Idaho is home to some of the country’s finest, most-scenic courses, and at the top stands Circling Raven, according to Golfweek’s Best raters.
The Gene Bates-designed championship layout is ranked No. 1 in its recently published “Golfweek’s Best by State 2023” list. This marks the 12th time Circling Raven has been recognized as Idaho’s best public golf course by the media outlet’s cadre of raters. To come up with “Golfweek’s Best,” hundreds of Golfweek course raters evaluate courses nationwide annually and score them based on 10 criteria.
Owned by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and an amenity of its award-winning casino resort in the scenic Idaho panhandle, Circling Raven’s 18 holes are ingeniously routed across 620 stunning acres of Palouse terrain. Named after a seminal tribal chief, the course sits amid woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife, including eagles and moose. Nature and reverence for the land are essential to the course and Tribal custom.
“The Tribe’s mission is to empower our people through our enterprises and to pay homage to our ancestors and ancestral homelands,” said Laura Penney, CEO of Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel. “Circling Raven does this wonderfully, and we deeply appreciate the objective critical acclaim.”
In addition to being rated No. 1 in Idaho, the course is regularly ranked among the country’s best in Resort Course, Casino Course, Pro Shop and other best-in-kind categories. It will host the Circling Raven Championship, an Epson “Road to the LPGA” Tour event, August 21-27. Top women professionals from around the globe will vie for their share of the $225,000 prize purse.
Located approximately 55 minutes from Spokane International Airport (GEG), Circling Raven measures 7,189 yards from the rear tees. Many who play Circling Raven, which includes a nationally honored retail pro shop and the excellent Twisted Earth Grill, claim it as an immediate favorite for golf getaways.
After golf options include the 15,000-square-foot spa, an award-winning casino celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with special events and giveaways, multiple restaurants and bars, and live entertainment and shows.
For more information about Circling Raven and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, including stay-and-play packages, Advantage Cards, and instructional programs, visit www.cdacasino.com or 800-523-2464.
Related: Circling Raven Golf Club Caps Successful 18th Season
About Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel
Since 1993, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe has operated the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, located where sky greets Mt. Tch’mutpkwe, source of the St. Joe River, 25 miles from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The casino resort is among the largest employers in North Idaho employing between 850-1,100 depending on the season and contributing more than $33.3 million to education in the region since it opened. Additionally, millions more have gone in support of a wide range of public projects, emergency relief, charities and programs in the Pacific Northwest. Named Tribal Destination of the Year in 2019 by AIANTA and winning the silver Distinguished Dozen award from Courier in 2019 and 2020, the property features 300 rooms and suites, seven distinct food and beverage venues and entertainment including live music and comedy as well as hands-on tours and experiences through the casino’s Cultural Tourism Program. Three million-dollar winners have found their luck on 100,000 square feet of gaming space offering nearly 1,200 video gaming machines and high stakes bingo. Additional amenities include a 15,000 square foot spa voted 1st for “Resort Spas that deliver the Ahh Factor” by Spatrips.com (2012), 40,000 square feet of meeting space, indoor and outdoor wedding locations and Circling Raven Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 72 course acclaimed as a “Top 100” course by every major golf publication in the U.S. The Gene Bates designed course is home to the Circling Raven Championship, an Epson Tour “Road to the LPGA” event, held annually in August. LIKE Coeur d’Alene Casino on Facebook and Instagram or follow us on Twitter. For more information about Coeur d’Alene Casino, visit www.cdacasino.com.
