SouthShore’s last five holes are challenging

Bob Cloud

Tuesday, June 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The SouthShore Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas certainly offers a stern challenge, but it's one only a select few shall enjoy.

SouthShore, a private Jack Nicklaus signature course, opened its back nine in May of 1995, before becoming fully operational last December. Memberships for the 6,917-yard, par-71, tract are being given away for a limited time with the purchase of a housing lot in the Lake Las Vegas community.

As opposed to a singular signature hole, SouthShore, which is set against a backdrop of mountains, actually features a five-hole finishing stretch. No. 14, a 155-yard par 3 over an inlet begins the gantlet, followed by the par 4, 352-yard 15th which showcases a green backed by bunkers and a waterfall.

The closing three holes climb in altitude. The 16th is a par 3 playing at 202 yards over a deep ravine, and No. 17, a par 4 measuring 342 yards, calls for a drive from an elevated tee back across the same space. The finale is the 410-yard 18th which doglegs right around a mountain.

"The course really builds and gets better as you go forward," SouthShore PGA Professional John Herndon said. "The final five holes are a climatic finish. You could pick any of those holes, really, as a signature hole.

"I think the strength of the course is the par 3s. There are a wide range of yardage and targets. With this course, you could talk to 10 different people and get 10 different answers as to which hole is their favorite."

As is the case with most Nicklaus endeavors, SouthShore gives a wide berth for driving, before calling for accuracy on the approach. The course features 87 bunkers, many protecting small, fast greens.

"I don't think the course is very tricky," Herndon said. "You can hit the driver for the most part throughout. We have wide corridors to hit through, and no real hidden shots. The toughness of the course is the average to mid-size greens and the bunkers.

"The course is very playable, it caters to all levels of players. With the five sets of tees, it offers a different look each time. Jack always gives trouble, but the good thing is he also always gives a way to get around it."

Currently, the club boasts a membership of 125, and averages only 20 rounds per day. The Lake Las Vegas community, when completely sold out, will contain 400-450 homes. Herndon said designing a course in a residential area is a difficult task.

"He followed the terrain changes -- the topography -- very well," he said. "They did a great job of providing tremendous views throughout the course. When your're building a course in what is to be a resident area, that is not always very easy."

Nicklaus has begun work on the second course, NorthShore, scheduled to open in late 1997. NorthShore will be the first of four planned resort courses for the Lake Las Vegas development.