If the region's private clubs are its crown jewels, Circling Raven is the one anyone can play — and it more than holds its own against them. It is, by most measures, the finest public golf course in Idaho.
Set just south of Coeur d'Alene in Worley, Circling Raven is owned and operated by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe as the centerpiece of the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort. Designed by Gene Bates and opened in 2003, the championship layout stretches to 7,189 yards across 620 acres — yet only about 100 of those acres are cultivated. The rest is left wild: wetlands, ponderosa forest, and rolling Palouse grasslands that give every hole a sense of space few courses can match.
A course with a national reputation
Circling Raven has been voted the #1 golf course in Idaho by Golfweek and has earned a place on Golf Magazine's prestigious "Top 100 Courses You Can Play." It is a true stay-and-play destination: the resort pairs the course with a hotel, spa, and dining, making it one of the Northwest's premier golf getaways.
Why it matters for North Idaho living
For buyers drawn to the region's golf lifestyle, Circling Raven is part of what makes North Idaho special — a public crown jewel alongside private gems like Black Rock, CDA National, and Gozzer Ranch. Few places in the country pack this much championship golf into one stretch of lake country.
Living the North Idaho golf life
Whether your interest is a home inside one of the private clubs or a lake residence within easy reach of the region's best courses, I can help you find it. If golf is part of the life you're after up here, let's talk.