Stallion Mountain Golf Club springs back to life in Las Vegas

• Bill Bowman
• Jun 21, 2012 12:59 PM ET

LAS VEGAS -- It's the feeling you get when you run into an old friend after they've been gone awhile.

You want to catch up, see how things are going, compliment them on how good they look, and tell them they've been missed.

It's time to welcome back an old Las Vegas golf favorite: Stallion Mountain Golf Club.

The par-72 layout, designed by Jim Colbert and Jeff Brauer, has four sets of tees ranging from 7,351 yards from the tips to 5,747 yards from the front.

Stallion Mountain opened in 1992, but it was closed for three years due to financial troubles. It recently reopened under the guidance of OB Sports and is now a semi-private course that has golf fans buzzing.

"People are excited to get reacquainted with the facility," said Dan Romstead, Stallion Mountain's head professional. "And they are amazed at the excellent conditions we have in such a short time."

Variety and challenge are two words golfers use most often when they look for a course to play. At Stallion Mountain, players get both -- in a big way.

The golf course winds through a gated community, but it doesn't feel cramped. The wide, rolling fairways offer players generous landing areas, and the large greens are receptive and getting better by the day.

Stallion Mountain G.C. opens with a straightaway par 4 at 428 yards from the tips. Bunkers on the right side will challenge players to keep it left, but a receptive green can give players a good look at birdie. The seventh and eighth, both par 4s, share a huge pond (on the left on the seventh and the right on the eighth) and are two scenic and testing holes. Both require pinpoint accuracy off the tee, with water, bunkers and trees providing the challenges. Beauty and toughness never looked so inviting.

They've definitely saved the best for last at Stallion Mountain. The 17th, a par 3 that reaches 218 yards from the tips, and the 18th, a par 5 that checks in at 566 yards, are everything closing holes should be -- and more.

The 17th plays to a triangular-shaped green with the base of the triangle nestling up against a shimmering pond that guards the front of the green. It's just a step or two from the green to the pond, so take an extra club here because short is not good. There is bailout room to the right of the green, so take that into consideration.

The 18th is a sweeping dogleg right with bunkers guarding the left side off the tee and a pond running down the entire right side. A good drive here sets up the dilemma -- be bold and go for it, or play it safer and lay up. Both shots have their pros and cons. Going for it requires a 3-wood second shot (unless you're a really big hitter) and accuracy is a must because the green, while it's huge, is a small target from about 250 yards out. Laying up also has its perils as the pond right and bunkering left pinch the fairway just short of the green. Solid shots and good thoughts from tee to green just may give players a look at a birdie (or even an eagle) to close out their round.

Stallion Mountain Golf Club: In the clubhouse

Stallion Mountain Golf Club's 38,000-square-foot clubhouse is opulent from the moment you walk through the doors. Whether it's lunch for two, a corporate outing, a wedding for 300 or any other special event, the staff and facility can handle everything from start to finish.

"It's just a beautiful clubhouse, and we've got the room to handle multiple events at one time," Romstead said.

Stallion Mountain is a semi-private layout that will be capped with a membership of 300. They are at about 80 in the first month of being open, and that has Romstead smiling.

"The golf course is the centerpiece of the community, and we're getting busier with new faces every day," he said. "We've got a great facility with great people."

Stallion Mountain Golf Club: The verdict

If you've never played Stallion Mountain, or if you're a local who remembers it from its heyday, it's definitely a course that should be on your must-play list. With a challenging layout, just enough water, sand and trees to add to the test, rolling fairways and beautiful landscaping, this classic has been brought back to life in a big way.

Forget bells and whistles. This is just good, solid golf on an outstanding course.

"People forget how good a track this golf course is," Romstead said. "Combine that with great conditions, great people, great service and great food, and it all adds up to a wonderful experience."