Spokane/ Couer D'Alene golf

[Mike Jansen]

I have one round of golf to play in the Spokane/ Couer D'Alene area coming up in May... Where do I play?

What's been suggested: 1. Gozzer Ranch  2. Black Rock(?)  3. Circling Raven  4. Couer D'Alene (resort) 5. Spokane CC.

Anything great about these courses or any others I should look into.

Thank You.

[Sean Leary]

If you can get access to Gozzer or Black Rock, you do either without thinking about anywhere else. Kalen will mention Indian Canyon but it is not is the same league as the top 2.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I was there last summer.  I did not play Gozzer Ranch but if you can get on, Black Rock is worth the experience.  Circling Raven is very good and has a world class practice area.  Couer D'Alene is a pretty face but lacking in substance.  That said it is a great experience..

[Gary Gruber]

I second Circling Raven, Indian Canyon is fun too.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Spokane CC is awfully good too.  Although private, it is pretty open to outside requests.  If you can't get on Gozzer, Spokane or Black Rock, I'd skip the others suggested above and drive the 1 hour to Wazzu and play Harbottle's Palouse Ridge - a top 100-200 type course

JC

[cary lichtenstein]

Black Rock

[Matt_Ward]

Echo what Jonathan said ... worth a side trek to play Palouse Ridge -- if the Harbottle layout were located some place else where more people could play it the fanfare would be much higher.

Indian Canyon is fun to play -- but it's more of a back-up than a frontline must play if time is tight.

[Kalen Braley]

After Sean called me out I figured i had to say something.     

While I do like Indian Canyon and have sung its praises, Circling Raven is certainly the better golf course.  And while I've haven't yet played Black Rock or Gozzer they certainly look like fine golf courses.

So if you only have one round, I'd recommend any of those and Indian Canyon as a backup.  Palouse Ridge is just a bit further out.  Even CR, BR, and Gozzer are a good hour from the airport.

P.S.  The resort course is very nice but is certainly a resort course.  That being said its hand down the finest course I've ever played conditioning wise.

[Tim Leahy]

What does anyone in golf think of when you say Coeur d'Alene? The floating island green! If you are only going to play one round it has to be Coeur d'alene resort if you have never played it. I also heard the course is in immaculate condition at all times.

[Matt_Ward]

Tim:

Frankly, Coeur d'Alene is in fantastic shape but the design elements are lost with all the fanfare tied to the island green and all the rest.

There's plenty better to play and those facilities have been mentioned already.

Unless you have extra $$ to blow I'd personally skip it.

[Craig Sweet]

I rather play the Couer D Alene muni than the resort course....the muni is old, fun, interesting and about 10 times cheaper than the resort.

[Kalen Braley]

I'd agree with Matt and Craig in principle.

It really is realtivly far down the list.  I'd certainly play layouts like Indian Canyon, Qualchan Creek, Hangman Valley before the Resort based on thier price points.

[mike_beene]

Play the resort course.It has some squeezed in holes,but it is beautiful,in great shape and everyone should play the island green once.It is what it is.

[Craig Sweet]

Mike...

Seems like $200 is a lot to pay to play a gimmick....the island green is what it is.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Palouse Ridge

[mike_beene]

Craig,there is no tougher test in golf than for a vertigo sufferer to get off the boat and hit a drive on 15. Agree the price is steep for what you get golfwise.

[Kalen Braley]

Guys,

I agree that CDA isn't a good value, but to say the course is a one trick "floating green" pony is a little unfair.

Holes 3, 4, 11, 13, 17, and 18 are pretty darn good and interesting holes as well.

[Sean Leary]

Kalen,

Did they change 4 with the remodel?

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen,

Did they change 4 with the remodel?

Thats a good question, I thought it was just #5 they changed.  I was going to include #5 too, but thought it was a little gimmicky...even though its still pretty unique what they did.

[Sean Leary]

Kalen,

Did they change 4 with the remodel?

Thats a good question, I thought it was just #5 they changed.  I was going to include #5 too, but thought it was a little gimmicky...even though its still pretty unique what they did.

I think they did. I am surprised you liked the old 4. What did you like about it? 7 iron, sand wedge, but no real chance to drive it on.

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen,

Did they change 4 with the remodel?

Thats a good question, I thought it was just #5 they changed.  I was going to include #5 too, but thought it was a little gimmicky...even though its still pretty unique what they did.

I think they did. I am surprised you liked the old 4. What did you like about it? 7 iron, sand wedge, but no real chance to drive it on.

I admit, its fairly unorthodox but...

It is a quirky and unique hole.  Additionally, its a butt puckering wedge approach because you can't miss left, long, or right.  And someone like a Matt Ward could take a stab at trying to drive it even it does require some precision.  So in total, a very short par 4 that you can very easily get a 3 or a 6 on.  Thats an interesting hole to me! 

[mike_beene]

miss it short and the ball will bounce 50 yards left and out of bounds....but I'm not bitter....

[Mark Nelson]

Definitley some great courses mentioned! CDA Resort is a beautifully manicured golf course and provides stunning eye candy, but the Circling Raven is a true test of golf. I feel that you must play CDA Resort once and you and Cirlcing Raven once. After playing both, you'll be left craven the raven!

[John Pflum]

I played Circling Raven a few years back and enjoyed it a lot. 

The greens were interesting.  They looked really fast but played fairly slow.  I had a hard time with them all day.