Planning a Laughlin golf trip: the areas, the season and where to base
How a Laughlin golf trip fits together: the river towns and their courses, the October to April season, two clocks, and casino strip vs Arizona side bases.
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A Laughlin golf trip works best from late October to April, based on the Casino Drive strip or the Arizona side, with three or four days of golf. Eight courses sit within 40 minutes of the Laughlin-Bullhead City Bridge. Fly into Las Vegas, drive about 99 miles, and watch the clocks: Arizona runs an hour ahead in winter.
This guide explains how the pieces fit: the river towns and their courses, the season, where to sleep and how to string rounds together.
Quick facts
- Season: October to April; November and March have some of the best weather.
- Peak: January to March, when winter visitors fill the tee sheets.
- Avoid: May to September heat, and early fall overseed closures.
- Airport: Las Vegas (LAS), about 99 miles and commonly 1.5 to 2 hours by car.
- Courses within 40 minutes: eight, including Laughlin Ranch and Mojave Resort.
- Clock: from November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027, Arizona is one hour ahead of Laughlin.
The areas on a Laughlin golf trip
The Colorado River splits this trip in two. Laughlin, on the Nevada bank, is the casino strip along Casino Drive, plus the Avi and Mojave Resort about 10 miles south. Bullhead City, across the bridge in Arizona, has Laughlin Ranch, the best course in the area, plus two short courses. Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley, further south on AZ-95, have Huukan, El Rio and Los Lagos. Needles, California, has the Rivers Edge municipal course.
Lake Havasu City is a separate stop about 94 minutes south, with Lake Havasu Golf Club's Desert West and Desert East and Iron Wolf. Our Laughlin golf courses guide lists them all, and Colorado River golf walks the whole stretch.
The season, month by month
| Month | High / low (Laughlin) | Golf conditions |
|---|---|---|
| October | 88.7F / 61.3F | Overseed closures early, fresh rye late |
| November | 74.1F / 50.6F | Fresh rye; one of the best months |
| December | 63.5F / 43.8F | Coldest mornings, short days |
| January | 64.5F / 44.6F | Peak season; frost delays possible |
| February | 69.2F / 46.6F | Peak; wettest month (1.16 in) |
| March | 77.4F / 51.2F | Peak; some of the best weather |
| April | 85.7F / 57.4F | Tee times open up as visitors leave |
| May to September | 95.4F to 109.8F highs | Dawn golf at the lowest rates |
Temperatures are NOAA 1991-2020 normals for the Laughlin station. Lake Havasu City is within about 1F by day. See best time to golf in Laughlin for more.
Overseed matters if you are thinking of September or October. In 2026 Mojave Resort was closed September 8 to October 8 and El Rio September 1 to 27, and Laughlin Ranch closed September 9 to 27 in 2024. By November most courses are open again, though in 2026 Chaparral stayed closed until November 10 and Havasu's Desert West was still closed for overseed in late October, so check each course before booking.
Getting there
Las Vegas is the gateway. The drive is about 99 miles via US-95 through Boulder City and Searchlight, then NV-163 east over the mountains. LAS is on the same clock as Laughlin all year. The Laughlin/Bullhead airport (IFP), across the river, has casino charter flights only, useful only if a casino charter flies from your home city. Phoenix is about 228 miles away by road. Our guide to flights to Laughlin compares the options.
Where to base: casino strip vs the alternatives
| Base | Clock | Laughlin Ranch | Mojave Resort | Huukan | Golf tie-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside (north strip) | Pacific | 11 min | 27 min | 30 min | Laughlin Ranch package |
| Harrah's (south strip) | Pacific | 16 min | 27 min | 35 min | Laughlin Ranch package |
| Avi Resort | Pacific | 25 min | 3 min | 14 min | Mojave Resort next door |
| Holiday Inn Express Bullhead City | Arizona | 10 min | 23 min | 22 min | Listed Laughlin Ranch partner (confirm) |
| London Bridge Resort (Havasu) | Arizona | 89 min | 75 min | 71 min | On-site nine, status unclear |
The casino strip is the classic choice. Laughlin's casino hotels price by day of week more than by season; aggregator data seen in October 2026 put weeknights at about $55 and weekends at about $93, plus resort fees of roughly $18 to $27 a night. Don Laughlin's Riverside is closest to the bridge and Laughlin Ranch, with bowling and a cinema for the evenings. Harrah's has its own river beach and an adults-only tower. Both sell Laughlin Ranch packages.
The Avi suits a trip built around Mojave Resort. The Avi Resort & Casino is next door to the course, with free parking and no resort fee for its main amenities, but the strip is 15 to 20 minutes north.
Bullhead City is quieter. The Holiday Inn Express Bullhead City is about 10 minutes from Laughlin Ranch and runs on Arizona time.
Lake Havasu City works as a second base for the last two nights. London Bridge Resort is 8 minutes from Lake Havasu Golf Club and 14 from Iron Wolf. See where to stay in Laughlin for golf.
How the days fit together
A typical four-day Laughlin golf trip:
- Day 1: drive from Las Vegas, afternoon round at Laughlin Ranch (see the Laughlin Ranch course guide).
- Day 2: Mojave Resort, the flat, windy Nevada-side course (see the Mojave Resort course guide).
- Day 3: Huukan, Los Lagos or El Rio in Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley.
- Day 4: a second round at your favourite, or drive to Lake Havasu City.
Book the expensive round first. Laughlin Ranch's 2027 table charges non-residents $137 to $169 with cart in winter and spring, and cancelling inside 24 hours costs 50%. Mojave Resort, Huukan and Los Lagos publish no current rates, so call.
A few habits help. Book morning tee times early from January to March, when winter visitors take the first slots. In December and January, mornings start in the mid-40s, so a 9:00 or 10:00 tee time is warmer than first light. Mojave Resort and Laughlin Ranch both have practice ranges if you want to warm up. Mojave Resort and Huukan share an operator and booking system, which makes pairing them simple. Our Laughlin golf trip itinerary has a full schedule.
The two clocks
Laughlin (Nevada) and Needles (California) use Pacific time. Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley and Lake Havasu City are in Arizona, with no daylight saving. From November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027, 9:00 AM in Bullhead City is 8:00 AM on Casino Drive. A casino guest with a winter tee time at Laughlin Ranch must leave an hour earlier by the hotel clock. Phones near the river can pick up a tower on the other side and show the wrong time.
What a Laughlin golf trip costs
Green fees swing widely. At the top end, Laughlin Ranch costs $137 to $169 with cart for non-residents in winter and spring. Lake Havasu Golf Club's Desert West is $94 public before noon. At the other end, El Rio charged $45 with cart in summer 2026 and Riverview's par-3 nine showed GolfNow deals of $10 to $13. Rooms on the strip are cheap midweek, so a Sunday to Thursday trip saves on both rooms and, at Laughlin Ranch, $10 to $12 a round on the winter and spring Monday to Thursday rate. Our Laughlin golf trip cost guide adds it up.
Events to avoid
Late April is loud: the Mayhem Motorcycle Rally in Bullhead City (April 23 to 26 in 2026) and Desert Storm boat week in Lake Havasu City push up room rates. The Laughlin Desert Classic in October is an off-road race, not golf, and fills the Aquarius. March spring break raises Havasu room rates.
Plan it on the map
Open the Laughlin golf map to see every course and stay with drive times. The $30 plan turns your dates into a day-by-day golf trip around overseed closures and the two clocks.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
How many days do I need for a Laughlin golf trip?
Three to four days covers the main courses near the casinos: Laughlin Ranch, Mojave Resort and one or two of Huukan, El Rio and Los Lagos, all within about 40 minutes of the Laughlin-Bullhead City Bridge. Add two nights if you want the Lake Havasu City courses, about 86 to 94 minutes south.
When is the best time for a Laughlin golf trip?
November is one of the best months: mid-70s highs, dry weather and fresh rye, usually below peak rates. January to March is peak season with highs of about 64F to 77F. May to September is extreme heat, with July highs near 110F, so golf becomes a dawn activity.
What airport do you fly into for Laughlin golf?
Las Vegas (LAS) for most visitors. It is about 99 miles from Laughlin, commonly quoted as 1.5 to 2 hours by car. The Laughlin/Bullhead airport (IFP) has casino charter flights only, and Phoenix (PHX) is about 228 miles away by road.
Should I stay on the Laughlin casino strip or in Bullhead City?
The casino strip has the cheapest resort-style rooms midweek and several hotels that sell Laughlin Ranch packages. Bullhead City is quieter and closer to the Arizona courses, but runs one hour ahead of Laughlin from November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027. The strip suits groups who want nightlife; the Arizona side suits long stays, with RV resorts such as Vista Del Sol publishing monthly rates.
How much are hotel rooms in Laughlin?
Aggregator data seen in October 2026 put Laughlin weeknights at about $55 and weekend nights at about $93. Most casino hotels add a resort fee of roughly $18 to $27 a night. These are snapshots, not official rates, and Friday and Saturday nights and event weekends cost much more.
Do Laughlin casinos sell golf packages?
Yes. The Riverside, Harrah's, Golden Nugget, the Aquarius, the Edgewater and Tropicana are hotel partners in Laughlin Ranch's Stay and Play program. The Avi is Mojave Resort's preferred Stay and Play partner. Package prices are not published, so ask when you book.
Do I need a car for a Laughlin golf trip?
Yes. No course is within walking distance of Casino Drive; the nearest, Laughlin Ranch, is about nine minutes away by road. The Avi is the exception for one course, with Mojave Resort next door.
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