Martis Camp blends big-shouldered championship golf with soaring Sierra beauty and immaculate presentation. If you get the invite, you’ll discover a bold, strategic Fazio course known for its shot variety, pristine conditions, and unforgettable vistas across pine-studded valleys.
Tom Fazio’s Martis Camp design carves a championship-caliber test through the dramatic ups and downs of the Sierra Nevada. The front nine weaves between dense pines and elevation drops, while the back nine opens into creek-crossed valleys for a distinct rhythm change. Fairway corridors are generous, yet strategic bunkering and shifting approach angles demand thoughtful positioning. Greens are fast and contoured—rewarding deft distance control over brute strength. The layout’s signature is its flexibility: tough enough for USGA championships, playable enough for a memorable member round, and visually unforgettable at every turn.
Tom Fazio, renowned for sculpting elite modern courses, used Martis Camp’s rugged terrain to maximum effect—balancing beauty, challenge, and playability in equal measure.
The 3rd challenges you with a fully committed iron shot over a shimmering pond to a green sharply protected up front. Mountain vistas and water reflections combine for a visually electric moment.
Choose enough club to comfortably fly the water and avoid left-side fronting hazards. A safe target to the fat of the green is rewarded over risky flag hunting.
Anything short or left is wet; indifferent swings flirt with the lake and fast runoff green edge.
Tour-level prep: fast greens, flawless fairways, and pristine mountain turf.
Relaxed private-club tempo; rounds are well-paced and unhurried thanks to exclusive access.
Upscale, quiet, and secluded—expect a luxury-resort atmosphere among the pines.
Standard private club attire strongly expected; collared shirt, no denim.
Sharpen mid-iron distance control—many signature holes are about precise yardages rather than power.
Contoured, deeply bunkered greens make creative sand play a must.
Sierra air means distance gains—but also more wind exposure and dehydration risk.
Mountain mornings start crisp, afternoons can turn bright and breezy.
Martis Camp opens, designed by Tom Fazio
Golf Digest names it #3 Best New Private Course
Hosts 45th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship
Hosts U.S. Junior Amateur; Scottie Scheffler wins
Hosts U.S. Senior Amateur
Ranked #20 in California by Golf Digest
At the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur at Martis Camp, rising stars Scottie Scheffler and Davis Riley went head-to-head in a memorable final. Scheffler’s precise iron play and steely nerves delivered the biggest amateur win of his early career—and marked Martis Camp as a new championship host.
With just five years between opening and landing its first USGA event, Martis Camp rocketed onto the national radar. The course’s ability to attract top-tier amateur events so soon is a testament to its bold design and flawless presentation.
Players are struck by Martis Camp’s seamless blend of natural wonder and modern luxury. Towering pines, expansive valley vistas, and snow-capped peaks anchor a setting that elevates every swing—and keeps golfers reaching for their cameras.
Fazio’s routing sends players through whispering pines, over sparkling water, and along rugged valley floor, demanding not just length but finesse. The contrast between the wooded front and dynamic back nine makes every loop feel like a double feature.
Hosted the U.S. Junior Amateur just five years after opening—an unusually fast USGA debut.
Scottie Scheffler captured his biggest amateur win here as a teenager in 2013.
The elevation and dry mountain air can add 10–15 yards to your drives.
No major renovation has changed Fazio's original design since opening.
Early Golf Digest recognition put it on the national map within two years.
Jack Nicklaus mountain design; best public test in Truckee
High-conditioning, modern layout with scenic value
Walkable, friendly, affordable—true Truckee locals’ course
Famous lakefront holes—Tahoe classic with tour pedigree
Great views, playable routing, upper Lake favorite
Truckee for best access to Martis Camp and top public resort courses; Northstar/Martis Valley for a luxury stay.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in The Virginian Golf Club's own setting.
Why it matches: If Martis Camp is your kind of course, Old Kinderhook Resort Golf Club & Spa is worth a look because it puts the same premium on presentation.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Sunriver Resort Crosswater Course offers similarly polished playing surfaces, making it a compelling counterpart to Martis Camp.
Community Sentiment
See something inaccurate in this listing?