Earlier this summer, my wife and I escaped Chicago’s stifling inner-city heat and humidity and recharged our batteries at Lake Tahoe. Our weekend golf getaway among the pine forests and blue waters of the Sierra Nevada Mountains challenged our golf skills but refreshed our spirits...

Lake Tahoe sits on the California-Nevada border and was discovered in 1844 by explorers John C. Fremont and Kit Carson. In 1858 a massive silver find called the Comstock Lode was struck 15 miles to the east in Virginia City, Nev. Logging operations for the mining industries stripped the forests, but in the past 50 years, the environment has rebounded, and the lake has become a tourist destination. Tall pine trees once again line the mountainsides and tower over the lake’s 72-mile coastline.

Tahoe means “deep lake” to the Washoe tribe, and it is the second-deepest lake in the United States at 1,645 feet. With a surface area of 191 square miles, the 12-mile-wide lake is also one of America’s largest. The surface sits 6,229 feet above sea level, and the surrounding geography of granite rocks and mountain-fed streams helps Tahoe’s water remain unusually clear for a lake of its size.

Several championship-level golf courses are nestled among the region’s pine trees. The north and west ends of the lake have several excellent courses, including Coyote Moon in Truckee, Calif.; the Resort at Squaw Creek, Calif.; and the Championship Course and the Mountain Course at Incline Village, Nev.

The north side of the lake has a more laidback ambiance. Motels and bed-and-breakfasts abound and small hotel-casinos such as the Tahoe Biltmore Lodge and Casino pop up just over the Nevada border in Crystal Bay. Stately mansions line each side of Highway 28 along Tahoe’s north shore, and the elegant Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino hides in the forest in Incline Village, Nev.

As you drrive to the California-Nevada border on the lake’s southern shore, high-rise hotels and casinos burst above the tree line. Some of the larger venues include Harveys, Harrah’s, the MontBleu (formerly Caesars), the Horizon and the Embassy Suites. Many smaller hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts line the southern shore on both sides of the border.

My wife and I decided to press our golf luck on a course that hosts celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Ming Tsai, Charles Barkley and Donald Trump. Considered the finest golf course in the region, Edgewood Tahoe lies along the southern shore in Stateline, Nev. Each July, it draws dozens of celebrities with a USGA registered handicap of 10 or less to play for a good cause at the popular American Century Championship, benefiting charities and nonprofit organizations.Carved out of a pine forest, the George Fazio-designed course is the only one in the area with holes along the Tahoe shore. From the back tees, the 7,445-yard, par-72 course has a rating of 75.5 and a slope of 144. The regular men’s tees still provide an ample challenge at 6,365 yards and with a 70.2 rating and a slope of 131. Four tee choices are offered in all with the shortest tees playing at 5,567 yards. Playing in the mountains adds to the course’s challenges. The area’s high elevation adds about 10 percent more distance to a ball’s flight.

Edgewood Tahoe provides plenty of practice facilities if a golfer needs to polish his game before the round. The green fee includes a cart, as well as unlimited use of an all-grass driving range and an undulating practice green.

Every golfer at Edgewood Tahoe should prepare for nonstop challenges from the first drive to the last putt. Almost every tee shot requires creativity. The forests, streams and pine needles add extra strokes to the scorecard, but its smooth, rolling greens, closely cropped fairways and white sand bunkers make sure even a struggling golfer has a pleasant experience.

The three difficult finishing holes all incorporate Lake Tahoe and control the fate of the round. The 16th hole, a downhill, 564-yard par 5, challenges the golfer to hit every shot to a precise location. The lake looms beyond the green, ready to snatch an approach shot that flies long. Tahoe runs along the entire right side of the 207-yard, par-3 17th hole. The 18th hole is a difficult 572-yard par 5, with a pond just short and to the left of the green and the lake along the hole’s entire right side. Errant shots will find a watery grave.

Brooks’ Golf Bar and Deck overlooks the 18th green and provides a chance to add up your score and sample some of Edgewood’s delicacies. Whether you sit in the shade or soak up the mountain sunshine, fond memories of a beautiful and thrilling course will fill up your Lake Tahoe scorecard.

Travel
Nonstop flights from Chicago O’Hare and Chicago Midway are available to Reno-Tahoe Airport in Reno, Nev. Stateline, Nev., is about one hour from the airport. All major rental car companies have in-terminal check-in.

Lodging
Numerous hotels and casinos—Harveys, Harrah’s, Horizon, Embassy Suites and Marriott Grand Residence Club—line the lake’s southern shore. The north side of the lake also has many hotels, including the Tahoe Biltmore, the Hyatt Regency and the Squaw Valley Ski Resort, host of the 1960 Winter Olympics. Bed-and-breakfasts are intermingled throughout the region.

Golf Rates
Summertime green fees at Edgewood Tahoe are $200 and include cart and complimentary range balls. Caddies and rental clubs are available upon request. The course is open from May 10 through October 14. A discounted spring rate of $150 is available through May 31. Call the course up to 90 days in advance for tee times at (888) 881-8659. Stay and Play packages are available through the course’s website at www.edgewood-tahoe.com.

Activities and Nightlife
The area offers round-the-clock casino gambling, Las Vegas-style shows, hiking, rock climbing, skiing (winter only), mountain biking and numerous water sports.

Climate
Average temperatures at Lake Tahoe in July, August and September are in the high 70s to low 80s with very low humidity. The lake does not freeze and is navigable all year.

Helpful Links
www.tahoe.com
www.bluelaketahoe.com
www.tahoeguide.com
www.virtualtahoe.com