Tucked in the hills on the west side of Reno, Nevada is Lakeridge Golf Course, a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design. The course offers golfers a short, but challenging layout that weaves through the surrounding housing development and includes the best scenic viewpoint of the surrounding area…the Par 3 15th hole. Consistently the best course for playing conditions in the entire valley, Lakeridge a must play for visitors or residents of the Reno/Sparks area.
1218 Golf Club Drive
Reno, NV 89509 (Google Maps)
775.825.2200
800.815.6966 (toll free)
775.825.6792 (restaurant)
Lakeridge Golf Course Website
Tees Par 71 (rating/slope)
- Jones 6715 yards (71.6/136)
- Lakeridge 6141 (68.4/129)
- Nevada 5156 (68.5/121)
Scorecard: click here
Course Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Course Record: 62
Summer Green Fees
- Mon-Thurs-$45-75
- Fri, Sat, Sun- $45-85
Fall Green Fees
- Mon-Thurs-$45-49
- Fri, Sat, Sun- $45-55
Winter Green Fees
- Mon-Thurs-$45
- Fri, Sat, Sun- $45
Spring Green Fees
- Mon-Thurs-$45-49
- Fri, Sat, Sun- $45-55
Rental Fees
- Cart (no GPS)-included in green fee
- Rental Clubs- $25
Practice Area
Lakeridge has an open easterly facing driving range that allows the golfer to hit into a slight up slop. Open to the elements, which includes a mostly helping wind, the range allows for both matted and grass practicing. Though nothing exceptional, the range provides ample space for practicing with accurate ranges.
Two putting and chipping greens are available to all patrons around the first tee and ninth green, providing adequate space for practice or warmups. The practice greens are fairly representational of the conditions on the course with comparative green speeds.
The Course
Tucked in the hills on the west side of Reno is Lakeside Golf Course, offering one of the more compelling balance of challenging golf holes and vista viewpoints in the Reno/Sparks Valley. The front nine holes meanders through the a relatively level area of the surrounding housing development, with the principle challenges eminenting from the twists and turns designed into the course’s layout. The second nine leads the golfer into the hills challenging them initially with a dose of uphill holes that leads to the signature/magnificant Par 3 15th over looking the entire valley. Though not tremendously long, Lakeridge demands accuracy off the tee from a golfer in order to score well. This is particularly so on the course Par 3′s which punish those who do not place their tee shots close to the pin locations.
Playing conditions at Lakeridge range from fair to good for a public course, with less than ideal playing conditions usually being the result of poor weather or excessive play (drainage after rains is not always great). Tee box positions often challenge golfers to rethink their approach to a hole and only half of the fairways offer a flat lie for approach shots. Green conditions vary on seasonal conditions but tend to roll true and average for a public course…speed wise. Bunkers are kept in fair condition as are tee boxes.
The front nine of Lakeridge is walkable with sublet elevation changes, while the second nine presents more of a hike for the golfer with an elevation change of nearly 800 feet up and down. It is therefore recommended that most golfers use carts during their round.
Patrons of Lakeridge tend to be mid-to-high handicappers and golfers can expect rounds in the 4-6 hour range, depending on the amount of traffic on the course.
Staff, Amenities, etc
The staff at Lakeridge is largely professional and friendly. The Pro Ship is stocked to handle most last minute golfing accessory and equipment needs.
The clubhouse has a restaurant with multiple room indoor seating with an eat-in and to-go menu (click here for the breakfast/lunch menu and here for the dinner menu). The food offered for dine-in ranges from above-average to good and there is a bountiful selection of adult libations to consume.
Beverage cart service is typically available on the weekend and during the midday weekday hours, with full bar service offered (service during the winter months may vary).
Course Tips
Hole #1- The opening hole at Lakeridge, a slight dogleg to the right over a small creek, demands that the golfer either lay up to the left for an approach shot of 160+ yards or play for a 100 yard approach by playing their tee shot over the right bunkers. Green slopes from right to left and is protected by three bunkers.
Hole #2- The shortest Par 3 challenges golfers to place their tee shots between the water guarding the front and bunkers surrounding a multi-level green which slopes significantly back to the water.
Hole #3- A nearly reachable Par 4 for longer drivers the 3rd hole is protected by trees and a canal along the right side as well as front bunkers. Conservative play off the tee will leave an 80+ yard approach shop to a green that feeds back to the front right.
Hole #4- The #1 handicapped hole hinders golfers from attacking its massive length off the tee with a right dogleg, narrowing, and bunkers in the landing area. Even cutting the leg will leave most golfers 270 yards short of the slightly elevated green that slopes to the front right. Best to play as a three shot hole.
Hole #5- Short dogleg uphill to the right is best played along the left hand side of the fairway for the ideal approach shot to a green that slopes from left to right.
Hole #6- The longest Par 3 on the course can be one of the most challenging depending on wind direction. Best to play for the center of the green as the bunkers and slope feeding to the front can easily make bogey a good score.
Hole #7- Shorter uphill Par 4 is conservatively played leaving a 100+ yard approach shot. Green is protected by front bunkers and slopes towards the back right.
Hole #8- Any attempt to reach this Par 5 in two demands the tee shot find the fairway. Layups should be played for a 110+ yard approach shot. Green is protected not only by the lake, but also by a canal immediately in front. Green feeds away from the back bunker.
Hole #9- Accuracy is a must off the tee as cottonwoods trees and a bunkers protect this dogleg left, while OB protects the right. Approach is into a slightly elevated green that is surrounding by bunkers and false front.
Hole #10- The second nine opens with a tee shot that must be placed between water on the left and the canal/treeline on the right. Leaving a 140+ yard approach along the left side of the fairway will protect the golfer from the narrowing of the fairway, trees, and canal which crosses at under 100 yards. Green slopes back towards front right.
Hole #11- The first of three holes that head up the hill towards Lakeridge’s signature hole. Find the fairway, keep your approach shot below the hole on the plateaued green which feeds back to the fairway and is protected by a front bunker.
Hole #12- Multiple tee boxes can present different challenges on this lengthy Par 3 where it’s a must to keep your tee shot below the hole. Multi-level green feeds from front to back.
Hole #13- The real danger on this short slight dogleg left Par 4 is a golfer’s ego. Laying back off the tee for a 150 yard approach shot takes the OB left/right and the bunkers out of play, though it lengthens the uphill shot into the green which again feeds back to the fairway.
Hole #14- Arguably the most difficult driving hole on the course from the back tee box, the 14th forces the golfer to deal with a sloping fairway and the gravitational tendency to push the ball to the right, while having to carry the fairway bunkers. The green is deep and feeds towards the front bunker.
Hole #15- Nearly 60 yards x 60 yards Lakeridge’s island green isn’t nearly as daunting as it might seem standing upwards of 150 feet above looking over the Reno/Sparks valley. Wind direction and the elevation change complicates determining the correct distance, so playing for the center of the island green is the ideal way to play the hole.
Hole #16- This downhill Par 4 presents a fairway that runs away and to the right hand side. Tee shots must navigate the fairway bunkers in order for the golfer to have a reasonable chance at scoring well. Green slopes back towards the front right.
Hole #17- The elevated tee box makes this short dog leg right nearly reachable for longer hitters with a tee shot just inside the right fence line. Anything that misses right will be penalized, while any miss left will only complicate the golfer’s approach shot. Hole is conservatively played with a 115+ yard approach that played to the middle of the green with forgo the danger the two bunkers present.
Hole #18- The finishing hole offers up a visually challenging tee shot to a narrowing fairway as well as the most demanding second shot on the course. While finding the fairway allows for the opportunity to go for the green in two, the safe play is to aim for the landing area roughly 30 yards short of the narrow green that slopes back towards the fairway.
Pictures of Lakeridge Golf Course
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