Want to go to Lake Tahoe for the celebrity golf tournament? Here’s what you need to know

There aren't many places you can see some of the biggest names in the NFL, NHL, boxing, wrestling, music and entertainment industries competing for something in one place, which is what makes the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in South Lake Tahoe one of the more unique events in the region each summer.

Stars like Patrick Mahomes, Stephen Curry, "The Miz," Charles Barkley, Don Cheadle and John Elway are among more than 80 players who will tee it up beginning Friday at pristine Edgewood Tahoe, a short walk north of the casinos in Stateline, Nevada, with the final three holes nestling up to the lake's scenic shoreline.

The tournament has raised more than $6 million for local charities since its inception in 1990 and is expecting another strong turnout after drawing roughly 67,000 patrons last year. Former Cowboys quarterback and current CBS color analyst Tony Romo is the defending champion after winning the tournament for the third tim e last summer.

The logistics surrounding the tournament can be difficult to figure out, so here are some things to know about getting to and around South Lake Tahoe, as well as maneuvering through the golf course, during the area's biggest weekend of the summer.

A day trip or finding a room?

Staying in Tahoe comes at a price. Harrah's and Harveys casinos, both owned by Caesars, are sold out Thursday and Friday nights while rooms Saturday night, as of this writing, start at $699. Rooms at the Hardrock Hotel and Casino start at $634. Rooms at Bally's range from $549 to $799 over the weekend.

AirBNB's in the area are averaging $780 to $990, depending on the number of bedrooms, and the website had 413 listings available for the weekend. Anyone willing to make the hour and half drive from Reno could try one of the Biggest Little City's roughly 10,000 hotel rooms at their seven largest casinos at far cheaper prices, but will have to figure out driving and parkin g while Edgewood is walkable from the casinos in Stateline.

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"The other place we have a really good presence is on Trip Advisor," said Carol Chaplin, President and CEO of Visit Lake Tahoe. "Of course, you could compare prices a little bit easier there."

Tickets

Fans can walk the course and watch practice rounds on Wednesday and the celebrity-amateur event Thursday for $30 before the tickets bump up to $40 Friday through Sunday for the three rounds of the tournament. Passes for all five days are going for $125, offering a $55 savings for diehards.

Tickets are available online at the tournament's website while they are also popping up on the secondary market on websites such as StubHub and Vivid Seats. If you don't need to walk the course, tickets are not required to watch from the beach along the famous par-3 17th hole.

Miles Teller takes photos with fans on the eighteenth hole during the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament on Sunday, July 10, 2022, at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, NV.

Best places to watch on the golf course

The 17th hole is where the party's at. The music is loud. The boats are all anchored close by. The players will shoot hoops or throw footballs to boaters on the lake while they're waiting for the green to clear. Inside the ropes, there's a series of booths providing activities to pass the time — or purchase those trendy $115 golf polos infiltrating your Instagram feed.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II greets fans as he walks to the seventeenth green during the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nev., on Sunday, July 10, 2022.

But Edgewood offers 1 8 unique holes that have their differing vistas. There are a handful of challenging holes surrounding the ponds in the middle of the course where players must contend with water. The 16th hole — one of the most beautiful par 5s around — starts in the pine trees and runs downhill towards the water. The green complex flooded with large bunkers will challenge any player trying to hit the green in two shots, assuming their drive made it over the towering tree in the middle of the fairway (which many celebrities have offered to chainsaw, free of charge).

The par-3 seventh hole offers another party atmosphere. Only instead of on the beach, it's in the forest with the music echoing off the trees. The hole typically requires a mid iron off the tee, which means there's a good chance to see players hit it close to the pin and enjoy the raucous applause afterwards.

Another notable spot is in the north corner of the course where the third and 13th greens run up towards the f ourth and 14th tee boxes. That means it's a great place to see as many players as possible over a short amount of time. There are also food and bathroom stations there.

On your way to that corner is the scenic par-3 12th hole (a theme at Edgewood: awesome par 3s). It's a slightly uphill shot over a creek to a wide and shallow green surrounded by trees. In the past, it's been a hole where a hole-in-one wins the player a fancy boat.

Want autographs? Players are usually generous with their time before their rounds. There are two putting greens near the clubhouse on the east and north side. That's the best time to get signatures and pictures (or convince Travis Kelce to shotgun a beer with you).

How to avoid the traffic

One of the biggest issues with getting to Stateline is the limited number of routes. Highway 50 is typically the best, most direct route. But near the summit it's one lane with only a handful of passing opportunities, which means it can take a while at the wrong time.

"I would say it's always good to plan your travel midweek during this time period, as opposed to a Friday night," Chaplin said. "A Friday night, I try to stay away from, if at all possible. A Thursday arrival gives you a nice Friday and that's the first day of the tournament."

Anyone with a little more time and interest in taking the scenic route should consider Luther Pass, a longer route to the south of the Lake. If coming from Sacramento, get off at Sly Park Road in Pollack Pines and you'll get to see Jenkinson Lake and Caples Lake before circling back around to Echo Summitt pass, just south of Stateline.

"It's a little bit longer, but very scenic," Chaplin said. "So if you have a little bit of extra time, that's not a bad way to go either."