(Written by Mark Suzda - 7/17/08) ... It’s 5:30 a.m. in Las Vegas and I am just walking out of Caesar’s Palace after a great night at the tables.  Normally, I would be looking to call it a night, but my sole mission at this early hour is to knock off number 69 from my Top 100 list!  I’m a little torn up, yet confident of a great day at the Cascata Golf Club.

     The valet delivers my car and I promptly head east towards Boulder City.  The sun is just starting to creep over the mountains.  I am following the directions given to me by the casino host and it seems like its leading me to the middle of nowhere.  There is nothing out here – and I mean nothing -- but my directions instruct me to exit the highway and follow the signs until it reads "Dead End, Road Ends."

     At this point, I’m thinking that maybe the casino is upset with my winning ways.  Did they give me directions to a bullet to the back of the head and an unmarked grave in the middle of the desert where I will soon become Coyote food?  I really don’t want to become the next victim on CSI!  I press on anyway and much to my relief I discover a speaker box. Much to my surprise, I am greeted with … "Mr. Suzda?"  Wow! (Vinnie? Is that you?)  I enter the well hidden gate and drive up a short road to what turns out to be paradise. Much to my delight, I pull up in front of the beautiful 37,000 square foot club house where I am quickly attended to by a pair of course representatives.  One opens my door, collects my clubs, and parks my car. The other, a lady, escorts me into the clubhouse and gives me a killer tour, like a real estate agent in a model home.  Among the things I am shown is the locker room, which features my own locker that … by the way … has my name engraved on the metal tab. Now this is what I call service!

     I lace up and exit to what I can best describe as golf heaven. Cascata is extremely quiet and tranquil by design.  The driving range, which is in better shape than most high end courses, features brand new golf balls and there is nobody here.  I had the place to myself as I dialed in my swing, until my caddie Patrick showed up a few minutes later. He will be my guiding light for the day.

     This gem of a course opened in 2000 and is a Rees Jones work of art. Cascata gets it name from the Italian word "waterfall" and of course Rees made sure it lived up to its name.  There is a 418-foot man-made waterfall that runs down the hill behind the driving range into a stream that actually flows through the clubhouse!  This has a great calming effect, before and after this adventure. Here is the interesting part – it is turned on and off with a switch in the clubhouse.  Call it ... "Mother Nature – Las Vegas style."

     My advice at Cascata is always use one of their caddies, because you will never survive all the tricks and nuances of this difficult course without one.  The fairways could challenge most any living room carpet and there is a lot of trouble that only course knowledge can avoid.  The greens are lightning fast and that may be an understatement.  Just look at your ball funny and its going to roll 10-feet.

     Several times during the round you will find yourself scanning the surrounding terrain and admiring the 3600-foot high Red Mountain.  The views are spectacular as you meander up and down this secluded desert mountain course that is perfectly landscaped.

     This private oasis provides over the top customer service with an extremely polite staff. They succeeded in making me feel like a "King for a Day."  But, a few words of caution, there is a hefty price tag for wearing that crown – call it a Kings Ransom -- and it's five hundred large -- not counting your caddies tip.

     If you are ever looking to experience the red carpet treatment and the ultimate day out on the course, I suggest breaking into your piggy bank and treating yourself to something special at Cascata.  It’s worthy every penny.

     (EDITOR NOTE: Several other Golfest members including Rickey Berger, Jim Dee, and Jim Allen have also indulged at Cascata.  Nothing but rave reviews across the board, even in cold weather.
     Mark is hooked on Cascata also, having returned several times, including during "Tiger Jam" in April 2008. At that event, Mark aced the Par-3 15th hole and won a $42,000 Buick Enclave SUV).