[Scott_Burroughs]

I'm 8+ courses' worth of pictures behind in posting, going
back to mid-summer of last year.  

Last summer my in-laws treated my wife and I to a 2+-day
stay at the Coeur d'Alene Resort in northern Idaho (during our
Idaho stay at their house near Boise).  Part of the package
was 2 rounds at the Resort course for me (although I tried to
get out of the 2nd round and play elsewhere and let my wife
have the credits as spa credits, but for some reason she
didn't want that).  So I got 2 rounds on the course famous
for it's floating green par 3, #14.  On the 2nd day, 49ers
head coach Dennis Erickson was in the group behind us along
with a Pac-10 head coach whom I forget.

The course had recently been lengthened by the original
architect, Nicklaus staff architect Scott Miller.  The course
now has a number of solid par 4's and par 5's (one modeled
after #13 at Augusta), but the memorability of the course lies
with the 5 par 3's, even other than #14.  However, the
course has the flattest set of greens I can ever remember playing.

There is plenty of wind there, partly due to it's location on
the large Coeur d'Alene Lake.

(Note:  I lose a number of pictures due to a malfunctioning
camera - I'm looking to buy another, but several pictures taken never came to be)

 
Par 3 3rd, going right to left, with the green jutting out by
the lake.  The drop-shot par 3 6th is the green in the middle
behind the trees:


The unusual clover-shaped green at the par 3 5th:


The drop-shot 6th (that's my forecaddie getting to play along
with me, since two players assigned to play with me didn't show up):


The fun, r/r drivable par 4 13th (320-ish) on the lake:


A view of #13 from the lake:


panning across, the view of the famous 14th.  That small
boat in the water is the ball retriever for the roped-off floating range:


The famous floater, the adjustable length 14th (182-ish both days from tips):


A little closer:


The boat in motion (it's on a track, too):


A view of the green from a hike around the small mountain
between the course and the resort:


A view of the range and 14th from the water:


A little closer:


How many have seen the view of the green from behind?  What's in those doors, anyways?

That's I-90 in the background:



The course tour on the web site has not been updated to reflect the renovations and lengthening:

http://www.cdaresort.com/coursetour.asp

[Peter Galea]

I believe that behind those doors, is access to the irrigation , drainage, and ballast systems.

[Tom_Doak]

Scott:

On a 1-10 scale, how highly would you rate the course?  [Or what other course would you compare it to evenly?]

Also, was it slow?  I ask because normally I have no idea who's playing behind me.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Scott:

On a 1-10 scale, how highly would you rate the course?  [Or what other course would you compare it to evenly?]

I'd call it a 4-ish, I guess.  If you don't count the greens, a
5.  I'm guessing you'd take off even more for the greens.

Also, was it slow?  I ask because normally I have no idea who's playing behind me.

It wasn't too terrible once you passed the 3-out-of-4 holes
stretch of par 3's bottleneck on the front and the time it
takes to play #14 (people hitting multiple tee shots despite a
drop area on the green, and of course, the boat ride).  I
had to wait for #13 to clear before hitting (was even with
front of green first time).

I only found out who was playing behind us from our
forecaddie who recognized the coaches.  Once they pulled up
by us on #14 tee, I recognized Coach Erickson.  The caddie
said that John Elway plays there occasionally since he has a
home on the other side of the lake.

[Rick Shefchik]

I played the course in 1997 and, at the time, would have rated it somewhere around a 7. Now I think I'd put the pre-lengthened course at a 6. I don't think it has as much in the way of shot values as some other resort courses I'm familiar with, including the Quarry at Giants Ridge and the Wilderness at Fortune Bay. But I'm a sucker for a pretty face and a good time, and I had a lot of fun playing the Coeur d'Alene course.

I agree with Scott; the par 3s are the most memorable. There seemed to be a lot of width for a course lined with tall pines, but they've done a good job of clearing the ground around the pines so you've still got shotmaking opportunities even when you're offline.

It may be a gimmick, but the 14th is a good hole; if you can't get a little bit excited about hitting a green completely surrounded by a lake, you're taking the game and yourself too seriously.

The boat ride to and from the hotel and the almost constant glimpses of the lake through the trees all contribute to a memorable day on the course.

When I was there, the pace of play was quite good. Each group is assigned a forecaddy who helps keep you moving.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Tom/Scott,

As you know, I've played CdA a bunch of times over the years and it is just what you would expect - a thoroughly pleasant resort course.  Hagadone (owner) told Miller that he wanted the lake in view on all 18 holes and Miller complied - that should give you an idea of the priorities.  Great conditioning and great service over great golf are the order of the day.  The site is somewhat cramped (what a great way to save real estate - build a green on the lake!), especially the 3-6 series, even after the recent redo of these holes.  Architecturally notable holes include: #2 - raw strength, #11 - 2/3 shot option, and #12 - metered penalty.  I gave CdA a 5.  I played it a few years back with Dir of Golf - Mike DeLong (since departed) and Brad Klein, maybe Brad will weigh in with his assessment.

Ground is breaking later this month on the Fazio course which will stare down on the CdA resort course (located on a hilltop directly across from CdA Resort Course at Arrowpoint).  The place will be called Gowzer Ranch and will be set up along the lines of the Mirabel Club in Carefree - ultra private, a few mega homes, etc, etc.  I get to push some dirt around there in April - don't worry, I won't be applying for you apprentise program!

JC  

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I missed this when if came through a few days back...

Here are a few pictures from my visit to Cd'A two summers ago.  I thought the changes were pretty spectacular considering what I had heard about the holes before the changes.  The 5th hole for instance was one of the most dramatic on the course (in fact one of the more dramatic par 3 holes I have ever seen) and I understand it used to be a faily average par three.

The course was enjoyable for a resort course.  It was not the most difficult/penal test of championship golf, but they arent planning on holding any US Opens out there in the near future so that is OK.  What it is is an unbelievable resort experience.  The course is probably in the top 5 best conditioned courses that I have ever played.  And as you can see from Scott's pics as well as below, the views are spectacular.

The par 3 5th hole 168yds.



Par 5 9th 590yds playing down to Lake Coeur d'Alene.



Par 3 12th, again with Lake Coeur d'Alene as a backdrop, plays to a length of 249 from the tips.



Yours truely on the 14th.  The day we played it it was playing about 173yds from the blue tees.



From the clubhouse area looking down onto the 14th green.

[Matt_Ward]

I've played the course twice -- onece before the lenthening and the last time late last year and frankly the course is to borrow the Texas expression ... "all hat and no cattle."

Here you have such unique scenery but the cramped nature of the site means you get all sorts of "eye candy" thrown into the design to make up for such lackluster holes. I think of the place like an action movie -- there's plenty of bombs bursting and gun shots firing but there's no serious acting or storyline. That's my take on Coeur d'Alene.

The floating island green is really a cheap attempt to generate publicity. It has no architectural merits -- it is purely the windmill / clowns mouth type inclusion meant to bring out the masses. And to the credit of the facility the amount of people interested in such arcane elements is successful. So if success is measured by people playing then hats off to the place.

If you are a serious student of architecture and a golfer of high passion a visit to the the Coeur d'Alene Resort Course will leave you scratching your head. Candidly, I would recommend a quick stop over to Indian Canyon in nearby Spokane before a round there.

The scenery of the area is no doubt first class -- but it's more backdrop than inclusive with what is offered. I played Black Rock -- just down the road -- and the totality of what is there goes miles and miles beyond Coeur d'Alene.

[Rick Shefchik]

The floating island green is really a cheap attempt to generate publicity. It has no architectural merits -- it is purely the windmill / clowns mouth type inclusion meant to bring out the masses.

This comment baffles me. If somehow you could replace the lake with grass, or native fescue, or sand, or dozens of bunkers, or lava, or molten lava -- the shot is still something between an 8-iron and a 6-iron, give or take some wind. The green is either a decent green or it isn't. The bunkering is either lousy or it isn't. I don't see how setting this green in the middle of a lake -- gimmicky as it obviously is -- strips the hole of any architectural merit. What makes #17 at TPC vastly superior to #14 at Cd'A? And if #17, too, is simply a clown's mouth to bring out the masses, I wouldn't mind a small dose of seltzer with most of my rounds.

[cary lichtenstein]

I had a hole in one on the par 3 3rd hole last year and I like the floating green, but I have to agree with Matt Ward's assessment of the course.

[Matt_Ward]

Rick:

Fair enough.

Let me start by saying this -- I rate based on what is THERE. I don't rate on what if this and what if that happened. As a friend of mine is quick to say if the queen had b*lls she'd be the king.

The island green concept is one that is played out -- save for future ones that offer something really unique. The 17th at TPC made its mark because of the stage it occupies. Clearly, having a major event played there annually raises its profile considerably. The hole is also quite permanent and doesn't need to be rolled out.

Now, like I said before -- once you have a repeat action movie what's to distinguish itself from the first really groundbreaking one if all it offers is more explosions, more car chases and more gunfire?

Rick, when you have a hole that is "shipped out" to its location you are not that far away from the circus of design. I mean what's next -- hit the moving target and get some serious prizes if you do. Maybe the next reality TV show can make a home there and hit it big ratings rise.

The sad part is that the panhandle area of Idaho has some superb scenery and more golf is coming down the pike which will hopefully be beyond what's there now.

Rick, if you liked the course so be it -- who cares what Ward thinks if you are a happy camper and such "architecture" floats your boat. Frankly, I've been there twice and saw the previous and now the new. To use your drink metaphor it's more "fizz" than fact.

[Rick Shefchik]

Matt -- When they start moving the island while I'm sizing up the shot, I'll come over to your camp on this one.

[Matt_Ward]

Rick:

Tell you what -- play an old style design like Indian Canyon and a new one like Black Rock and you'll see what I am talking about.

Coeur d'Alene should be in Orlando because it would fit well with the Disney crowd.

I'll say this again -- the panhandle of Idaho has drop-dead scenery -- knock your eyes out of your head type stuff. The owners dictate of having holes near the water worked in keeping the Lake in plain view, but the integration of top tier shot values in conjunction with an exciting routing left me wondering how such an opportunity could be wasted.

Rick -- if you enjoyed it that's all that counts. It didn't float my boat -- no pun intended.

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