Quick Answer
- In almost every Tahoe golf community, the home and the club are two separate purchases.
- Most expensive: Martis Camp (~$300K golf initiation / ~$45K dues).
- Lowest entry: Tahoe Donner (no club — ~$3,600 HOA) and Tahoe Mountain Club (initiation from ~$9,000).
- HOA dues ≠ club dues — they're two different bills.
- Most private clubs prohibit short-term rentals; Tahoe Donner and Northstar are the exceptions.
Here's the question almost every buyer forgets to ask: what does it cost to actually use the club? In nearly every Lake Tahoe golf community, the home and the membership are two separate purchases — and the membership can run from a few thousand dollars a year to a $300,000 initiation check. Real Estate Tahoe runs the numbers on these communities every day, so this is the honest, side-by-side breakdown our agents give clients.
Lake Tahoe golf club membership costs, compared (2026)
| Club (State) | Model | One-time (initiation) | Annual dues | Non-resident option | HOA & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martis Camp (CA) | Equity golf or social | Golf ~$300,000 · Social ~$125,000 transfer | Golf ~$45,000 · Social ~$29,000 | — | HOA ~$1,800/qtr. Separate club application. |
| Lahontan (CA) | Golf (open-market) or social | Golf ~$200,000+ · Social $70,000 | Golf $29,200 · Social $14,600 | Yes | HOA ~$5,800/yr. |
| Schaffer's Mill (CA) | Right-to-use (no capital calls) | Modest one-time enrollment* | Low annual dues* | Yes | Resident, non-resident & under-40 tiers. *Ask us. |
| Old Greenwood / Gray's Crossing (CA) | Right-to-use (Tahoe Mountain Club) | ~$9,000–$30,000 by tier | ~$6,000–$15,000 by tier | Yes | Two courses. Lowest private-club entry. |
| Clear Creek Tahoe (NV) | Mandatory social; optional golf | Social $150,000 (req'd) · Golf +$75,000 | Social $16,500 · Golf $31,500 | Yes | No state income tax. Golf upgrade optional. |
| Montreux (NV) | Equity golf / sport / clubhouse | Golf $60,000 + $50,000 capital · Clubhouse $12,500 | Golf ~$20,000 + $1,200 F&B min | Yes | No state income tax. Capital fee over 5 yrs. |
| Glenbrook Club (NV) | Private golf & tennis (separate from HOA) | Not published* | Not published* | — | Historic 9-hole (Nevada's oldest, 1926). Seasonal. Club separate from HOA. *Ask us. |
| Tahoe Donner (CA) | HOA-bundled (no separate club) | None | Annual assessment ~$3,600 | Public course | 2026: amenity access for 4 included. STR-friendly. |
| Incline Village (NV) | District (IVGID) + public courses | None | Resident rec fee via property | Public courses | Championship & Mountain courses. |
| Edgewood Tahoe (NV) | Public resort — limited membership | None (limited membership available) | Pay per round, ~$300–$350 peak | Public (limited membership) | Lakefront Fazio course. Hosts the American Century Championship. |
HOA dues vs club dues — don't confuse the two
This trips up almost every first-time Tahoe buyer. There are two separate bills. HOA dues are mandatory and pay for the community — roads, gate security, snow removal, common areas. Club dues pay for the amenities — golf, pool, fitness, dining — and at most Tahoe communities they're a separate, optional membership with its own initiation fee. That's the difference between a $7,000/year carrying cost and a $50,000+/year one. When our agents underwrite a purchase for a client, we model both lines so there are no surprises.
Club-by-club detail
Martis Camp (Truckee, CA)
The most expensive door, and the strongest legacy-club feel. A 50% equity golf membership runs about a $300,000 initiation with ~$45,000 dues; a social membership is about a $125,000 transfer fee with ~$29,000 dues. Buying a home does not include the club. See Martis Camp homes for sale or compare it in Martis Camp vs Lahontan.
Lahontan (Truckee, CA)
A social membership is a $70,000 initiation plus ~$14,600 in annual dues; a full golf membership trades on the open market (~$200,000+) with roughly $29,200 in annual dues and includes all amenities. Lahontan also offers a non-resident membership category. HOA ~$5,800/year. Browse Lahontan homes for sale.
Schaffer's Mill (Truckee, CA)
The most member-friendly structure in Tahoe — a right-to-use club with a modest one-time enrollment and low dues, no capital calls, and tiers for residents, non-residents, and members under 40. Figures aren't published; we'll get you the current brochure. See Schaffer's Mill homes for sale.
Old Greenwood & Gray's Crossing — Tahoe Mountain Club (Truckee, CA)
The lowest entry among the private clubs. Tahoe Mountain Club offers a range of memberships — roughly $9,000 to $30,000 to join depending on the amenities included (golf across two courses, plus ski, fitness, and social access) — with annual dues from about $6,000 to $15,000 by tier. A non-resident membership category is available. Explore Old Greenwood & Gray's Crossing homes.
Clear Creek Tahoe (Carson City, NV)
A $150,000 social membership is required with a home purchase (social dues about $16,500/year), with an optional $75,000 golf upgrade — roughly $225,000 all-in for full golf and about $31,500 in annual golf dues. A non-resident membership category is available, and Nevada has no state income tax. See Clear Creek Tahoe homes for sale or all Nevada listings.
Montreux (Reno, NV)
Golf membership is a $60,000 contribution plus a $50,000 capital fee (over five years) with ~$20,000/year in dues; sport and clubhouse tiers cost less. A $1,200 annual F&B minimum applies. See Montreux homes for sale.
Glenbrook Club (Glenbrook, NV) — historic, private, no published pricing
The most private club on the lake's east shore. Glenbrook Club is a seasonal golf and tennis club built around a 9-hole course laid out by John Duncan Dunn in 1926 — Nevada's oldest golf course, and one Golf Digest rates among the country's best nines. Two things make it unusual: the club is separate from the Glenbrook HOA (the course is privately owned and was never folded into the community's CC&Rs), so owning a home here does not include membership; and the club doesn't publish initiation or dues. If you're weighing a Glenbrook purchase around club access, we'll get you the current terms directly. See Glenbrook homes for sale.
Edgewood Tahoe (Stateline, NV) — resort golf, no membership to buy
The most famous course on the lake isn't a private club. Edgewood Tahoe is a public resort course — there's no initiation and no membership tied to any home. You book a tee time and pay per round, roughly $300–$350 in peak summer with cart included, for the Fazio-designed lakefront layout that hosts the American Century Championship every July. Edgewood does offer a limited membership with discounted rates and access to private member events, but it isn't tied to a home purchase the way the private clubs are. If you searched "Edgewood Tahoe membership" looking for private golf with a home on the Nevada side, the real options are Clear Creek Tahoe and Montreux — or buy in Stateline or Zephyr Cove and have Edgewood's first tee minutes from your door with no club bill at all.
Tahoe Donner (Truckee, CA) & the public-course options
The value play. Tahoe Donner has no separate club — amenity access, including golf, comes through the ~$3,600 annual HOA assessment (and for 2026, access for four members is bundled in). It's also one of the few golf communities that allows short-term rentals. Northstar and Incline Village similarly offer resort or district golf without a six-figure initiation. See Tahoe Donner homes for sale.
The Tahoe Beach Club (Stateline, NV) — a beach club, not golf
Not a golf club, but a frequent question on the Nevada shore. The Tahoe Beach Club in Stateline pairs whole-ownership lakefront condominiums with a private beach club. For resident owners the $20,000 membership initiation is waived and beach-club dues (about $9,000/year) are bundled into the HOA fees; a limited number of non-resident memberships run a $20,000 initiation plus roughly $9,000/year. See The Tahoe Beach Club.
Which membership fits your goal?
- Legacy & privacy, cost no object → Martis Camp or Lahontan.
- Value luxury, low friction → Schaffer's Mill or Tahoe Mountain Club.
- Nevada tax advantage → Clear Creek Tahoe or Montreux.
- Lowest cost / rental income → Tahoe Donner or Northstar.
Golf homes and rental income — read the fine print
If you're buying partly as an investment, membership cost is only half the math — the other half is whether you can rent the home. Martis Camp, Lahontan and Schaffer's Mill prohibit rentals under 30 days. The golf communities that genuinely work as short-term rentals are Tahoe Donner and Northstar. Before you assume a property pencils out, check the Lake Tahoe STR rules by jurisdiction and our golf-community investment guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does buying a home in a Tahoe golf community include club membership?
No. In nearly every Lake Tahoe golf community, club membership is separate from the home purchase and requires its own application, initiation fee, and annual dues. The common exception is HOA-based communities like Tahoe Donner, where amenity access is bundled into the annual assessment.
How much does it cost to join Martis Camp?
As of 2025, the golf membership initiation is about $300,000 (50% equity) with roughly $45,000 in annual dues. A social membership is about a $125,000 transfer fee plus roughly $29,000 in annual dues. HOA dues of about $1,800 per quarter are separate.
What is the cheapest way into a Tahoe golf community?
Tahoe Donner is the lowest-cost path — amenity access, including its golf course, comes through the ~$3,600 annual HOA assessment with no separate initiation. Among the private clubs, Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood and Gray's Crossing) has the lowest entry, with membership options starting around $9,000.
What is the difference between HOA dues and club dues?
HOA dues pay for the community itself — roads, security, common areas — and are mandatory for owners. Club dues pay for amenities and golf, and at most Tahoe communities they're a separate, optional membership. You can own a home and pay HOA dues without ever joining the club.
Can I short-term rental a home in these golf communities?
Most private golf communities restrict it — Martis Camp, Lahontan and Schaffer's Mill prohibit rentals under 30 days. If short-term rental income matters, Tahoe Donner and Northstar are the golf-oriented communities that allow it, subject to local permit rules.
How much does an Edgewood Tahoe membership cost?
There's nothing to join — Edgewood Tahoe is a public resort course, not a private club. Summer green fees run roughly $300–$350 per round, cart included. Buyers who want a true private membership on the Nevada side look at Clear Creek Tahoe or Montreux instead.
Trying to figure out which club actually pencils out for you? Real Estate Tahoe will model the full cost — home, HOA, and membership — against how you plan to use it. Email Information@realestatetahoe.com or reach out here.
