A Quick Guide to Golf in Lake Tahoe and Truckee

August is National Golf Month in the U.S., when golfers are encouraged to share their experiences and bring new golfers to the greens, and  in that spirit following is an overview of the many quality golf options in Truckee and North Lake Tahoe. And though we're in the heart of summer, don't forget that many courses remain open until mid-October.

For those short on time or looking for the best value, we have three great nine-hole courses. In Truckee, Ponderosa Golf Course is managed by the Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District and is always in great condition. In King’s Beach, Old Brockway Golf Course gives players mountain and lake views. Tahoe City Golf Course, established in 1917, is the oldest golf course in the Tahoe basin and offers players views of Lake Tahoe on every hole.

In Truckee, gain a bit of elevation to enjoy the sweeping views from Tahoe Donner Golf Course and Coyote Moon. Coyote Moon also does not have a single house on the course. For a bit more upscale golf experience with amenities rivaling many private clubs, considering the Jack Nicklaus Signature Old Greenwood or Gray’s Crossing, designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy.

Just south of Truckee, the Martis Valley holds three of the area’s most exclusive golf communities. Schaffer’s Mill was designed by Johnny Miller and John Harbottle. While mostly private, daily fee access is available on Mondays. Adjacent Martis Camp, designed by Tom Fazio, and nearby Lahontan, designed by Tom Weiskopf, are both fully private clubs. If you ever get an invite to play either of these gems, drop whatever you’re doing.

Between King's Beach and Truckee, the Northstar California Golf Course’s 18-hole layout offers two very distinct nines, the open, front Meadow Nine with expansive views of Martis Valley and the back Mountain Nine, with tree-lined fairways and small greens.

 

Between Truckee and Tahoe City, the Links at Squaw Creek, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., is surrounded by six mountain peaks and carefully winds through the natural wetlands in Squaw Valley.

Options in Incline Village include the par-58, executive-length Mountain Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., and the Championship Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. Both courses provide stunning Lake Tahoe views.

A bit further afield, there are also several highly regarded golf courses within an hour north of Truckee and in South Lake Tahoe.