Genoa Lakes is what happens when Mother Nature and the game of golf shake hands over a glass of bourbon. The Lakes Course winds through cottonwoods and creeks with the jagged Sierra Nevadas leering in the background like old poker players sizing you up. It’s a scene—a damn fine one. The conditions? Better than expected. Not Augusta, sure, but not some goat track in the dust either. Fairways held up, greens had some bite, and everything felt tended-to without being pampered. There’s a rugged charm here, a sense that the place earns its keep without trying to impress you with gimmicks or vanity grass. As for the carts—gas-powered, yes, but not the noisy, belching lawn tractors you’d fear. These were as good as that breed gets. A little rumble, a little smell, but they got you from tee to tee without sounding like a leaf blower in a coma. You learn to tune it out after the first hole, just like the voices. And the clubhouse? Solid. Friendly staff, stiff drinks, and a view that makes you want to cancel the rest of your day. Genoa Lakes doesn’t beg for your love—it just offers up the game in a beautiful place and lets you decide. Four stars, and I’d go back in a heartbeat, assuming the cart still starts.

Ranch Course Review: I want to start by saying every single employee we dealt with at the ranch course was phenomenal. Unfortunately this review reflects the golf course and its condition. I find it completely unacceptable that we were not told ahead of time that holes 12-18 were closed. There was also no effort made to move us to the lakes course where all holes are open. The condition of the course and driving range is horrible and pretty much beyond repair. This course will take millions of dollars to recondition into good shape which is such a shame considering the potential. The mosquitoes and grasshoppers are a huge problem. Ended the round with tons of mosquito bites. Would not recommend this course to anyone.

The Ranch Course should not even be open at all. Nothing on the website disclosed that holes 12-18 are closed, but the rest of the course was also in terrible condition. It must have been pretty good when first built, the surrounding mountain views are nice, and the staff is friendly, but this place is awful. There’s also no potable water or service of any kind on the course. I don’t know about the Lakes Course. Coming from out of town on vacation, I’ve never been so disappointed by a golf course and can’t understand why I didn’t see a ton of other bad reviews—maybe enough people know not to play here.