WORLEY, Idaho (Dec. 16, 2020) – Circling Raven Golf Club is rated No. 19 in “Golfweek’s Best U.S. Casino Courses, 2020,” marking the third straight year that the Gene Bates-designed layout has climbed in the annual rankings.
The Coeur d’Alene Tribe insisted on excellence when it decided to build a golf course as an amenity for its casino resort hotel in the Idaho panhandle, mandating that the playing venue must honor its people and exceed its guests’ expectations. To that end, it committed more than 600 acres of ancestral homelands for the creation – four times more than the average amount of land used for golf designs – and directed that the course routing be as natural as possible, organically inspired by the terrain. As the Creator intended.
Obviously, Golfweek’s elite team of course raters appreciate the Tribe’s vision and execution with Circling Raven, which has first-class playing conditions and top-tier customer service. Each year, more than 850 evaluators survey more than 3,600 courses – grading each nominated course on Golfweek’s 10 strict standards of evaluation.
In an article about Circling Raven that accompanied the Best Casino Course list, Golfweek wrote:
“The earth seems to stretch out in all directions, with miles of yellow grasses stretching to the Coeur d’Alene Mountains, part of the Bitterroot Range of the Rockies. It’s a visual treat, crossing ridges between greens and tees to see the next hole framed in one of three distinct environments: woodlands, wetlands and Palouse – a geologic term involving wind-blown hills, moguls and fertile sandy soil.”
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.
The course and its Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel will be the host venue for the Circling Raven Championship (Aug. 23-29, 2021), a Symetra “Road to the LPGA” Tour event, which includes top women professional golfers competing to qualify for the LPGA Tour.
“The Coeur d’Alene Tribe is proud that Golfweek raters judge Circling Raven to be among the best in the country,” said Laura Penney, MBA, CDA Casino Resort Hotel CEO and a Tribal member. “We work hard to ensure that our course, resort, and all of our business enterprises honor our culture and people, and that we bring great satisfaction to our guests.”
For more information about Circling Raven and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, visit www.cdacasino.com or 800-523-2464.
About Circling Raven Golf Club and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel
Owned and operated by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Circling Raven is in the scenic Idaho panhandle approximately 55 minutes from Spokane International Airport (GEG). Measuring 7,189 yards from the rear tees, the 18-hole layout sprawls magnificently through 620 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and Palouse grasses. Its gleaming white sand bunkers are large and strategically placed and its hole variety ingenious.
The course will host the Circling Raven Championship – for three years beginning in August 2021 – a Symetra “Road to the LPGA” Tour event.
Other Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel amenities and activities include the full-service Spa Ssakwa’q’n (pronounced Sock-wock-en); 300 hotel rooms; bars, restaurants, lounges, and eateries; cultural immersion options; and more. The casino completed a $15 million renovation of its gaming floor and Events Center in 2019.
Circling Raven has garnered numerous best-in-kind honors since opening, including being rated a Top 100 Resort Course, Best in State, and a Top U.S. Casino Course. Its golf shop has won national and regional awards for its excellence and its variety of products, displays, and performance.
