DENVER -- The 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club brought together three modern golf legends: Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

Las Vegas is known as a city of themed hotels.  It has it all—the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the Pirate ships in Treasure Island, the pyramid of the Luxor, the canals of the Venetian, the skyscrapers of New York—and the list goes on.

A golf destination with a vibrant history always has a different feel to it, and as most golfers will tell you, Las Vegas is definitely one of those vacation spots that roll out the red carpet for those that enjoy playing the links and the tables.

Even though a Las Vegas golf vacation offers more than a few entertainment diversions—most of them away from the links in fact—a day of golf at Cascata (the Italian word for waterfall) is unlike very many you will find on green grass.

Amid all of the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, one of the hidden treasures when it comes to quality golf where families and groups are catered to is the Angel Park Golf Club in the suburb of Summerlin. Although perhaps flying under the radar--and it isn’t operated by one of the big-name casinos in town-- Angel Park offers an array of Stay and Play Packages with local hotels and in itself is an outstanding 36-hole facility that offers two Arnold-Palmer designed 18-hole tracks—the Palms and the Mountain Courses—plus a 12-hole short course that is excellent for beginners, families or short-game tune-ups, plus an expansive, lighted practice tee and a natural grass putting course that rivals anything in the area.

Over the years I have traveled extensively throughout the US and the world.  I have always looked forward to visiting a new city, a new country and playing new golf courses.

One of the most popular upscale courses in the golf-rich Las Vegas area— Badlands Golf Club-- offers a definite western desert theme for vacationers looking for a fun track and a memorable experience.

Why would anyone want to play the same golf course over and over again? Now, if we’re talking Augusta National, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, Muirfield and the like, I can understand it.

People searching for the ideal vacation destination no longer have to trek from coast to coast for challenging ski slopes, championship golf, hiking, biking or fishing. Situated in central Idaho, Tamarack Resort – the country’s first four-season destination to feature golf and skiing in nearly 25 years – meets every vacation need.