Red Rock Country Club and Arroyo Golf Club in Las Vegas Are New Distinguished Golf Destinations

“When you see the natural beauty and pure splendor of this area, it is easy to see that these courses are absolutely magical.”

– Arnold Palmer

The Las Vegas area is home to spectacular golf courses. The natural desert environment is a beautiful contrast to the green fairways and greens of many respected golf course architects.

Red Rock Country Club and the Arroyo Golf Club are proud to be Distinguished Golf Destinations . These Arnold Palmer-designed courses are famous for the views of the strip and the mountains lit up at night.?

Arroyo Golf Club is in the master-planned community of Summerlin in Las Vegas. The 6,883-yard, par-72 golf course ribbons seamlessly through the rugged terrain and is nestled between the spectacular landscapes of Red Rock Canyon, one of Las Vegas’s most revered natural landmarks. Panoramic views of the Las Vegas cityscape are stunning from the seventh hole.

Red Rock Country Club features rolling fairways, dramatic water features and multi-tiered greens. This 7001-yard, par-72 private mountain course has a minimum of five tee placements per hole.

Both golf courses provide a tranquil environment to escape from a busy lifestyle. Yet, at the same time, they are close enough for one to enjoy the city’s entertainment. With such a perfect balance of tranquility and city life, these Las Vegas golf clubs are the best of both worlds.

The clubs have one owner. Thom Blinkinsop , general manager for both Red Rock and Arroyo, and his long-tenured, dynamic management team have developed a number of distinguished ideas which enhance the golfing experience.?

For example, while the golf course is closed for overseeding every September (17 days) and golf is at a standstill, they do a car show featuring 500 cars on the fairways and driveways. This event includes a music concert on the driving range. The property will host 2,500 to 3,000 people for the car show. Proceeds from the event benefit a different charity each year.??

Blinkinsop (pictured above) is not a micromanager. He hires people smarter than him, and he has good advice for his management colleagues. “Respect your team and they will work hard and make the job easier,” Blinkinsop says. “Listen to your employees and members. Let your employees run with ideas. It is always easier to pull a rope than to push a rope.”?

As mentioned earlier, giving back to the community is important. For more than 10 years, Blinkinsop and his team have hosted an annual fundraising golf tournament at Red Rock that has raised more than $1 million for Operation Homefront, whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive — not simply struggle to get by — in the communities they have worked so hard to protect.

Having fun is another big part of this community. Red Rock hosts an annual roast of the members. This tradition is heading into its eighth year and continues to grow each year. The roast is similar to the old TV roasts, with a panel and a Dean Martin-type mediator named Rick Recania.?

After playing golf at Red Rock or Arroyo or coming in for a social dinner, the dining experience at both clubs includes a la carte and a three-course meal experience (with waived corkage fee) and a fabulous and loved happy hour.

Blinkinsop and his management team understand the importance of a quality F&B experience (consistency and quality) and incorporate it into all avenues of Red Rock and Arroyo, knowing it is the hub of both clubs. The F&B experience draws in people, and people draw in more people.?

Also, they do not believe in canceling events and recognize the importance of their members’ trust in them to execute their loved events.

Blinkinsop summarizes his feelings about being a Distinguished Golf Destination by stating, “It shows all our hard work has been rewarded. Now we need to push for more.”??BR

Ronald Banaszak, CCM, CCE , BoardRoom Distinguished Club Executive Vice President of International Business Development. Ron may be contacted at (415) 420-5183 or [email protected] . ?