Truckee – Best Mountain Golf

Where in the World Is Cori Brett?

November/December 2013

Grays-Crossing
Gray’s Crossing #18

I was both excited and nervous about attending my high school reunion.  All those ghosts from the past!  Would we even recognize each other?  Name tags with graduation photos helped.  Memories revived, fantasies were shattered, and promises made.  My girlfriend and I carried all that drama with us on a post-reunion golf trip to North Lake Tahoe.

We based our stay in the historic town of Truckee, close to the golf courses on our list.  We liked the rustic ski-town feel of downtown Truckee, with its inviting restaurants, cute shops and galleries. Truckee is on the California side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range and only 15 miles from beautiful Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America.

The first golf course on our list was The Golf Club at Gray’s Crossing. I was captivated by the whole mountain scene: soaring peaks all around, tall pine trees lining fairways, pine needles crunching underfoot, and crisp mountain air. We played from the forward tees at 5,349 yards (W 71.4/130), which I found fun and playable, with no forced carries.  It was in great condition, especially for the end of the golf season.  Next time I think I would like to walk the course.  No. 18 was a long par-5 that had me wondering which side to play, until I was advised to lay up on the right side of the fairway. That showed me the best way to cross the broad barranca on my approach shot.

Gray’s Crossing originally opened as a private club in 2007. Its unpretentious yet excellent clubhouse restaurant, “PJ’s,” and immaculate grounds reflect private club standards.  Old Greenwood, its sister course, is located nearby and of the same stature -it’s a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design course.  The prestigious Golf Academy at Old Greenwood offers golf schools, junior camps, club fitting, and custom learning programs.  www.golfintahoe.com

Old-Greenwood
Old Greenwood #17

Like Gray’s Crossing and Old Greenwood, Schaffer’s Mill Golf & Lake Club is a relatively new, high-end golf community offering magnificent mountain homes and lots.  And now, Schaffer’s Mill has been chosen as the location for the 2014 HGTV Dream Home. HGTV will build and decorate a 3,000+ square foot mountain home to give away to one lucky Sweepstakes winner.  Last year’s Dream Home was in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

In order to easily experience these new golf developments and go into town, we stayed at The Hampton Inn & Suites Tahoe/Truckee.  Great location, spacious and quiet rooms, awesome hot breakfast buffet (included) with made-to-order waffles brought to our table, and really nice service.  The front desk staff/concierge can book tee times and golf packages at special rates for hotel guests.  www.tahoetruckeesuites.hamptoninn.com

There are other more mature golf courses in Truckee that are well worth exploring.   Coyote Moon Golf Course is off I-80 W at the Donner Pass exit.  Its natural setting feels far away from civilization, with rolling fairways, huge granite outcroppings and wildflowers. Trout Creek meanders through the layout, and there are no homes around the course.

Tahoe Donner Golf Course is just north of Coyote Moon.  The course is part of Tahoe Donner Homeowners’ Association, which covers more than 7,000 acres.  It has a club-like setting, and is open to the general public.  Tees range from 4,997 yards to 7,002 yards, with combo tees in between, so there are lots of yardage choices.

Tahoe-Donner
Tahoe Donner #18

In addition to golf, we found that Truckee offers wonderful dining options.  One chilly evening we settled into a booth at Pianeta, a cozy spot that served some of my favorite Italian dishes.  My sister loves Cottonwood Restaurant, and no wonder.  The building is one of the nation’s oldest ski lodges, with expansive views of Truckee and the mountains beyond, and the creative, sophisticated menu is a winner.   We discovered “Stella,” the restaurant at The Cedar House Sport Hotel, a European-style boutique hotel.  Stella opened in 2010, quickly winning acclaim for its avant-garde menu and award-winning chef.  Like the rest of California, Truckee boasts a wine presence, with the Truckee River Winery and a few nice wine bars like The Pour House and Uncorked.

We weren’t done exploring mountain golf.  But the days were getting shorter and colder, and soon North Lake Tahoe would resume its  identity as a world-famous ski area that had once hosted the Winter Olympics.   Golf would become a dim memory.  Just like the high school reunion.

“Escape with Cori” on assignment to exotic and fun golf destinations.  First-hand impressions from an experienced golf travel writer and AWGA member. www.coribrett.com.  Copyright Cori Brett 2013 – do not copy or cite in whole or in part without permission.