Circling Raven designer honored

Worley, Idaho – Circling Raven Golf Club, part of Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort & Hotel, course architect Gene Bates was named “Golf Course Architect of the Year” by The BoardRoom magazine in its seventh annual “Excellence in Achievement” awards earlier at its industry conference in Boca Raton, Fla.

The awards recognize industry leaders from all aspects of club operations for their accomplishments and contributions to the golf clubs in 2004. Last year was Circling Raven’s first full season.

“Each winner should be proud of what they’ve accomplished,” says John Fornaro, publisher of The BoardRoom magazine. “This is a difficult industry to penetrate, and these companies and individuals have managed to have quite an impact.”

An independent panel reviewed the awards program entries. The panelists represented various areas of course and club operations. Winners were selected for overall excellence in their respective fields, achievements, innovation, vision for future growth and continued impact on club operations.

Circling Raven has exceeded projected rounds played, merchandise sales and revenue year-to-date in 2005. Rounds played were up 20 percent over projections, merchandising sales were up 57 percent, and total revenue exceeded projections by 31 percent.

“We’re very happy for Gene Bates to be honored for his outstanding work in golf course design in 2004,” says director of golf David Christenson. “We believe that Circling Raven’s quality and the ‘best-of’ honors from national publications won by the club have substantially contributed to our growing reputation and successful performance.”

The resort and golf club are owned and operated by the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe on a reservation covering 345,000 acres of mountains, lakes, old-growth forest and farmland. The resort spans the western edge of the northern Rocky Mountains.

“I worked here as Project Manager since the beginning of construction and as the course started to take shape I knew this was going to be a beautiful golf course,” says Brian J. Woster, Circling Raven golf course superintendent. “Gene did an extremely fine job in his design by incorporating the layout into the natural terrain, so well that it appears a golf course was here. Challenges Gene faced with this particular site were large enough that other architects wanted to build elsewhere.”

Circling Raven was created amid a blend of wetlands, grasslands and woodlands. At 7,189 yards, the par-72 championship layout meanders through 620 acres, only 100 representing cultivated ground.

Circling Raven has been awarded a place in Audubon International’s Cooperative Sanctuary System.