'Why Am I Not in Lake Tahoe?' ... Good Question

Morning Read's Joe Passov, having seen the American Century Championship' picturesque venue for years, finally decided to check out the allure.

Every year in mid-July, the celebrity-studded American Century Championship beams into my Phoenix-area living room television, and every year I ask the same question: “It’s 110 degrees outside. Why am I not in Lake Tahoe?” 

I finally scratched the itch. An easy flight into Reno-Tahoe International Airport in early June kicked off a long weekend of jaw-dropping scenery, blissfully moderate temperatures and superb golf.

Reno-Tahoe, at times simply referred to as Tahoe, sits 190 miles east of San Francisco, making it an ideal driving getaway for Bay Area residents. The destination dazzles with enticements in both of the states it straddles, California and Nevada. Casino gaming is a significant attraction on the Nevada side. Terrific golf courses populate both sides, with an especially vast concentration in Truckee, a historic mountain community near North Lake Tahoe, in California. 

Nevertheless, the region’s main draw is the lake itself. The crystalline, 22-mile-long, 12-mile-wide inland sea accommodates an array of recreational activities and is backdropped by the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas. No matter how jaded you might be, the setting is stunning.

As for the summer weather? At the American Century Media day in June, the patron saint of bad golfers, Charles Barkley, explained Tahoe’s appeal.

“Lake Tahoe is the only place in the world that ain’t hot,” proclaimed Sir Charles. “No matter where I’m at, or at my house in Arizona, we know it’s hot as hell. If I’m in Philly for the summer, it’s hot. When I fly to Lake Tahoe, I’m like, ‘Damn. How in the world is this the only cool place in the world?’ I mean, I think we had rain maybe two out of 27 years. The other 25 years, the weather’s been like, 70 degrees, never humidity, a nice little breeze. I’m like, ‘I cannot wait to get there.’ Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places in the world.”

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Barkley’s swing may betray him on a regular basis, but there’s nothing wrong with his senses. Lake Tahoe dazzles visually and wows recreationally. All of the area’s enviable traits converge at its must-play public course, Edgewood Tahoe. The home layout for the American Century since the tournament’s inception in 1990, Edgewood is Tahoe’s only championship course that edges the lake. It’s situated on Lake Tahoe’s south shore, roughly an hour’s drive from Reno. Although there is a ton of good golf to play closer to the north shore, you can’t miss Edgewood.

Designed in 1968 by George Fazio, with help from his nephew Tom, the 7,529-yard, par-72 Edgewood spread proved a stirring site for the 1985 U.S. Senior Open, when Miller Barber mastered the 6,200-foot elevation to win his third title, a year when the USGA broke tradition and permitted cart use to allow competitors to cope with the altitude. The younger Fazio has continued to tweak the course over the past 25 years, mostly to enhance playability, but the design touches are inevitably shunted to the background. The aesthetics justifiably hog the spotlight here.

Boldly bunkered holes zigzag through mountain meadows and Ponderosa pine forests, with several green sites handsomely jabbed into amphitheaters of pines. Most famous of course, thanks to television, are the final two holes. The 207-yard, par-3 17th calls for a carry across beach sand to a green bracketed by pines the left and the lake on the right. Risks, rewards and nature’s glories define the 572-yard, par-5 18th. At this elevation, most decent ball strikers are capable of reaching the green in two, but a pond to the left of the green, the beach to the right, a pesky pine in the right-center of the landing area and mountains beyond that can play havoc with depth perception and team up to thwart many eagle aspirations.

Wildlife on-course is not uncommon such as a medium-size bear ambling by the fifth green during my round. However, I’m not blaming my ursine photo subject for my subsequent three-jack. The greens are fast, with subtle breaks. 

“The greens are tricky here,” said Annika Sorenstam, a frequent American Century competitor and part-time area resident. “With some of the hole locations, you’ve really got to leave yourself on the safe side.”

Speaking of safe, there are plenty of lodging and gaming casinos near Edgewood, including Harrah’s, Harvey’s, Hard Rock and Bally’s (formerly MontBleu), but the safest bet in town is to stay on-site at the Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe. There are no slots or poker tables on property, and you don’t really mind. Superb restaurants, a sybaritic spa and million-dollar views of mountains and lake will melt away any stress you in Tahoe with. Plus, the golf course is literally steps away.

If you’re into exploring and variety, there is a fistful of other courses that are entirely worth the time. Incline Village is tops on Lake Tahoe’s north shore. Its 7,106-yard, par-72 Championship course, designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1964, was identified by its architect as “the ideal mountain course.” 

He might be right. To back up his claim, Trent Jones described Incline Village as “a beautiful layout cut through Ponderosa pines on mountain slopes 500 feet above Lake Tahoe, which itself is a mile high. Except for the doglegs, there isn’t a hole that can’t be seen from tee to green. Three of the first five holes on the back nine run slightly uphill, but the rest of the course is downhill or level. And there is a fast-moving stream that poses a strategic hazard on a dozen holes.”

Trent’s son, Robert Trent Jones Jr., created the resort’s second layout, the 18-hole Mountain course, a fun, par-58 executive track. He has tweaked the big course over the years as well. He remembers working on his father’s course as a young man, and secreting away beach sand to use in the bunkers during construction. Ah, the folly of youth.

Your third choice should be Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood in Truckee. The new home (in 2021) to the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship, Old Greenwood is a 7,518-yard, par-72 Jack Nicklaus design from 2004 that was intended to be completely private, but pleasingly offers outside play. Boasting service and practice facilities that make you feel like you’re behind locked gates, Old Greenwood is the best full-service experience in the High Sierras. Water on six high-risk holes and penally deep bunkers let you know that this is a Nicklaus Signature course. Yet, roomy landing areas and playable green complexes are the norm. Yes, you could rinse a sleeve at the 578-yard, par-5 6th that boomerangs to the left around a lake, but there’s room to miss as well. This is tough Nicklaus, but fun Nicklaus, too. The PGA Tour returns here July 14-17.

If you can wrangle one private club invitation in the region, make it Clear Creek Tahoe. Located in Carson City, Nevada’s capital, approximately halfway between Reno and South Lake Tahoe, Clear Creek is a 2009 creation from Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw that took a little while to find its footing, but is now established as one of the finest mountain courses in America. 

Ranked as the second best course in Nevada by Golf Digest, Clear Creek assaults the senses with alpine aesthetics, including pines, boulders and mountain backdrops, plus sandy soil, which promotes firm-and-fast conditions and ground-game options. If you’re capable of getting a ball airborne, go back to the 508-yard tee at the par-4 3rd for a downhill plunge like few in golf. More thrills and scenic strategic challenges await no matter what tees you use on the remainder of the holes, but you’ll surely want to pause to admire the wild, false-front green at the 9th.

Old Brockway is a classic nine-hole course with lots of charm as towering pines and cedars frame the holes.  / Joe Passov

Literally dozens of exceptional and exceptionally under-publicized courses await in the Reno-Tahoe region, from Coyote Moon to Whitehawk Ranch. However, for your first course on your Tahoe trip or as the finale, I’m partial to Old Brockway in Kings Beach, on the north side of Lake Tahoe. Crafted in 1924 by venerable Scottish architect John Duncan Dunn (from North Berwick, no less) and lovingly looked after by owner Lane Lewis and his family since 1978, Old Brockway is nine holes of pure pleasure. 

At 3,362 yards, par-36, it’s real golf, and real traditional golf as well. Greens are mostly ovals, but run smooth and quick, huge pines and cedars frame the holes and Old World touches flourish, such as the cross bunker fronting the green at the 348-yard, par-4 8th. As it was close to the legendary Cal-Neva Hotel, Old Brockway was a stomping ground for Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, and later Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, who co-owned the Cal-Neva in the early 1960s. Larry Ellison purchased the Cal-Neva out of bankruptcy in 2018, but it has yet to reopen. For now, stay close to Old Brockway in comfort, at the Mourelatos.

Sorenstam spoke the truth when asked in 2021 why she picked Tahoe as her part-time residence. 

“The lake, obviously,” said Sorenstam, pointing to the giant reflecting pool known as Lake Tahoe. “We love the views, we love the people, we love the seasons. There’s a lot of good things to love about Tahoe.”

My thermometer here in Phoenix reads 108 degrees. Right there are 108 great reasons to return to Lake Tahoe.