Northstar California Golf Course

So the pace of the game was fantastic and the staff were wonderful. The facility was great at following covid -19 rules. As for the course it self, the layout is fun. If your new watch out there is a lot of blind spots so plan your shots right. The fairways are great, the greens are Poorly keep. Besides that great course to play in Tahoe.

My understanding is that due to COVID, the course opened later than usual this season. So here in the first week of August, there were some spring conditions, mostly on the greens. They were sanded and slow, but showing signs of life. The rest of the course was in good shape.

I love this track because you get two completely different experiences between the nines. The front nine is open in the meadows, and the wind can present some challenges. The back nine winds above the treeline and tightens up dramatically. Fun challenge.

We make it a point when we come to Lake Tahoe to play this course.

Staff is always helpful and friendly

Average clubhouse and practice putting and chipping greens but the driving range was closed. Friendly, helpful staff following COVID-19 precautions. For a mountain resort course in the Lake Tahoe area I expected it to be in much better overall condition: the greens had been punched and sanded weeks ago but they were still very bumpy and slow, the tee boxes were not well maintained with bare spots and weeds. The fairways were the best kept parts of the course. The rough was very deep and weedy. The layout is quite challenging from the blue or back tees.

The back nine was beautiful however the course was in terrible condition. The tee boxes were overgrown the fairways were patchy at best and the greens felt more like fairway. If the course were in better condition it would be a lot of fun, open in the front and lots of trees on the back but not worth the money til they fix it

This was such a disappointment!!

We have plYed the course many times.

It was in such poor shape won’t plY it agIn .

We paid for 18 holes and only played 9.

VERY DISSATISFIED!!!

The conditions of the course were disappointing especially the greens. It looked like the course had not been maintained during the closure.

They are running low on carts and are encouraging players to walk.

Northstar is such a beautiful course. There are so many interesting holes with many risk reward opportunities. Overall the course was in very good shape. The greens were very slow and a little bumpy in spots so it took some time to adjust. Due to the pandemic there is very little to shop for in the pro shop. They have a snack bar operating but be warned in order to get a beer you must purchase a sandwich or wrap.

I've played the Northstar course dozens of times over the years. My wife and I own a fractional share in a property in the village, so we've been going every summer for the last 18 years. This used to be a very well-kept property. Last year, conditions had deteriorated significantly, but we attributed that to a bad winter and late snow. This year, however, overall course conditions are even worse. Many of the greens are un-puttable (if that's a word). in places the greens have gone to seed., while on the same green there are bare patches. Fairways are only playable using winter rules (in July!) .

Vail Resorts has abdicated their responsibility to maintain the course. Although they had almost three months (while the course was closed due to the COVID outbreak) , it appears that they did nothing to prepare the course. No seeding. No repairs. Just mow and open. To charge $90 for the online rate, and $100 as the "rack rate" is inexcusable.

There are many other more playable and enjoyable options in the Tahoe/Truckee area for the same or less money. Go to one of them.

I had an 8:20 tee time this morning. Called the pro shop before, leaving a message to question reviews within the last week of players truly disappointed in current (not past) course conditions. The voicemail still says closed for season - huh? Then, No return call back. No overpriced green fees from me! Sticking to the core courses up here: Gray’s, old Greenwood, heck maybe even Ponderosa if they call me back. Seems like a change in personnel needed. PS the call back doesn’t require laid off COVID 19 workers.

As stated, ok overall for just opening for summer but horribly slow greens and way too deep rough.

They should be disclosing how bad the greens and overall conditions are and discounting the price dramatically because of it. I played another course in slightly better condition recently that both disclosed the conditions ahead of time and only charged half of the regular green fees.

We stopped even attempting putts a couple holes in and just took a standard 2-putt for the rest of the round.

3 of us really enjoyed 1st trip to Northstar. Thought the design was interesting & fair, 3 out of the 4 par 5's are risk/reward off the tee, Driver to try and get home in 2 or play for par with 3W off tee. The meadow front 9 is straightforward & back 9 in the trees gives interesting options off tee, & huge elevation changes for such short holes. Staff (pro, bartender, cart kid, snack shack) could not have been friendlier. Coming in on 18 out of the shadows with a sunlit 18 green was a brilliant end to a great day. Although we couldn't make a birdie on the day, we had a ton of pars & the scratch player in our group had 2 eagles on the front (par 5 & a chip in on a par 4)

Yup, there are about 4 greens (#5 & about 3 on back where the greens don't get much sun) that are in rough shape after a historic winter, if those greens cause a 3 Putt then take a 2 Putt & enjoy the views.

Course was very diverse, sage brush desert meadow on front night, then pine forest right back nine. Was awesome as my buddy Mike Lyons aced #13, hole! Group in front of us witnessed it as well as groups behind us. Unfortunately bar was closing at 6 when we finished so drinks were limited. Staff was awesome though.

Love Tahoe, Truckee and have lived in the area for 10 years. This course location is Beautiful. Front 9 open back 9 narrow which made it fun. First off 2 temporary greens about 10' across. BOOO! ALL of the greens that you could play were terrible. The ball would jump all over the place. Grass, no grass, grass...... The fairways were just as bad. Soggy, dirt, grass, no grass and I am talking about the middle of the fairways. For $65 I was VERY disappointed!! Probably won't be back for a while. That course will NOT be in good shape this year, it's getting too late in the year and it's in such bad shape. Sorry to say all this but I was NOT happy at all. I drove from Sac to meet friends and that's what I got, we.

Please do not waste your money. Course conditions especially the greens were terrible . There were two or three Temporary greens one of which was a laughable 45 yard par three, all with automatic two/putt. Many of the greens were so bumpy with lots of brown spots and small mounds. We paid $90 per person but I wouldn’t even pay $20 to play on such a poorly maintained course. On the positive side the layout is terrific especially the more challenging back nine nestled in the pines. Staff were all great except for one who asked us how our round was and before we could finish he said “I know...the greens suck”—-he then said we could go spend $250 to play Edgewood—-he then made excuses saying that “what do you expect after a winter of 600 inches of snow?”

I didn’t respond but had I replied to his comment I would have said, “well Edgewood had the exact amount of snow as Northstar did and it is in pristine condition”

Hopefully the owners of Northstar Golf will read this and other poor reviews and put the $ into making this course pristine like it used to be. Until they do something about the horrible condition of this golf course, we will not return.