Imagine how it would feel to break the course record at the most iconic club in your hometown, and to do so during a PGA Tour event.  That’s exactly what happened at LVCC during the 1999 Las Vegas Invitational – not once, but twice!  First, lifelong resident Craig Barlow took advantage of an eagle here at the 10^th hole en route to shooting 61 in the opening round, establishing a new record.  The very next day, Tommy Armour III, whose family were members at LVCC, broke the newly established record by shooting 60.  Tommy’s round could have been even more remarkable were it not for three missed putts from inside 5 feet.  Following the round, he reflected on the missed opportunity to set an all-time PGA Tour scoring record saying “I wish I could have shot 58, but this is nice.  You don’t get too many opportunities to shoot 60.”

Those who have seen the movie “Casino” are probably familiar with one of the more publicized events to have occurred here at LVCC.  In 1981, an FBI plane conducting surveillance on alleged mafia activity at the club ran out of gas and had to perform an emergency landing on the course.  After swerving to avoid a golf cart, the plane plunged nose first into the lake on your left.  A photo of the floating airplane is on display in the memorabilia area of the LVCC clubhouse, along with many other fascinating items detailing the club’s rich and colorful history.  Following your round, a stroll through these archives with your favorite beverage is time well spent.

Entertainer and singer Pat Boone was a major Las Vegas headliner in the 1960’s and 1970’s, appearing at various hotels including the Sahara, the Thunderbird and the Sands.  An avid golfer, Boone spent many of his daytime hours teeing it up at LVCC with his celebrity pals, including Dean Martin and longtime Las Vegas pro Bo Wininger.  Boone was beloved at the club and ownership decided to name this hole “Boone’s Pond” in his honor.
 
Many other Las Vegas celebrities from that era also considered LVCC to be their second home.  On any given day you were likely to run across Liberace, Frank Sinatra, Don Cherry, Shecky Greene, Jack Benny, Charlene Tilton, Linda Gray and Engelbert Humperdinck, just to name a few.

The real-life action portrayed in the film “Casino” took place behind the gates of The Las Vegas Country Club.  To the left of this tee is the former home of Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, the main character who was a bookmaker and alleged mafia associate of Tony “The Ant” Spilotro.  In the movie, Rosenthal was portrayed by Robert De Niro, Spilotro by Joe Pesci, and Rosenthal’s girlfriend, Geri McGhee, by Sharon Stone.  Playing himself in the movie was LVCC member and former mayor of Las Vegas Oscar Goodman.  Following the film’s release, mobster turned informant Frank Culotta verified its authenticity, saying it was about “75% to 90% accurate” based on his recollection of events.
 

19 PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events have been contested at The Las Vegas Country Club, including the first million-dollar purse in PGA Tour history.  The list of winners includes numerous major champions and hall of famers, such as Greg Norman, Curtis Strange, Fuzzy Zoeller, Jim Furyk, Paul Azinger, Lorena Ochoa and Cristie Kerr.  The 17^th hole, shadowed by what is now the Westgate Resort, has changed many fortunes, as attested by 1993 Las Vegas Invitational champion Davis Love III.  “The 17^th was always tricky because the wind swirled around the Hilton.  Trying to hit it close on Sunday was very difficult.  You never knew how the wind would affect the ball.”  The name of the hotel has changed over the years, but the wind phenomenon has not.  In true Las Vegas fashion, take your best guess and hope for good fortune!

How much cash has changed hands on this hole since 1967?  It’s hard to even fathom a guess, but you can be certain that not all bets have been won fair and square.  Longtime members always chuckle when reminiscing about a key sprinkler head in the 18^th fairway which was purposely mismarked by 10 yards, causing unknowing “squares” to hit their approach into the pond fronting the green.
 
Legendary poker player Amarillo Slim was part of one epic wager, when a "rail bird" named Squirrel bet him $25,000 that golf hustler Leon Crump could hit a shot onto the top of the Las Vegas Hilton (now the Westgate) across the street from the 18th tee.  "If he says he can, he probably can" Slim snorted to Squirrel, but accepted the wager anyway.  After one unsuccessful shot made it barely halfway up the hotel, Crump said, "Pick up the money, Slim, I can't hit one better than that."