Idaho is home to some of the finest, most-beautiful courses in the country, and at the top shines Circling Raven, according to Golfweek raters, the esteemed national publication.
The Gene Bates-designed championship layout is ranked No. 1 in its recently published “Golfweek’s Best 2021.” This marks the 10th 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 Region terrain. Named for 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 both, and we appreciate this objective critical acclaim immensely.”
In addition to being rated No. 1 in Idaho, the course is ranked among the country’s best in the Resort Course, Casino Course and Pro Shop categories. Not resting on its laurels, the course is implementing some enhancements to the practice facility and other areas this year in advance of hosting the Circling Raven Championship presented by KXLY New 4 Now, a Symetra “Road to the LPGA” Tour event. To be played August 23-29, the event brings top women professionals to Northern Idaho and Circling Raven to vie for their share of the $200,000 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 shop and the excellent Twisted Earth restaurant with bar, claim it as an immediate member of their all-time best golf experiences. 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
