Incline Village - Championship Course

Multi-million dollar redesign has Robert Trent Jones, Sr. course among Top 10 in Nevada

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nevada - Now entering its third season after undergoing a $13 million dollar renovation and redesign, The Championship Golf Course at Incline Village is staking its claim as one of the top golf destinations in Nevada and the entire West Coast.

Straddling the California border, located just 26 miles from South Lake Tahoe, the par-72 course designed by acclaimed architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. is a breath of fresh mountain air that combines the beauty and majesty of Lake Tahoe's north shore with an adventurous, risk-reward alpine golf experience. 

The course reopened in 2005 following a significant renovation by Kyle Phillips, a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects who has more than 25 years of world-class golf course design experience in locations such as Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, North America and South America.

While Philips now has a significant footprint on the layout, it was Jones, Sr., who described the course as "the ideal mountain layout" when it opened for play in 1964. It's the landscape of the crystalline waters coupled with the majestic mountains that makes the Championship Course one of the top ten courses in Nevada.

The course is highlighted by glimpses of Lake Tahoe in the distance, the surrounding snow-capped mountain peaks that surround it, massive ponderosa pines and numerous lateral water hazards and creeks (many of which guard the greens, presenting an obstacle for those who attempt to carry them.) Don't forget about the bunkers, as sand is quite prevalent on this course, adding yet another degree of difficulty.

What the course may take away from the golfer with its many hazards, sand traps and tall pines, it gives back off the tee. Situated at an elevation of 6,500 feet, Incline Village's Championship Course is very user-friendly in terms of flying the ball farther, especially with your driver.

However, shorter hitters won't be left behind and will still have a chance to score well but that added distance off the tee makes the Championship Course an adventure and ego-booster for longer hitters. Don't be surprised if the added yardage lands you in a front yard instead of the fairway.

Throughout the course you'll experience significant elevation changes as the fairways rise and fall in between the towering trees. A good example of the undulation is the contrast between No. 9 and No. 18, which are situated across the street from each other on opposite sides of Fairway Blvd.

Playing just 413 yards from the tips, the par-4 ninth curves to the right after the tee shot and is guarded by large fairway bunkers on the right side. Approach shots must be delicate and the distance accurate if you want to attack the elevated green that's protected by bunkers and a small water hazard on the right-hand side of the putting complex.

The closing hole, the par-4 18^th measures 420 yards from the tips and features one of the most visually appealing sightlines to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada's, both of which are visible from the expansive green. The rolling fairway gently bends to the left and slopes downhill toward the green and the clubhouse in the distance.

Last year Golf Digest placed the Championship Course at Incline Village among the top tracks in all of Nevada. The course was named to the Best in State List by Golf Digest magazine, coming in at No. 8. Some of the other courses named to the list were Shadow Creek in North Las Vegas, Wolf Creek in Mesquite and Edgewood Tahoe in Stateline.

The accolades for the Championship Course continued to pour in during 2007 as the layout was notified that the Nevada Golf Course Owners Association named them the NVGCOA Golf Course of the Year. The award was presented to both courses at Incline Village, which includes the Championship Course and the premier executive Mountain Course, also a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design that plays to a par-58 and is a favorite among the locals. The NVGCOA considered both courses as one for the award.

Incline Village's excellence extends off the course as the facility earned the ranking of one of Golf World's 100 Best Golf Shops in America. One of the major contributing factors to the golf shop receiving this award was its involvement with the golf professionals to grow the junior golf program.

"It's a great privilege to have our Golf Shop ranked in the top 100," said Retail Manager John Nosek. "It places Incline Village in the company of the other elite golf shops in the country and to be in the top 100 golf shops out of thousands makes this a great accomplishment."

The Championship Course at Incline Village has a course rating of 74.1 and a slope of 144. Course amenities include a 23,000 square foot clubhouse with banquet facilities, The Grille at the Chateau, snack bar, bar carts and the award-winning golf shop. The Championship Course also offers lessons by PGA and LPGA staff, state-of-the-art driving range, putting and chipping greens, complete tournament services and professional club fitting. The golf course is open daily from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. The golf season runs from mid-May to mid-October, weather permitting.

For more information on the Championship Course at Incline Village or The Chateau, please call 877-GO-VIEWS (877-468-4397), or visit www.YourTahoePlace.com.

About Incline Village

Incline Village is located along Nevada's scenic Route 28, a 16.2 mile road that runs along the northeastern shore of Lake Tahoe and offers some stunning panoramic views of the lake. Located in Washoe County, Incline Village is home to Sierra Nevada College's main campus. The neighborhood is classified as a waterfront village and consists of about 7,000 homes, half of them with seasonal occupancy. All owners have access to three private beach parks, the two golf courses (Mountain and Championship), ski resort and fitness/recreation center. Prices start at about $300,000 for a two-bedroom farthest from the lake. Lakefront homes are $7 million and up.

The name "Incline Village" was an obvious choice; the region isn't very flat. Today, Incline is where some of the world's wealthiest people have built stunning mountain retreats. The luxury automobiles such as Bentleys and Range Rovers found in the golf course parking lots are a testament to this fact. This eastern North Shore enclave features some of Tahoe's most relaxing beaches and a genteel approach to lake life.

This area sees some of the deepest snowfalls in the United States, with averages approaching 600 inches per winter. Tahoe is arguably one of the nation's best arenas for outdoor sports as pursuits such as golf, water skiing and snow skiing can all be done in the same day. Lake Tahoe is all about consistent sunshine and slow-melting snow.

The north region of Lake Tahoe is significantly closer to the area's major airport in Reno and is only a short drive from the larger towns of Truckee and Sparks.