Lahontan Golf Club

The Par-3 at Lahontan Golf Club is Tom Weiskopf's short course companion to the property's championship layout, situated in the Truckee area of California's Sierra Nevada mountains near the Nevada border. Weiskopf, who designed both courses at Lahontan in the mid-2000s, created this par-3 layout to complement the main course while offering members and guests a quicker playing option that showcases the dramatic mountain terrain. The course sits at approximately 6,000 feet elevation in a forested setting characteristic of the Tahoe region, where ponderosa pines and granite outcroppings frame the holes. The routing takes advantage of the natural topography, with holes playing across varied elevations and incorporating the rocky, alpine landscape into the design. Weiskopf's approach emphasizes strategic short-iron and wedge play rather than simply creating a collection of similar-length holes, with distances and green complexes that require thoughtful club selection in the thin mountain air. The course serves Lahontan's private residential community, which developed around both golf courses as a high-end mountain retreat. As with many modern par-3 courses at private clubs, this layout provides an option for practice rounds, casual family golf, or abbreviated play when time is limited. The mountain setting and Weiskopf's design sensibility give the course a distinct character within the broader Tahoe-Truckee golf landscape, where elevation and natural features play central roles in the golfing experience.