North Idaho Guide To Exceptional Golf Courses

  North Idaho is known for having four seasons: In the winter it snows; in the spring it rains; in the summer it’s hot; and in the fall we’re likely to experience an erratic combination of those three climates in no particular order. Those of us living here year round expect to ski on snow in the winter and ski on water in the summer. It’s a given. However, precisely when each season will end and/ or begin is not a given, creating quite a problem for the good folks in the seasonal tourism industries, namely golf.
 
  Maintaining a golf course is difficult enough without the possibility of it being covered with ice and snow for three months out of the year. Add to that the likelihood that a mild April could easily lead to scraping the ice off the windshield of your golf cart in May, and it’s difficult to understand why any sane superintendent or  course pro would want to work up here. But they do. Crazy as it may seem, this region is home to some of the most highly regarded golf courses in the northwest. And, contrary to popular belief, the word is out.
 
From ultra-ritzy and exclusive private courses, to cow-pasture municipals, if you golf, North Idaho has the perfect course for you. The following is a 

small, four-course sample of what the panhandle has to offer.
 
  In choosing the courses I attempted to represent a wide variety of golfer skill level, income, and location.
 
 Another factor weighing in my decision was course age. All four are relatively young courses—either newly established or redesigned—so don’t take it too hard if you haven’t played one or two of them yet. These courses are all guaranteed to please amateurs and pros alike. And no, none of these courses fit into the “cow-pasture municipal” category. Enjoy!

BLACK ROCK

  Why not start with the most elite and exclusive golf course in Idaho? Located on Coeur d’Alene Lake, Black Rock was designed by one of the superstars in golf course architecture, Jim Engh. So it is no surprise that in their January 2004 issue, Golf Digest named Black Rock the “Best New Private Course in America” in 2003.

The design features many bowl-shaped greens and recessed fairways that bode well for the intermediate golfer, as the ball tends to funnel towards the center of the fairways and greens.

 But don’t underestimate it. At 7,000 plus yards from the tips, it’s sure to make you scratch your head a few times.
 
  That is, if you have the opportunity to play Black Rock, it being a private, member only course. “Non-members can play the course only if accompanied by a member at all times,” said Director of Golf, Greg Rowley. “We have no invite tournaments or any outside events. You must be in the presence of the member at all times including on the range. It really is hollowed ground.”
 
  The choice to build a private course
opposed to public was “a question of
dollars and cents,” said Greg Rowley, Director of Golf at Black Rock. “At that location on the lake it made more sense to go private. We have 300 members sold, with a 375-member cap. “That’s huge, considering the costs involved with belonging to Black Rock. There’s a $125,000 membership deposit per family, plus your required monthly clubhouse purchases, and monthly fees. Luxury isn’t cheap.  One
thing we have is bent grass fairways,”
said Rowley. It’s a luxury playing surface as opposed to bluegrass.

 Plus our scenery is unmatched. We’ve got 100 foot rock cliffs, holes that play through and around water features, views of Lake Coeur d’Alene... it’s amazing.”
 
  This “amazing” course is not without
popularity. So much so that construction on a second course starts this summer and is scheduled to open spring 2008, putting the cap at 600 members.

HIDDEN LAKES
GOLF RESORT

The twelve-mile stretch of Idaho State Hwy. 200 between Sandpoint and Hope is one of the most scenic drives in the state. The views of Lake Pend Oreille, and the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains are epic. And don’t be too surprised to encounter moose, bald eagles, deer, and the occasional skunk, if you decide to make the trip.

  Along with your binoculars, don’t
forget to throw your clubs in the car,
because about half way there you’ll
find one of the more enigmatic courses in the Inland Northwest.

  So what makes a golf course enigmatic? The name says a lot. With water coming into play on seventeen of the current eighteen holes, lakes seem to mysteriously come out of nowhere. Playing at 6,923 yards from the tips, things can get interesting quickly— the par 4, dogleg right, 404-yard ninth being a perfect example. A tall pine just to the left of the ideal ball flight; water hugging the right side;
a pond just to the left of the 20-yardwide landing area; and another water hazard at the dogleg just beyond the ruff, make the tee shot a bit intimidating. Unless you’ve got the 295-yard high-draw-driver in your bag, getting to the green in two shots means going over water twice.
 
Playing this course isn’t all that’s
mysterious. The course was recently
purchased by Charles Reeves and will officially change hands this coming May. With the change in ownership, there will be drastic physical and administrative changes to the course. “There will be substantial upgrades,” said previous owner Dick Villelli.

  An increase in rates is expected, but
to what extent has yet to be determined. “I remember when we increased rates in ‘97 and a lot of members were initially upset. But I think if you were to talk to those same members now they would say they understand why that had to happen. They’ve seen how much the course has improved, and will continue to improve.”

  The remodel won’t be complete until the summer of 2007. But don’t fret. The current course will be open until August, giving you almost five months to play the Hidden Lakes you know and love, not to mention a good excuse for some killer bird watching.

STONERIDGE GOLF
AND RECREATION
COMMUNITY

  Celebrating its 35th Anniversary this year, Stoneridge Golf and Recreational Community wins the “bang for-your-buck” award when compared to other North Idaho courses of similar quality. It’s hard to beat $38 shoulder season weekend rates, with a season weekend rate of just $43 that includes a cart and range balls. You can also get a ten-round punch card for just over three hundred bucks. (15% less if you are fifty-five or older.)
 
  “Along with a quality golf course, we have an amazing outside service staff that caters to all of our customers’ needs,” said head pro Aaron Lynn. “We are a mix of everything. We have public play, but we also cater really well to higher end golfers. It’s five star golf for a three star price.”
 
  The course also has nineteen holes, making it an even better value. “The nineteenth hole is the old eighteenth hole,” said Lynn. “When the developers bought the property, they remodeled the golf course and added another hole—what is now the sixteenth. In adding this hole we still had the old one, so we thought,  ‘what should we do?’ And we decided to keep it.” The nineteenth hole has become a popular draw. “It’s a great differentiator between us and the competition,” said Lynn. 
 
“The locals call it the gambler. It’s a great way to see who buys the drinks in the club house.”

   A 236-yard par 4, “the gambler” isn’t all this course has going for it. After undergoing a three million dollar  upgrade, the course was honored this year when it became part of the elite Idaho Golf Trail, which also includes  Banbury, Coeur d’Alene, Circling Raven, Hidden Lakes, Sun Valley, Whitetail, and Tamarack golf courses (see idahogolftrail.com for more information). The remodel included several redesigned holes, new white sand bunkers, clubhouse