Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho, was singled out for distinction as one of Idaho’s best golf courses in Golf Digest Magazine’s biennial ranking of the “America’s Greatest Courses State by State 2007-08.”
Designed by Gene Bates and opened in 2003, Circling Raven was rated No. 4 in Idaho by Golf Digest raters. Two of the courses rated higher than Circling Raven are private, so Circling Raven is effectively rated as one of the top two public-access courses in the state.
Tangible evidence of Circling Raven’s quality and reinforcement for this critical acclaim from Golf Digest can be found in the number of pre-booked rounds the course sold prior to its season opening tomorrow (Saturday, April 7). It pre-booked 21 percent more rounds than last season, a direct result of its growing reputation as one of North America’s best courses and its price, which is an extreme bargain compared to other world-class courses.
Coming in at No. 5 on Golf Digest’s list was Coeur d’Alene Resort Course, which is located 25 minutes from Circling Raven. These two stellar resort courses and members of the northern loop of the Idaho Golf Trail are widely recognized as among the best tandems of public-access courses in North America.
Golf Digest's biennial best-in-state rankings are determined by the magazine's course rating panelists, a group of more than 800 low-handicap golfers who rated thousands of U.S. courses on a 10-point scale in various criteria to come up with the best courses in each state. There are roughly 17,000 golf courses in the U.S.
These updated state-by-state rankings appear in the April 2007 issue of Golf Digest which is currently on newsstands.
“It is extremely gratifying for Circling Raven Golf Club to rated so highly by Golf Digest,” says David Lasarte, Chief Executive Officer of Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort and Circling Raven Golf Club. “And it is a great tribute to the hard work and skill put forth by Director of Golf David Christenson, Superintendent Brian Woster and their staffs.”
Other recent honors bestowed upon Circling Raven include:
- Zagat Survey “America’s Top Golf Courses 2007-08”
- Golfweek Magazine’s “Best 21 Casino Courses in the U.S.”
- Fairways + Greens Magazine’s “Best Resort Courses in the American West”
- Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 You Can Play – Courses to Watch”
- PGA of America Northwest Section Golf Shop “Merchandiser of the Year”
- Golfweek Magazine’s “Best Resort Golf Courses in the U.S.”
- Service Excellence Award by the Coeur d’Alene Area Chapter of the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor
- Golfweek Magazine’s “Best 21 Casino Courses in the U.S.”
For more information about Circling Raven Golf Club or Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort & Hotel, or to register for one of the above promotions, call 1-800-523-2464 or visit www.circlingraven.com .