Summerlin: Bear's Best opens for play

The Bear's Best Las Vegas golf course is the centerpiece of The Ridges village in Summerlin, and features replicas of Jack Nicklaus' signature courses from around the world.

The 18-hole course, which is adjacent to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, recently opened for play within the master-planned community.

Stew Gibbons, executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corp., the developer of Summerlin, said the course is the village's "premier amenity."

"The Ridges is situated to offer expansive views of the Las Vegas Strip to the east and Red Rock Canyon to the west. Add to that the fact that homes in The Ridges will line Bear's Best Las Vegas -- a golf course that promises to be one of the most picturesque in the Las Vegas Valley -- and you have an atmosphere unlike any other," Gibbons said.

The par-72, 7,100-yard course is a joint venture of Golden Bear International and ClubCorp.

Nicklaus said every detail has been incorporated into the design of the holes, ranging from the water-crossing approach shot of the PGA West Resort's 18th hole to the black slag bunkers of Montana's Old Works golf course.

"In many respects, it's easier to design a course from scratch than to attempt to fit in duplications of holes I've already designed," Nicklaus said of his latest creation. "Plus, this land's varied features and dramatic topography have presented other challenges. But that's part of what will make this golf course so interesting, diverse and unique."

The 752-acre community is comprised of custom-home sites, luxury homes and elevations exceeding 4,000 feet above sea level.

Promontory, the first neighborhood to open in The Ridges, offers custom-home sites priced from $200,000 to more than $1 million. Topaz Ridge, a neighborhood by William Lyon Homes, features homes priced from $500,000.

At buildout, there will be six custom enclaves and 10 neighborhoods.

The Ridges is planned as a guard-gated community with a park and Club Ridges, a members-only clubhouse with a swimming pool, fitness center, spa rooms and lighted tennis courts. Residents will receive special privileges at Bear's Best, including preferred tee times at discounted rates.

"We feel it's important that residents of The Ridges see Bear's Best Las Vegas as more than a beautiful backdrop for their home, but rather as a special feature of their community," Gibbons said.

While daily fee play will represent a significant portion of rounds, Bear's Best is also designed to accommodate corporate entertainment and recreation needs. A 75,000-square-foot practice range, a 3,000-square-foot indoor pavilion, and a 5,000-square-foot outdoor pavilion for pre- and post-tournament receptions are available.

Summerlin is also home to two Tournament Players Club golf courses and five others. In addition, there are nearly 100 neighborhood and village parks, more than 90 completed miles of trails, 16 public and private schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, business parks, medical centers and cultural facilities.

Nearly 130 model homes are open within the community, where single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000.

Custom-home sites from one-quarter acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $3 million. Predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to several million dollars. Apartments offer leases starting in the $700s monthly.

To visit the custom homes and lots sales center, take Sahara Avenue west, past Hualapai Way, to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to the Sahara exit. Office hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

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