Circumnavigating Lake Tahoe and traversing through the varied terrains of the High Sierra golf courses is what I imagine it would be like to be inside of postcard. Whether you're on the valley floor looking up at nature's skyscrapers or on top of the world looking down upon the blue waters of America's most famous mountain lake, it's difficult to ignore the beauty of everything around you.
Here is a sampling of what I've seen over the past few days and a little bit about the places I've passed through.
Genoa Lakes Resort Course
Designed by the team of John Harbotle and Johnny Miller, the Genoa Lakes Resort Course is a rugged course cutting through the Sierra Nevada foothills that features significant elevation changes, unpredictable breezes and spectacular views of snow-capped mountains.
The community of Genoa, which was the first settlement in the Nevada Territory, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This little mountain town is as authentic a throwback to the Western pioneer days as you'll come across.
Emerald Bay State Park
A National Natural Landmark, Emerald Bay is one of the most photographed scenes in Lake Tahoe.
Old Greenwood Golf Course
A Jack Nicklaus Signature Course located in the handsome historic town of Truckee, California. In its latest publication of its state-by-state golf rankings, Golf Digest ranked Old Greenwood as one California's top courses. This championship-level course can be a brute, playing just under 6,500 yards from the white tees. If you're looking for a challenge, you'll get your money's worth at Old Greenwood.
Coyote Moon Golf Course
It's not unusual to hit your tee shot as a deer watches on an adjacent hill or come across a litter of coyote pups as your approach the par-5 12th hole at Coyote Moon. Many courses advertise themselves as being "Worlds Away from Civilization," but only a few pull it off and The Moon is one of them.
The course has been named one of America's most underrated by Golf.com, and while it is virtually unheard of in most circles, the portion of the golfing population who do know about Coyote Moon absolutely love this Lake Tahoe original. When you put Coyote Moon together with Old Greenwood, which is located just on the other side of town, Truckee is emerging as a must-play golf destination.
Timilick Golf Course
Another Harbotle-Miller design, this mountain golf course is part of Tahoe's newest private community. The back nine at Timilick is breathtaking, with a number of tree-lined holes featuring steep climbs and scenic panoramic views of the surrounding Sierra Nevadas. Built as a resort course, Timilick is forgiving and delivers on its promise of playability.
Timilick is located on 475 acres in the famed Martis Valley, which is found between Northstar-at-Tahoe and the shops of Truckee.
