Northern Nevada golf courses are at least 4,700 feet above sea level in the Reno/Sparks area and 6,200 feet or higher at Lake Tahoe, which makes them cooler in summer and at this altitude golf balls can travel 10 percent farther. Even mid-summer temperatures are mild at Lake Tahoe, with snow clad peaks surrounding the deep blue lake. Still, that doesn't necessarily mean that summer is the best time to golf in Reno. In autumn the late afternoon skies are as spectacular as any of the lights downtown and many of the courses are practically empty.

There are three distinct regions in the Reno Nevada area, Reno/Sparks, Carson Valley, and Lake Tahoe. In these areas you find links that include high desert courses, dense forest mountain layouts, and everything in between. There are over 40 golf courses in these areas, all within an hour's drive of Reno. You will find a wide variety of course designs, from the traditional links-style layout, to the tree-lined alpine splendors. The selection is widely varied by style and location, including courses by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Robert Trent Jones. The courses in the Reno/Lake Tahoe/Carson Valley region are so good that Golf Magazine has rated the area one of the top 10 golf destinations in the world.

Reno Sparks

Reno Nevada and the entire Truckee Meadow Valley are flanked on it's western perimeter by the towering snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains. This high desert provides for some of the areas most beautiful golf courses. In the immediate Reno vicinity, there are a number of courses including the state's oldest course, Washoe Golf Course, which was established in 1934. Wolf Run Golf Club is the home course for the University of Nevada-Reno golf team. In the Reno area you'll find courses like Wildcreek Golf Course and the Resort at Red Hawk. Red Hawk is on the high desert tableland a few miles northeast of the city.

LakeRidge Golf Course is less than five miles from downtown and has been voted “Best of Reno” year after year. Rosewood Lakes Golf Course has provided golfers from all over the world extraordinary golf surrounded by the natural beauty of the Reno Nevada desert. Rosewood Lakes Golf Course is renowned for its generous greens and panoramic views. Superbly conditioned fairways and greens coexist with native wildlife. The course is on sixty acres of federally protected wetlands which provide food, water and shelter to wildlife and waterfowl. Should your ball land in the wetland areas, it stays. You are not allowed off the fairways.

Carson Valley

A half-hour south of Reno, the historic communities of Carson City, Dayton, and the Carson Valley sit beneath the towering snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Carson City offers what is called the “Divine Nine.” These nine courses encompass about 70,000 yards of greens and roughs and include the Dayton Valley Country Club, Genoa Lakes Golf Resort, Empire Ranch Golf Course and others. Empire Ranch offers an inviting 27 hole championship layout for all levels of golfers. It is sheltered between the bluffs on 250 acres of ranch land beside the Carson River with fast greens and tight, lush, fairways.

Just south of Gardnerville you will find the Carson Valley Golf Course. The Carson River and the cool shade from century old cottonwood trees give this course a unique character unlike any in Northern Nevada.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe lies more than 6,000 feet above sea level. The high elevation can increase your drive up to ten percent more than at sea level. You should remember to adjust for that with you club selection. The playing season varies from course to course and year to year. You should always contact the golf courses with inquiries about the current season, rates, weather and special events.

Coyote Moon Golf Course moves through towering pines with rocky outcroppings dotting the course. It is a masterpiece of mountain golf design. Tahoe Donner Golf Course tee shots are often hemmed in by thick stands of trees,and the pine needles and patchy grass typical of its greenside lies. The courses ringing Lake Tahoe are all a treat to play. Resort at Squaw Creek is the place to go for visitors looking for full-service spa amenities.

The Ponderosa Golf Club is an 18 hole public course with well-maintained greens and fairways that are lined with tall Ponderosa Pines. Sand traps are strategically placed throughout the course making it challenging and fun to play. Tahoe Paradise Golf Course is an 18 hole public course in the majestic pine forest of the Sierras located near South Lake Tahoe.

Whether teeing off on a riverside course, sinking that long putt below snow-capped Sierra peaks, or chipping onto the green on a high desert course, Northern Nevada offers a golfing experience to suit every taste and level of play.

Reno Golf Vacation Packages

Many local resorts and hotels offer great golfing packages, including lodging, green fees, and more. The Carson Valley Inn offers packages for courses in Carson Valley, Dayton, and Carson City. In Reno Nevada, the Reno Hilton Hotel and Casino, the Eldorado Hotel Casino and the Peppermill Hotel Casino all offer special golfing packages. In Lake Tahoe you can find golf packages at Caesars Tahoe, Harrah's Lake Tahoe, and Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort and Casino at Incline Village.

Non-golfing visitors to Reno Nevada will always find plenty of outdoor activities and vacation attractions to enjoy, including museums, theaters, river rafting, sightseeing, horseback riding, hiking, ballooning, soaring, shooting, fishing, or relaxing at resort pools and spas.