Furnace Creek Golf Course in Death Valley is the lowest elevation course in the world (214 feet below sea level)and the hottest course in the U.S. (if not the world) - if you're crazy enough to play it in summer.
I just returned from a trip to Vegas the first week of April with my sole purpose to play this "extreme" course (if you've caught any of my other posts around here you'll know why); and, to take my wife (a newbie semi-golfer) to her favorite tracks - "the Strip" and Freemont Street.
It's a visually enjoyable 2 hour drive from Vegas out to Furnace Creek, with great roads and very light traffic (once you get off Las Vegas Boulevard and onto the highway leading to Death Valley and the mountains that surround the whole area). Even a mile out from the course you'll swear the beautiful photos from the website lied and there's not going to be a single blade of green grass within a thousand miles. But, low and behold you pull up to an oasis with nice green fairways, greens, tall palm trees and peace and quiet. I wish this course were where I lived, I'd play there weekly. Oh, by the way, it started (if memory serves me) as a 3-hole course back around 1920 something. So, there's no fake waterfalls, etc. But the mountains in the backdrop and the grass and coyotes are real.
Now, again if you've read any previous posts about playing this "extreme" course you'll know you should walk it. My wife's feet were already hurting so we rode. We should have walked. The course is level and easily walkable (especially in the sunny, 70 degree weather we had). The cart path is a mix of gravel, dirt, mud, and imagination; oh, and bumpy. I also rode to prevent myself from going back to the idea of attempting the "Awesome Eight Golf Challenge." (Look it up in my posts or on-line). I absolutely hate to travel and I hate Las Vegas (which I figure would have been Dante's idea for his vision of Hell had it been around in his time, at least in its present form). But, I had to play at least one of the world's "Extreme."
Anyway, there's a few coyotes wandering around the course to give you some wildlife to watch and a nice course to add to your list (you even get a certificate that attests to the fact you've indeed played "The World's Lowest Elevation Course." And, if you're like my wife and prefer finding lost balls to hitting them you'll be in heaven around a pond between a couple of the fairways (my wife found 16; half of them new Titlists). Oh, they also have a nice grill at the turn that you can call ahead at the #9 tee box to place your order and then drive your cart up a ramp to pick up your burger and drink (if you've forgotten my suggestion to walk); or, relax and dine at a table there and watch others play to the 18th green.
So, if you're ever in the area of Hell (sorry, I mean Las Vegas) or Death Valley (although I can't for the life of me understand why you would possibly happen to be in the neighborhood of central Death Valley) play Furnace Creek - you can thank me later.