Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Audubon mag flips Shadow Creek bird

BRIAN HILDERBRAND is a Las Vegas SUN sportswriter. His golf column appears Tuesdays. He can be reached on the Internet at [email protected]

Steve Wynn's ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive Shadow Creek Golf Club has been getting more than its share of publicity lately -- not all of it good.

USA Today recently sent a reporter to Las Vegas to write a playing review of the Tom Fazio- and Wynn-designed course in North Las Vegas. The review, played prominently on the front page of a special travel supplement, concluded that the lavish course indeed was spectacular, but not worth the $1,000 greens fee.

In the July-August issue of Audubon magazine, a publication of the National Audubon Society, an article on the nation's golf course construction boom and its effect on the environment levels a somewhat baffling shot at Shadow Creek.

Although the course provides a sanctuary to numerous species of (mostly) exotic birds and animals, Audubon magazine lists Shadow Creek among "the bad" in a list accompanying the article entitled, "The Good, The Bad And The Formerly Ugly."

While the main story deals primarily with the use of pesticides on golf courses and their resulting effects on the environment, Audubon's lone criticism of Shadow Creek -- which is not mentioned in the lengthy article -- is for its use of water.

"... (Shadow Creek) consumes more than 1 million gallons of water a day, making it perhaps the single biggest water user in this desert community, which has a severe water shortage," the magazine states, citing no source for its information.

Mirage Resorts spokesman Alan Feldman said he was caught off guard by the article.

"We're trying to figure out what that's all about," Feldman said. "They never have contacted us, they have never asked any questions, they have never been out here and there is no science, that we know of, involved in their study.

"And the thing that is weird is the rest of the story is all about pesticides."

Although Feldman said he had no hard figures available, he said he questioned the magazine's figures regarding Shadow Creek's water usage.

"I don't think that (number) is true," Feldman said of the 1 million gallons of water a day. "In fact, we have a rather extensive filtration and recirculation system there to save water."

* JUNIOR EVENT: The Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association held its annual Las Vegas City Junior Championship at Angel Park Golf Club last week and crowned champions in five divisions. The winners were: David Ducharme (boys 15-18); Andrew Scott (boys 13-14); Aaron Slonim (boys 11-12); Kimberly Kindig (girls 15-18); and Christine Fernandez (girls 11-14). Kindig won the girls 15-18 title by 10 strokes after shooting a 70-69--139.

* MOVING UP: Three-time U.S. Women's Open champion Susie Maxwell Berning, a former instructor at Angel Park Golf Club, will appear on "The Golf Channel Academy Live" program tonight and Wednesday night. Berning, who won the Open in 1968, '72 and '73, won 11 LPGA titles during her playing career. She now serves as an instructor for the Nicklaus/Flick Golf for Women Magazine Golf School.

* MOVING UP, PART II: John Herndon has been promoted to director of golf for Lake Las Vegas Resort after spending the past three years as head professional at the private SouthShore Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas. In his new position, Herndon will be responsible for all golf operations at SouthShore as well as the new daily fee Reflection Bay Golf Club.

* ODDS AND ENDS: Chip Beck, known best for shooting a 59 in the third round of the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational, has failed to complete 40 consecutive tournaments on the PGA Tour. Beck has missed 38 cuts and been forced to withdraw from two events. ... Tiger Woods, winner of the 1996 LVI, has only one victory in his past 20 PGA Tour starts. His last win came in early May in the BellSouth Classic. ... The leading contender to capture her third U.S. Women's Open championship this weekend is Annika Sorenstam. The 27-year-old Swede has won her past two LPGA Tour starts and has 10 top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments this year.

* UPCOMING EVENTS: The PGA Tour is in Cromwell, Conn., this week for the Canon Greater Hartford Open at the TPC at River Highlands. Stewart Cink picked up his first PGA Tour victory there last year. ESPN (Thursday and Friday) and CBS (Saturday and Sunday) will televise. ... The Senior PGA Tour is in Columbia, Md., for the inaugural State Farm Senior Classic at Hobbits Glen Golf Club. ESPN will televise Friday through Sunday. ... The LPGA Tour is off this week as the USGA stages the 53rd U.S. Women's Open at Blackwolf Run Golf Club in Kohler, Wis. Alison Nicholas is the defending champion. ESPN (Thursday and Friday) and NBC (Saturday and Sunday) will televise.

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