Golf in Montana / Idaho

[Tom_Doak]

I'm taking a detour on my way to Washington this month to take one of our daughters to Yellowstone National Park ... then driving through Montana and Idaho to our job in Washington.

Does anyone have a first-hand recommendation of where I should stop to play golf once or twice along the way?

I suppose I can see any of the new courses around Coeur d'Alene, and I'm kind of curious to see Indian Canyon in Spokane, even if I don't know why.  What's the best course in Montana which is somewhere close to I-90?

[cary lichtenstein]

 Black Rock in Coeur de Alene is a must play.

[Bill_McBride]

Tom, Indian Canyon was a must play when I last played it in 1961.  Great dogleg holes with high sides outside the dogleg for great swinging rolls.  Pretty much hemmed in 40+ years ago with tall pines and firs, unless they've been cutting pretty continuously it is probably a series of chutes and tunnels today.  Isn't it a Chandler Egan?  The greens were typically set a bit above the fairways but everything was firm and runup shots were typical.  This was probably pre-irrigation, but Spokane is high desert terrain and typically dry.

Where in Washington is the new course?  I'll be driving from Vancouver BC to Portland through Seattle after Labor Day and would enjoy a look if it's close to I-5.

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Tom,

I would play at Old Works in Anaconda, MT.  Relatively speaking, it should be fairly easy to get to from Yellowstone (on the way to WA) and I have always loved the look of the black slag used in the bunkers.

[Lance Rieber]

Tom,
I would try to get on to play the Yellowtone Club in Big Sky just outside of park on the way to Bozeman.  Weiskopf designed and I would second the Old Works in Anaconda. Fun course but amazing to see what was there before. Superfund site which was then given to the town and they charge low greens fees for residents.  There is also a wonderful course in Four Corners(Bozeman) called Cottonwood Hills.  The course was designed by the owner and is a lot of fun.  The best green conditions I have ever seen.  I play in Gallatin Valley Open there every year and it really is in fantastic shape.  Then I would head to the rivers for some fishing.  Can't go wrong with the East and West Forks of the Gallatin River.  If you can get up to Flathead Lake and the Kalispell Area then play Buffalo Hills(short but absolutely a blast) and Whitefish Lake, they have 36 but the original would probably be the best. If you have the time Glacier Park(Northeast of Kalispell)is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  The state is really lucky to have such wonderful parks. In the middle of Washington, I heard that Desert Canyon in Orondo is a lot of fun.  

[Craig Van Egmond]

I third Old Works. Its about 20-30 minutes off I-90. Make sure you hit into a least one of the bunkers to try out the slag.

I'll second Indian Canyon, it is a classic Chandler Egan course worth seeing.

[Michael Dugger]

Ages ago I was dating a female who was from a small town in Montana called Deer Lodge.  When Mr. Nicklaus was in the planning stages of Old Works he built a couple of bunkers at the local Deer Lodge Country Club.  Of course, he hacked a few bunker shots out of the black slag to see if it was going to be suitable for the bunkers at Old Works.

 

[Don_Mahaffey]

Fazio's Stockfarm in Hamilton may be of interest. It's off the 90, so it requires an hour detour, but my assitant supt. spent a couple of years there and the photos of the place look interesting.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Tom - contact me...

[Scott_Burroughs]

Jonathan,

Have you ever visited the site of the planned Fazio course/development on Lake CdA, Charbonneau G&CC?  I was curious as to how suitable the site is for golf and if Fazio will get the best land for it.  Of what I saw on the northern part of the lake, most lakefront property is pretty steep (not just in price).

[igrowgrass]

Where is the job at in Washington you are doing?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am curious about Stockfarm as well. I have a friend here who is a Member and he raves about it.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

I'm off to Idaho next week so I may have some more input when I return.  

Indian Canyon is pretty rough around the edges but worthy of a look.  Spokane CC is also worthy of a look.  The front side is full of old design features while the back was more extensively worked on by Muirs Graves inthe last 15 years or so.  

Your itinerary also depends on whether you are traveling up through Montana out of Jellystone or south through southern Idaho.  Which would bring SunValley,Boise and McCall into the mix.  

As a Washington resident, I look forward to your progress in Cle Elum.

[Norbert P]

   Wenatchee (north of Cle Elem on 97, or 28 from east) has the fairly new Highlander Links (wannabe) and is close to the interesting little Germanic town of Leavenworth; your daughter may enjoy a little side trip.  The bunker works are Bandon Dunes "hooded pot" and "pot" style bunkers (claims they were made by the same bunker builder) and are sometimes striking but a trifle monotonous.  Great views.  I'd like to get somebody else's slant on this course's glories and foibles.  

  http://www.highlandergolfclub.com/html/homepage.shtml

[Norbert P]

  ...and be sure to stop in to check out "The Brick", etc. - the watering hole in the town of Roslyn, Wa. for the old tv show "Northern Exposure".

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Tom

You can visit Tom Weiskopf, if he's at home, at Spanish Peaks in Big Sky, just 18 miles from Yellowstone. If he's not at at home, you can tour his golf course there as it's not ready to open until 2005.

www.spanish-peaks.com

Steve

[Matt_Ward]

Tom D:

Indian Canyon is a good choice -- Chandler Eagan design. The price is also right too!

I second the mentioning of Old Works in Anaconda, MT. Tom, since you will be collaborating with Jack at Sebonack it may pay dividens to see the finished product there. The black slag in the bunkers is rather unique and I salute the Nicklaus team for having a course with the Bear's imprint that doesn't require a second mortgage to play it.

I am also partial to Desert Canyon in Orondo, WA -- designed by Jack Frei. Clearly, it's not that easy to access, but the layout is quite good and the views of the Columbia River Valley speak for themselves.

[BCrosby]

The Stock Farm is a very good Fazio.

Magnificent views of the Bitteroot Mountains. Alone worth the price of admisssion. As a lifelong Easterner, I had never seen anything like it.

The course is vintage Fazio beautiful. Of note is that several of tees are set off the line of the fairway requiring carries over diagonal bunkers. Bite off as much as you dare; a bunkering scheme I had not seen on many Fazio courses. Exhibit A is no. 9, a very good hole.

Spectacular elevation changes. Fun course. Great clubhouse, food, accommodations.

Bob