Eagle Valley West
Golf Course
Review

By Doug Saunders, golf writer

The Eagle Valley East Golf Course and The West Golf Course share the same clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop, and parking lot but the similarities stop there. You don't even see the West Golf Course when you park or check in and you have to head down a dusty gravel pathover a rise just to find the first tee. But what awaits you is an entertaining course that is a treat to play.

The West Golf Course was added to the Eagle Valley Complex in 1987 and was designed by Jack Snyder, who also laid out the East Course. Snyder designed over 60 golf courses throughout the west including the South Course at Kaanapali in Maui and Saddleback Mountain in Arizona. Snyder was also instrumental in created municipal venues throughout Nevada.

This golf course is the total opposite of the earlier design as the West Course features a series of distinctive holes that cut through the sagebrush and high desert landscape in contrast to the large parkland setting found on the East Course.

Snyder set up a fine test of golf by making ample use of the rugged hillsides to grab more drama and challenge. Throughout the layout the stunning views of the Sierra Nevada Range to the west add to the rugged feel of this golf course.

The majority of the holes are flanked by desert, sagebrush and manzanita so that accuracy becomes a premium here. A missed fairway on this layout will surely lead to a lost shot. Snyder also mixes up the lengths of holes, as well as providing both uphill and downhill holes so that every club comes into play.

Here four tees come into play and the golf course plays from 5293 yards up front to 68851 yards from the tips. The course also carries a healthy slope rating of 131 from the Blue tees, a testament to the challenges found here.

The golf course opens with a majestic view from a slightly elevated tee box and the dogleg left par 4 tempts you to cut the corner if you can. To Snyder's credit he doesn't leave you guessing on what you need to do on each hole, but still playing the correct line is crucial to put yourself in scoring position.

The golf course has a great mix of holes which includes two drivable par 4's and a 575 yard long par 5. The par 3's aren't imposing in length but the use of water and terrain add teeth to the holes. The need to strategize your play is very evident on the 518 yard par 5 3rd hole. You need to play your tee shot down the right side of the wide fairway in order so have the best angle in to the green. A strong drive can put you in tempting range to go for the green in two but you must clear an expansive barranca that cuts in front of the green complex.

This risk-reward element is played over again on many of the golf holes, including the 174 yard par3 13th hole. Here a well-struck iron is needed to carry over the deep canyon and land of the severely sloped elevated green.

The green sites on the layout are a bit larger than on the easier East layout but have much more undulation in them. Some of the greens can be downright scary in mid summer as the breaks and speed can be unnerving.

Most noticeable on both of the layouts at Eagle Valley is the increased effort put into the turf maintenance.

"We have bucked the trend and made a lot of capital improvements to both the golf courses and our clubhouse in order to provide the best product possible for our customers" Kepler said.

THINGS I LIKE - The grand views of the Sierra Nevada and rugged hillsides create an Old Western feel where you feel that an old stagecoach might come rumbling around the next bend.

THINGS I DON'T LIKE - Hearing the gun shots from the nearby skeet shooting range plays into that Old West scenario but it can be a bit annoying after awhile.

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Carson Valley
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Eagle Valley East
Eagle Valley West
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Eagle Valley West
Golf Course
3999 Centennial Park Drive
Carson City, Nevada 89706
775-887-2380

Course Spec
Holes: 18
Slope: 132
Rating: 69.9
Par: 72
Length: 6,421