The PGA Tour moves from wine country to the desert this week, as the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open tees off Thursday at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. The town is, of course, one of the top tourist destinations in the world, but you might be surprised to learn it’s not all about The Strip.
Here are five things you need to know about the tournament and its surrounding area:
Big Money Horschel Makes His Return
The last time we saw Billy Horschel, he was posting selfies with his new baby girl. That grin was as wide as a fairway because just two days earlier he pocketed $11.4 million by winning the Tour Championship and FedExCup title. With his daughter not even a month old yet, Billy Ho begins his new season and title defense this week in Vegas. He’ll be in the featured group with Ryder Cupper Jimmy Walker and 2012 FedExCup champ Brandt Snedeker. Obviously, everyone playing the event wants to make the cut, but should they get the weekend off, they could partake in an unprecedented scene: a back-nine pool party. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have anything to do with this network, but there will be swimming pools in party areas overlooking the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Only in Vegas.
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Grab your bathing suits! The Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas is debuting a new fan experience this week: swimming pools, DJs, VIP service, exclusive food, drinks & more. #Regram from @shrinersopen #TPCSummerlin #Golf #Lifestyle #PGATour #Vegas #LasVegas #Back9Network #B9N
Show Off In A Ferrari
Vegas is all about extravagance, so why not cruise around in a Ferrari? A Lamborghini? Corvette? Shelby GT500? You can do just that with World Class Driving. Decide how much you want to spend, pick your driving experience, then get behind the wheel of 3-5 exotic cars (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Jaguar) or muscle cars (Shelby GT500, Challenger SRT8, Corvette Z06) and take them for a spin on the open roads outside the city.
Play In An Adult’s Sandbox
If slower moving machines are more your thing, you’ll enjoy America’s first heavy equipment playground. Dig This allows you to hop inside a construction-grade bulldozer or excavator and navigate your way through an obstacle course. Move chunks of earth, toss tires, and relive your childhood days of playing in the sandbox.
Test Out Guns Galore
And continuing the theme of testing out machinery you typically don’t get to use, you could also visit Battlefield Vegas. Someone will pick you up in a military camo Humvee, drive you to the gun range, and then you pick your package of weapons. The owners claim to have the most extensive collection in town, with more than 350 guns “from the trenches of World War I all the way to current operations in the Middle East.” There’s the Counter Strike Extreme Package for $700, the Private Ryan Experience for $220, the D-Day 1944 Experience for $130, or the Wild Geese Package for $100.
Crunchify Your Burger
Oh, and there are a few casinos in Las Vegas. And with casinos come all-you-can-eat buffets. But those stuff-your-face sessions can be a little pricey, especially if you’re not doing so hot on the slots. So step outside, get some fresh air, and venture over to Bobby’s Burger Palace. “Bobby” would be renowned celebrity chef Bobby Flay, and his Vegas burger joint is right on The Strip, in front of the Mandarin Oriental hotel and near the Monte Carlo, the ARIA Resort, and The Cosmopolitan. The Burger of the Month for October is the Pacific Northwest Burger (White Cheddar Cheese, Cremini Mushrooms, and Red Wine Barbecue Sauce), but Bobby’s is also known as the “Home of the Crunch Burger,” which features double American cheese and potato chips. Fries, sandwiches, salads, shakes, beer and wine are also on offer, but the Vegas restaurant differs from others in the chain in that is has a margarita bar, “because people in Las Vegas like to drink margaritas,” Flay says.
Related Link: Pool Parties, Nightlife Coming To PGA Tour In Las Vegas
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