Montreux developer purchases Thunder Canyon

A private developer from Reno has purchased the membership-only Thunder Canyon Golf Club in southern Washoe Valley, renaming it Toiyabe Golf Club, a press release from the Bauserman Group said.

Stan Jaksick, the developer responsible for Montreux Golf and Country Club in south Reno, purchased Thunder Canyon July 1 from Gayle Block, who along with her late husband, Roger, had owned the property since 1999, the press release said.

"After nearly 17 years of successfully operating Thunder Canyon, and the loss of her husband and business partner of 38 years in 2012," Toiyabe Golf Club General Manager Bill Gibson, Jr., said, "Gayle Block wanted to ensure the club would be placed in the careful hands of someone who could lead the club to a successful future as a premier golf course."

Enter Jaksick, whose resume includes 22 years as president of Montreux until management of the club was transferred to its members earlier this year, the press release said.

Jaksick also spent several years managing Lakeridge Golf Club in Reno.

“I love the golf business. When the opportunity arose to purchase Thunder Canyon, the
timing was perfect,” Jaksick said through the Bauserman Group, a Reno-based public relations and marketing firm. “I’ve known Gayle and her late husband Roger for years and they had a great facility with the potential to be a premier golf course.”

Prior to the Blocks purchasing the golf course and clubhouse, the property was known as The Golf Club at Lightning W Ranch, which premiered in 1994, Gibson said.

Toiyabe Golf Club features a single 18-hole, par 72 course designed by renowned architect Robert Muir Graves, who is responsible for drawing up plans for more than 650 premier golf courses worldwide.

Featuring more than 7,000 yards and 30 acres of fairway, 50 acres of rough, 54 sand bunkers and 10 water hazards, Toiyabe offers professional-level play that is now open to the public.

One of the first changes Jaksick has made since the purchase was to transition the former Thunder Canyon from an exclusive, members-only golf club to a semi-private course that is open to the public, Bauserman said, giving golf enthusiasts another venue to play.

"The move from a private club to a semi-private club accommodates club members and will alow for more locals and visitors to play the course that designer Robert Muir Graves described as "an extraordinary golfing opportunity rarely available today,' " Gibson said. "The addition of outside golf activity is an important factor that will allow the operation of a long-term viable future."

Another immediate change is an upgrade to the club's golf cart fleet, Gibson said.

Additional upgrades and improvements are planned for next year, too, he said.

Gibson said a distinguishing characteristic of the new Toiyabe Golf Club property is its blend of a traditional links-style golf course with higher elevation alpine type of play.

The course features seven sets of tees that challenge golfers of all abilities, including low-handicap players, he said.

"Players will experience a quality product in an extraordinary setting for a competitive price."

In addition to the picturesque course, the club offers professional golf instruction, clinics, camps and tournaments, including a PGA Junior League.

Toiyabe Golf Club is open year-round and features a restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining,
wedding and corporate meeting space, and special events throughout the year.

Toiyabe Golf Club is located at 19 Lightning W Ranch Road, right off Old Highway 395 on the west side of Washoe Valley.

Visit the club's web site here for more details, or find it on Facebook here.