Page 60 - Las Vegas Golf & Leisure Winter 2019

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say Las Vegas is the number three spot for tour players to live and play. As mentioned previously, a couple main reasons players move to Las
Las Vegas offers a lot of good choices when it comes to golf including Vegas are the two PGA TOUR TPC courses located in the valley. TPC
the two TPC courses, but there are plenty of golf course options. Also, Las Vegas and TPC Summerlin are where a majority of the tour pros play
off the course Vegas has a lot to offer and there are unlimited things to and practice.
do here and that adds to the allure. No matter what you want, you can
find it here, from shows to restaurants to golf to anything else. And as “Obviously, the tax implications are a driver for professionals to move to
a local, we appreciate the outdoor opportunities like hiking and miles the area, but besides that, we have over 300 days of sunshine and quality
and miles of bike trails. Vegas really has it all and a lot of tour pros golf courses in the area,” TPC Las Vegas general manager Dan Hammell
see that and then love it once they says. “With the two PGA TOUR
“Vegas is like the players have access to the best
move here.” TPC courses in Summerlin, Tour
Jeff Gallagher, who has won on possible practice and playing
what is now the Web.com Tour, Jupiter of the conditions in Las Vegas. PGA
and also is a Reflection Bay TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions
teaching professional, is still west; it’s kind of and Web.com players enjoy the
chasing PGA TOUR Champions quality of practice facilities and
official status. He isn’t a native, the young, new practice balls that we provide
but raised two girls in Southern for them. They have their own
Nevada and has made his home center of golf in separate area away from members
here for a couple decades. At and public to work on their craft
the time of this deadline, he had the West. It’s an without interruption. We also give
just finished runner-up at first access to Latino Tour, MacKenzie
stage of PGA TOUR Champions Tour and China Tour members at
qualifying school at Primm awesome place our facilities. Ease of access in and
Valley Lakes, moving on to the out of McCarran International is
final stage at TPC Tampa Bay. to be.” also a benefit. There are also some
other quality golf facilities around
“I first moved here for my wife, town that give access to mini-tour
Kim, to be closer to her family, -Maverick McNealy and college players.”
but we love living here and have
great friends,” Gallagher says. “I As Hammell says, other clubs
think over the years more players moved here and got to know the and courses including Southern Highlands, Cascata, Shadow Creek, the
city and then told others about how great a place it is and then more Summit and the Las Vegas Country Club are places where the pros put in
move here. People that don’t live here don’t get Las Vegas, but once you work to prepare during the off-season or breaks during the regular season.
move here, I think you begin to feel the sense of community. For golf,
the weather is pretty much perfect for year-round play and when it is LPGA Tour players also make their homes in Las Vegas, including major
really hot, the active tour players are away playing so they don’t have to champions Danielle Kang and Inbee Park, who played high school golf at
deal with it that much.” Bishop Gorman and was a two-time state champ.

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58 LVG&L WINTER 2019 W W W.L ASVEGASGOLFANDLEISURE.COM