to golfers: There is a bunker and a large patch of desert in the middle of the undulating fairway, and players must decide whether to place a lay-up iron among these hazards or take on the green with driver, a green that sits on a plateau surrounded by steep runoffs and five cavernous bunkers. This hole will surely provide interesting decisions and intimidating pitch shots during the late stages of the tournament.

Par Threes: 7.5

As I discuss on my podcast, Linksworms, the par threes are the strength of TPC Summerlin due to their variety and difficulty. The 197-yard fifth has an extremely shallow green, particularly on the right side where a bunker guards the front. The eighth is a monster at 239 yards and has a dramatic look; it plays uphill off the tee and is fronted by four deep bunkers. This will likely be one of the most difficult holes on the course. The 14th is completely different at only 168 yards. The green is relatively large given the hole's yardage, but it slopes severely from right to left and back to front with a false front that will repel overspun wedge shots. The final par three comes at the 17th and again looks completely different from the other short holes: The dramatic downhill tee shot is played to a long and narrow green guarded closely by water on the left.

Difficulty: 4.5

The difficulty of TPC Summerlin depends partly on how the PGA Tour sets it up; if it tucks the holes in the corners of the greens, this track can get pretty tricky. Even so, most of these greens only provide one or two of these hidden hole locations, while the remaining areas are largely defenseless against the Tour elites, especially considering that the course isn't very lengthy. This is reflected in previous years' winning scores, the majority of which have come in between 21 and 24 under par, sometimes even lower.

Finish: 6.5

Some may find the finishing holes at TPC Summerlin are somewhat cliche due to the par-five-with-water, par-three-with-water, par-four-with-water finish that we have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of times around the world of golf; nevertheless, these final holes are exciting and should provide a dramatic conclusion to the Shriners Children's Open. The 16th is a scoreable 560-yard par five. The final 100 yards wrap around a pond creating a nervy carry for those going for the green in two. The aforementioned 17th has the potential for both triumph and disaster as shots pulled slightly left will come to rest at the bottom of a lake. The par-four 18th measures 444 yards, and players must decide how much desert they want to carry off the tee to shorten this slight dogleg left. Another deep green is guarded by water, a bunker to the left, and three bunkers on the right. This is a solid finishing hole where a lot can happen with the tournament on the line.

For the criteria used to determine these ratings, please click here.