
Northstar California Course
Northstar California Golf Course

About this course
Northstar California Golf Course sits in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Truckee, at an elevation above 6,000 feet. Robert Muir Graves designed the course in the 1970s as part of the Northstar-at-Tahoe resort development, creating a mountain layout that works within the natural contours and forest character of the high-altitude setting. The course operates as a public facility serving both resort guests and daily-fee players during the summer season, typically from late spring through early fall when snow conditions permit. The routing moves through stands of pine and fir, with fairways that follow the rolling terrain characteristic of mountain golf. Elevation changes are moderate but present throughout, and the thin air at this altitude affects ball flight noticeably. Water features appear on several holes, and the design incorporates natural granite outcroppings and native vegetation. Views of the surrounding peaks provide scenic context, though the course itself remains largely tree-lined and defined by the forest environment. Graves, a prolific California architect who designed numerous courses throughout the state in the mid-to-late twentieth century, worked extensively in Northern California and understood the demands of mountain sites. The course serves primarily recreational golfers visiting the Tahoe region, offering a mountain golf experience that complements the area's winter skiing and year-round resort amenities. Conditioning and playability reflect the challenges of maintaining turf at high elevation with a limited growing season.
Quick facts
- Location
- Truckee, CA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1974
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Robert Muir Graves
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,897 yards
- Difficulty
- 72.1/138
- Course Vaults score
- 6.5
Getting there
The journey to Northstar California Golf Course begins at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), roughly ninety minutes northwest of the course, or alternatively Sacramento International (SMF), a two-hour drive to the west - both gateways to the Sierra Nevada high country. For those arriving by private aircraft, Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK) sits just minutes from the property, offering a direct descent into the mountains without the commercial airport shuffle. The final approach winds through dense coniferous forest and alpine meadow, climbing steadily into elevation as the landscape transforms from foothill scrub to the cool, thin air of the Sierra crest, where Northstar's courses emerge among granite peaks and pristine mountain terrain at nearly 8,000 feet above sea level.

FAQ
Common questions about Northstar California
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Northstar California has a Course Vaults score of 6.5 out of 10 based on 12 logged golfers.
Northstar California was designed by Robert Muir Graves.
Yes. Northstar California is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Northstar California is 72.
Northstar California plays 6,897 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Northstar California is 138.



