A Pictorial: Clear Creek Tahoe!!!

[Kyle Henderson]

I was going to post a profile of Clear Creek Tahoe, going so far as uploading all of these images last month before other duties delayed my efforts. In the mean time, golf’s most-beloved beat me to the punch (great write-up, Ran!). His praise of the course’s virtues is both profuse and accurate. It’s a very special site and the Coore/Crenshaw design team made the most of what nature provided, as usual.

The practice facility, built by some of C&C’s shapers with significant input from Clear Creek Tahoe’s President (Mark Sollenberger), is world-class as well.

And so, without further ado, I offer my own images for those needing to see more of this fantastic golf course with the hope of joining a few of my fellow GCAers there in the spring adjacent to the King’s Putter 2010, should the fates allow.

Enjoy.

Practice range


1st tee (454 yards, par 4)


1st approach


2nd (178 yards, par 3) approach from left


2nd green from left


2nd from behind


3rd tee (508 yards, par 4)


3rd approach


3rd green complex


4th (200 yards, par 3)


5th tee (337 yards, par 4)


6th tee shot  (515 yards, par 5)


6th fairway turning left up the hill


Short approach at the 6th


6th looking back


7th tee (459 yards, par 4)


7th approach.


7th looking back.


8th (172 yards, par 3)


9th tee (443 yards, par 4)


9th approach


10th tee (470 yards, par 4)


10th approach


11th approach (424 yards, par 4)


11th green from left/rear.


12th (237 yards, par 3)


13th tee (589 yards, par 5)


13th fairway

 
13th Green complex


14th tee (320 yards, par 4).


14th approach.


14th from behind.


15th tee (448 yards, par 4)


15th approach


15th green from left


16th approach (434 yards, par 4)


17th (148 yards, par 3)


17th green:  a closer inspection.


Front/left view of the 17th green.


18th tee (532 yards, par 5)


18th approach


Looking across the 18th green from the right (scroll right to see pin)

[Jed Peters]

Awesome.

[Rob Rigg]

Kyle,

You deserve a high five as well - nice pics!

[Carl Nichols]

The range is very cool looking, but it seems like it would be unnecessarily expensive to maintain.

[Emil Weber]

Cheers Kyle, great pics once again!

Did C&C leave these stumps standing deliberately during clearing? I dont quite know what to think of it...

[Scott Warren]

Thanks Kyle. My heart actually started beating a little bit faster while looking at the pics. Pretty amazing-looking place.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Great stuff Kyle.  Your photo taking skills are excellent either side of the Atlantic

[Kyle Henderson]

Cheers Kyle, great pics once again!

Did C&C leave these stumps standing deliberately during clearing? I dont quite know what to think of it...

An old irrigation ditch and piles of spoils (also seen at the front of the 17th green,among other places) run through that part of the property stemming from deacades old "land improvements." Many of there features were left intact, but I don't recall if the tree stumps were there before the golf course was constructed.

[Joel_Stewart]

Note that the fairways have no rough. 

[Kyle Henderson]

Note that the fairways have no rough. 

I also noted that the fairway sod was placed diagonally to the line of play during construction so that the edges would be jagged and blend into the native areas instead of displaying a clear demarcation. Just one of the many details the C&C construction crew always seem to get just right.

[Bruce Leland]

Beautiful layout.  Just curious, were the yardages listed from the member tees?  At that elevation, 6,868 would play rather short would it not?  It appears that the course would challenge the player to work the ball in both directions and I like the mix of par 3 yardages.  Hard to tell the width of the tee shot corridors from the pics...does it play fairly tight? 

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Cheers Kyle, great pics once again!

Did C&C leave these stumps standing deliberately during clearing? I dont quite know what to think of it...

I spent July in Tahoe and also got to play Clear Creek.  Wonderful site and course.  Playable for all levels.  I asked a builder up there in Tahoe about the stumps.  They are everywhere.  His reply was that they decay in about 15 years due to the harsh weather.  I suppose also they help with erosion.

[Kyle Henderson]

Beautiful layout.  Just curious, were the yardages listed from the member tees?  At that elevation, 6,868 would play rather short would it not?  It appears that the course would challenge the player to work the ball in both directions and I like the mix of par 3 yardages.  Hard to tell the width of the tee shot corridors from the pics...does it play fairly tight? 

No. Those are the back tees. But, there are 5 par 3s and a number of very long par 4s, so the challenge is still there for big hitters.

I didn't actually play the course (tour only), so I can't offer any personal anecdotes about how playable the the course might be.

[Bruce Leland]

Beautiful layout.  Just curious, were the yardages listed from the member tees?  At that elevation, 6,868 would play rather short would it not?  It appears that the course would challenge the player to work the ball in both directions and I like the mix of par 3 yardages.  Hard to tell the width of the tee shot corridors from the pics...does it play fairly tight? 

No. Those are the back tees. But, there are 5 par 3s and a number of very long par 4s, so the challenge is still there for big hitters.

I didn't actually play the course (tour only), so I can't offer any personal anecdotes about how playable the the course might be.

Thanks, Kyle.  I've added it to my play list.  Looks like a very fun layout.

[Kyle Henderson]

Beautiful layout.  Just curious, were the yardages listed from the member tees?  At that elevation, 6,868 would play rather short would it not?  It appears that the course would challenge the player to work the ball in both directions and I like the mix of par 3 yardages.  Hard to tell the width of the tee shot corridors from the pics...does it play fairly tight? 

No. Those are the back tees. But, there are 5 par 3s and a number of very long par 4s, so the challenge is still there for big hitters.

I didn't actually play the course (tour only), so I can't offer any personal anecdotes about how playable the the course might be.

Thanks, Kyle.  I've added it to my play list.  Looks like a very fun layout.

Indeed. CCT is at the top of my play list. I've also heard very positive things about Martis Camp (Fazio course a bit to the north), but both courses have very restrictive guest policies.

[Dave_Wilber]

My hat is off to Justin White and his staff for doing such a great job with the turf at CC Tahoe.

[Joel_Stewart]

My hat is off to Justin White and his staff for doing such a great job with the turf at CC Tahoe.

Dave:

Did you work on this course?   I thought I asked and they said no but possibly in the future on a consulting basis.

[Dave_Wilber]

Working with Justin since mid summer. Very happy to help. He's a great guy and is being asked to do a whole lot of work to bring the course along.

[Kyle Henderson]

Sadly, my camera went on the fritz yesterday. But since I already had these shots posted, I thought I'd give the thread a bump to gloat about the amazing time we had during the final round of the King's Putter at Clear Creek Tahoe.

I enjoyed the course immensely and I am very grateful to Mark Sollenberger, Chip Hanly, Jim Taylor, and Colin Campbell for hosting us in such a welcoming fashion.

At the risk of sounding like a complete brown-noser, the course, the practice facility and the club amenities are first rate. I really hope the club becomes a smashing success.

[Kyle Henderson]

Bumping the thread for those that missed it.

Also, check out Ran's review if you haven't already.

CCT is a truly special course in a spectacular setting, and it deserves every bit of good press it can get!

[Kyle Henderson]

A trusted friend stated (in a closed forum) that he believes Clear Creek is a superior golf course to Shadow Creek. I've only seen the former and a handful of other Nevada courses, but it is certainly much better than Edgewood Tahoe.

Is is safe to say it's one of the top 3 courses in the state?

I imagine it will certainly start showing up in the magazine rankings if they start letting raters out there to see the work produced by Coore/Crenshaw's team.

[Kyle Henderson]

I am very sad to report that Clear Creek has been foreclosed upon (yes, I checked with a reliable source), despite the promising prognosis during my visit there in June.

Hopefully, things will work out quickly with new investors and the club can reach its very high potential.

[Tim Leahy]

Somebody notify Donald Trump! This is a great course and should be tied in with the South Shore casinos somehow. Much better than Edgewood and not that far from the south shore or Reno for that matter.

[Kyle Henderson]

Somebody notify Donald Trump! This is a great course and should be tied in with the South Shore casinos somehow. Much better than Edgewood and not that far from the south shore or Reno for that matter.

No! Not the casino's!!! Cerrtainly not Trump!!!

CCT should be a golfer's club, not a resort course for high-roller looking to waste their day somewhere.

I fear Trump would build mansions throughout the property. Yikes.

[George Freeman]

How does the saying go?  Only the third owners ever make any money on a golf course?

Sad news.  The course looks awesome...