So Walters built the 6,970-yard, par 72 Royal Links in Las Vegas, a daily-fee golf course which opened in December. The course features plants which are similar to species found on Scottish courses. And the fairways are heavily sanded, another Scottish trademark.

But 18 holes modeled after Great Britain's stately old courses was not enough to get the full effect. Walters also wanted to entertain and educate golfers. That meant building a clubhouse fashioned after the genuine Scottish facilities.

Walters envisioned a clubhouse that resembled a 17th-century medieval castle, with a slate roof and clock tower. Inside, a British theme would reign with memorabilia and monuments honoring golf's roots. Of course, there would be an English-style pub that served imported brew from the United Kingdom.

The challenge

Walters called on Steve Swisher, a Las Vegas architect, to build the clubhouse/castle to match the Royal Links course. Swisher, caught up in Walters' concept, says it was a challenging job - and one of the most interesting and entertaining projects he has ever experienced. "We had to think about cold weather architecture in a warm weather climate," he says.

But there were barriers. For starters, Swisher had to construct a building that resembled a 200-year-old castle with modern construction materials, techniques and building codes.

The preparation

Before Swisher set out to build the 12,200-square-foot clubhouse, he meticulously researched British golf courses. Swisher and his team interviewed several people familiar with the Scottish courses and their clubhouses. They also studied books and scanned the Internet to obtain photos, drawings and writings pertaining to the vintage clubhouses.

"We didn't want our clubhouse to be a replica of any one clubhouse," Swisher explains. "We wanted to capture the flavor and feel of a variety of clubhouses from that era."

The construction

The time-worn British clubhouses were built with hand-chiseled stone. To obtain that look, Swisher and his crew used a combination of poured-in-place concrete, cast stone and cast windowsills.

Keeping with Scottish tradition, the clubhouse was built to stand alone, encompassed only by turf. There are no trees or additional buildings nearby. "We didn't want the clubhouse surrounded by an apron of concrete," Swisher says.

The cart storage area was built below the clubhouse. There are no concrete walkways, but a bridge linking the two sides of the course was built over a public road in front of the clubhouse. "We designed the bridge's buttresses to be in sync with the overall concept," Swisher adds.

Inside, a variety of woodwork was used to capture the eclectic look of the old-style clubhouses. But there were modern considerations, as well, such as the clubhouse's full-service restaurant, golf shop, locker rooms, meeting facilities and valet shoe service. To make those accommodations, while maintaining the old-English environment, Swisher had to perform a balancing act. He did so by carefully utilizing space for the modern amentities without detracting from the theme.

Outcome

No one has to tell Swisher that Las Vegas is the king of replicas. But he insists that Royal Links is a tribute to the history of British golf, not a theme course. And it was his goal to build a clubhouse to uphold that tribute.

Swisher, whose project took one year to design and build, says he came away an educated architect and golfer. It was a challenge to build an "overtly historical" building in a different culture, time and climate, he says. But in the end, Swisher says the experience expanded his knowledge base professionally. And it left him feeling good about golf.

"The experience enhanced my appreciation for the history and tradition of the game."