Golfing in Lake Tahoe
While winter in the Lake Tahoe area mostly certainly points to skiing and other snow sports, summer is ideal for golfing. Indeed, the wonderful climate of Lake Tahoe, which includes very comfortable summer days, makes the region the perfect golfing destination, and there are certainly plenty of courses to explore, no matter which part of the Lake Tahoe vicinity you’re visiting.
Golf courses in Lake Tahoe are just stunning! Surrounded by the splendor of the Sierra Nevada range, the scenery is spectacular and the landscaping almost always makes good use of the natural elements in the area. Golfers will also find that there’s a wonderful combination of courses available, ranging from those that are ideal for beginners to those that challenge even the most avid golfers. Several have appeared on “Best of…” lists published by such magazines as Golf Digest and many are designed by some of the best in the industry, including Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Sr. and Jack Nicklaus.
Many accommodations in Lake Tahoe offer specialized golfing vacations that provide visitors with lots of opportunities to test out different courses. Golf specialists set up tee times at different courses according to golfers’ abilities and can also arrange lodging, meals, and even entertainment, all included in one tidy package. And if non-golfers are coming along, there are plenty of things for them to do as well.
Notable Courses
§ The Golf Courses at Incline Village – Here at Incline, golfers can take advantage of two different courses, one designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the other by his son. The former, the Championship Course, boasts a classic 18-hole, par 72 mountain course layout. The other, appropriately named the Mountain Course, is a par 58 accuracy course, shorter in length than the other course but demanding more targeted play. And the scenery at both is spectacular!
§ Old Greenwood Golf Course – Dubbed the most elite public course in North Lake Tahoe, it was rated one of the 10 Best New Public-Access Courses in 2005 by Golf Magazine. Golf Digest also has a world-class instruction facility here at Old Greenwood. The course itself was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is favored by local pros. Tee times are tough to come by, so plan in advance.
§ Tahoe City Golf Course – Fun and affordable, this 9-hole executive course is always filled with locals hoping for a quick game. There’s no dress code and it boasts one of the longest seasons of any course in the area.
§ Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort Golf Course – Also very affordable, this course is almost like playing two different courses. The front nine includes lots of tree-lined fairways and the need to aim carefully. The back nine winds through wide-open meadows for a less-stressful second half.
§ Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course – Located in Stateline on the South Shore, this course has consistently been lauded the most scenic in the Tahoe area. The annual home of the Celebrity Golf Championship, Golf Digest dubs it one of “America’s Top Courses”. Built in 1968 and designed by George Fazio, the rates are pretty steep but, nonetheless, tee times fill up quickly on both weekdays and weekends.
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