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Clear Creek Tahoe
Carson City, NV • Private
Overview
One gets the feeling Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw looked long and hard at this mountain property on the east side of Lake Tahoe before agreeing to take the job. On one hand, the site is gorgeous, an elevated evergreen forest with views of the surrounding Sierra Nevadas and distant valleys. On the other, it was far more rugged than they preferred and would prove challenging to link up 18 well-connected holes on such vast terrain. Ultimately, beauty won out and they were able to find enough calm ground—especially from holes 10 through 15—to make the journey around it seem meditative and not a lurching, adrenaline-filled rush. The boulder-strewn site recalls parts of Rock Creek Cattle Company in western Montana, currently 65th on America's 100 Greatest Courses, and the off-site views and the way fairways and greens blend into the native grasses and conifers bring to mind Gozzer Ranch, ranked No. 43. Pretty good company.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 2023-2026.
Previous ranking: 131st.
2025-'26 ranking: T-137.
Best in State: Ranked second, 2015-'26.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 2nd.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Clear Creek Tahoe is one of the Coore-Crenshaw firm's most unique designs. Situated in the high desert between Lake Tahoe and Carson City, it's full of astounding landforms and devilish greens. Beautiful vistas and vast native areas tie together a great experience at Clear Creek."
Read More2025
Review
“Excellent routing thru the mountains. Lots of unique holes and a very diverse set of greens. Playable off the tee with interesting topographical changes. Plenty of options around the greens and risk/reward off the tee. Extremely scenic."
Read More2025
Review
“spectacular setting, with a golf staff that was very attentive. take time to make a visit if you have the opportunity."
Read More2025
Review
“Really fun and interesting golf course. Holes offer strategic decisions off the tee which allow for better angles or shorter distances into greens. Green complexes are interesting and require precise approach shots. Putting is a challenge as there are many subtle breaks including some seemingly conflicting slope reads. A great green reader will be challenged. All-in-all, a very fun course to play. I'm a little surprised the longest tees are closer to 7,000 yards than 7,500 yards with the altitude, but aside from that, this is an excellent golf course."
Read More2025
Review
“I highly recommend this golf course. Fantastic views with elevation changes and huge pine trees. The course is in great condition and has several unique and fun holes. It is challenging yet fair. I will definitely play it again when I return to the area."
Read More2024
Review
“There's a ton of great golf within an hour of Lake Tahoe, but this is one of the best. Coore and Crenshaw have done it again. 2nd best course in the state of Nevada, built in 2009, this is one of their best-designed courses. A slightly elevated tee on 1 starts the day with a gettable par 5. An uphill par 3 is your second hole of the day before getting to the super elevated tee box (highest point on the course) and a 10-second tee shot that majestically travels 200 feet down to the fairway below of this 508-yard dogleg right par 4. This place is phenomenal and it doesn't stop there. The course mixes it up beautifully with par 3's ranging from 148 to 237, par fours from 320 and 337 to 470 and the aforementioned third hole at 508. The 635 yard 13th....bring all you got. The scenery is beautiful, with towering pines and native areas that break up fairways and isolate greens. You can certainly get lost in the beauty of the area. When Coore & Crenshaw think this is their prettiest course, it's definitely something special. Welcome to God's country."
Read More2024
Review
“Excellent routing thru the mountains. Lots of unique holes and a very diverse set of greens. Playable off the tee with interesting topographical changes. Plenty of options around the greens and risk/reward off the tee. Extremely scenic."
Read More2024
Review
“Beautiful Coore/Crenshaw design in the Sierra Nevada range. Large, fast, undulating greens provide great challenge even with a caddie who knows them well. Club selection is also a high priority with the altitude. The staff was quite welcoming so if you're offered the chance to play here, don't turn it down."
Read More2024
Review
“Delightful, beautiful, thoroughly enjoyable, challenging shot makers' course! Difficult greens with very tricky topography require patience and precision."
Read More2024
Review
“Although there are houses in the area, there were none in sight of the course. The best Coore/Crenhsaw I have played that include Bandon, Streamsong, Cabot, Sand Valley."
Read More2023
