Philly Golf Guy
#PGG
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2012
- Messages
- 9,103
- Reaction score
- 7
- Handicap
- USGA 14
6,803 yards, 119 from the Back Tees
Course: The Coeur d'Alene is named after a lake in Northern Idaho. I was driving from Jackson Hole to out west and one of my college buddies in JH caddied at this course, highly recommending it. The drive alone was spectacular. After climbing over the Jackson pass, I went through the nice flat plains of Idaho before starting to climb up and down the majestic mountains of Montana, where I ended up in a valley along a river for hundreds of miles while the walls of the mountains on each side of me got higher and narrower, until it got so narrow I was right next to the river and started going downhill and finally at the end of the downhill I saw an enormous lake, that happened to be Coeur d'Alene.
The hotel and resort area are gorgeous. There are views of the lake and surrounding mountains and trees every where you look. The resort boasts the longest floating boardwalk in the world, which is roughly a little less than 2 miles. After a dinner overlooking the water while the sun set, I went to my room in time to see Tiger clinch the AT&T National and set my alarm for an early tee time.
The trip to the course was probably one of the better I've experienced. You go to the dock and board a boat, which gets you to the course on the other side of the lake in about ten minutes. I spoke with two older gentlemen, one of whom nabbed a hole in one the day before on the course. It was his third and he didn't seem all that excited about it. Must be nice. The boat ride over was fraught with scenery, and you start going rather fast. The course comes up in the distance and as I got there early in the morning, was peaceful and just waiting for it to be enjoyed by others.
The course itself is famous for its floating green. That's right, it's an island green, but actually floats, so the distance to it varies each day. You take a boat to the green and even get a certificate if you par. Yeah it's kitchy and resorty, but you're on a resort, so go with the flow.
The course also uses forecaddies. There is one for every group and they meet you at the dock once your boat reaches the pier. Your clubs are already at the course and on a cart, so you simply follow the forecaddie up to the clubhouse, get anything you need, and go to the range to warm up. The range is actually set on the water, so you hit balls into the lake itself.
The "Coor" is an exquisitely maintained, fun course to play. It's cart path only, so the fairways and greens are lush while the holes swivel through the trees and water that make up the area. The first nine holes are tight while the back 9 widens and features more carries over water. There are a few tough holes, but overall this is a scenic relaxing course that you can score on. The forecaddies are great, as they're running around to give you and your group distances, clubs and will read your putt if you ask them to. As a nice personal touch, our forecaddie would clap when we hit good shots. I thought I was one step away from teeing it up next year at Merion. The resort, lake, and course made me keep thinking of one word that made me feel good: Summertime.
My distances will be from the Blues. The first hole is a par 5 that dog legs slight right and goes gradually down hill. There's a few baby trees on the left of the tee area and pretty good sized bunkers on the right of the green, but it's nice enough hole to start you off.
The Second hole tightens up with trees and is a par 4 about 440 yards. It's straight, yet very narrow. To make matters a little more interesting, there are slopes on the side of the fairway, so you could end up with some side hill lies if your shots go left or right.
The Third hole gives you the first par 3, at about 128 yards. The hole parallels the lake and the green is on the smaller side. Yes the green slopes towards the water.
The Fourth continues its python like grip in terms of tightness and is a 300 yard-ish par 4 that snakes left after the tee shot. You must maneuver through a slew of trees to get to the raised green. Driver on this hole is too much. In fact, a 175 yard club on this hole off the tee is too much. The green is deep, but there's no room for error either left or right.
The Fifth and Sixth gives you interesting back to back par 3's. The Fifth is a shorter par 3 at about 120 yards, but the green is almost an island surrounded by bunkers and is pretty much blind from the tee area. It almost felt like a Golden Tee shot to me. The view was great though.
The Sixth is about 160 yards and is a downhill shot to an angled green. Again, great view and you need to place the ball or will be in a lot of trouble.
The Seventh is a par 4 about 400 yards where your tee shot needs to get through trees on both sides and dog legs left. The fairway and green then open up for a fairly easy approach. The Eighth is narrow and proceeds downhill to an amphitheater green. It's a 420 yard par 4 and is a well done hole.
The Ninth is a 560 yard par 5. It's long and bottle necks at the tee shot landing area and there are a ton of bunkers around the green, making an interesting tee shot. The hole leads you back to the clubhouse.
So for the front 9, I would rank the holes as 5, 8, 9, 4, 3, 6, 1, 2, 7. I really liked all of the holes, although you could probably find 1, 2, and 7 at a lot of other courses. The conditions and beauty of the course still made them worthy though.
Back 9 posted in separate thread
Course: The Coeur d'Alene is named after a lake in Northern Idaho. I was driving from Jackson Hole to out west and one of my college buddies in JH caddied at this course, highly recommending it. The drive alone was spectacular. After climbing over the Jackson pass, I went through the nice flat plains of Idaho before starting to climb up and down the majestic mountains of Montana, where I ended up in a valley along a river for hundreds of miles while the walls of the mountains on each side of me got higher and narrower, until it got so narrow I was right next to the river and started going downhill and finally at the end of the downhill I saw an enormous lake, that happened to be Coeur d'Alene.
The hotel and resort area are gorgeous. There are views of the lake and surrounding mountains and trees every where you look. The resort boasts the longest floating boardwalk in the world, which is roughly a little less than 2 miles. After a dinner overlooking the water while the sun set, I went to my room in time to see Tiger clinch the AT&T National and set my alarm for an early tee time.
The trip to the course was probably one of the better I've experienced. You go to the dock and board a boat, which gets you to the course on the other side of the lake in about ten minutes. I spoke with two older gentlemen, one of whom nabbed a hole in one the day before on the course. It was his third and he didn't seem all that excited about it. Must be nice. The boat ride over was fraught with scenery, and you start going rather fast. The course comes up in the distance and as I got there early in the morning, was peaceful and just waiting for it to be enjoyed by others.
 |
| On the boat that takes you to the course. |
 |
| The boat and pier in the distance as I walk to the clubhouse |
The course itself is famous for its floating green. That's right, it's an island green, but actually floats, so the distance to it varies each day. You take a boat to the green and even get a certificate if you par. Yeah it's kitchy and resorty, but you're on a resort, so go with the flow.
 |
| The floating green in all its glory |
The course also uses forecaddies. There is one for every group and they meet you at the dock once your boat reaches the pier. Your clubs are already at the course and on a cart, so you simply follow the forecaddie up to the clubhouse, get anything you need, and go to the range to warm up. The range is actually set on the water, so you hit balls into the lake itself.
 |
| Driving range |
The "Coor" is an exquisitely maintained, fun course to play. It's cart path only, so the fairways and greens are lush while the holes swivel through the trees and water that make up the area. The first nine holes are tight while the back 9 widens and features more carries over water. There are a few tough holes, but overall this is a scenic relaxing course that you can score on. The forecaddies are great, as they're running around to give you and your group distances, clubs and will read your putt if you ask them to. As a nice personal touch, our forecaddie would clap when we hit good shots. I thought I was one step away from teeing it up next year at Merion. The resort, lake, and course made me keep thinking of one word that made me feel good: Summertime.
My distances will be from the Blues. The first hole is a par 5 that dog legs slight right and goes gradually down hill. There's a few baby trees on the left of the tee area and pretty good sized bunkers on the right of the green, but it's nice enough hole to start you off.
 |
| First hole looking at the green |
The Second hole tightens up with trees and is a par 4 about 440 yards. It's straight, yet very narrow. To make matters a little more interesting, there are slopes on the side of the fairway, so you could end up with some side hill lies if your shots go left or right.
 |
| Tee shot at the Second |
 |
| The Third. No where to hide on this shot. |
 |
| Tee shot at the Fourth |
The Fifth and Sixth gives you interesting back to back par 3's. The Fifth is a shorter par 3 at about 120 yards, but the green is almost an island surrounded by bunkers and is pretty much blind from the tee area. It almost felt like a Golden Tee shot to me. The view was great though.
 |
| The Fifth |
 |
| A closer look at the green |
The Sixth is about 160 yards and is a downhill shot to an angled green. Again, great view and you need to place the ball or will be in a lot of trouble.
 |
| The Sixth |
The Seventh is a par 4 about 400 yards where your tee shot needs to get through trees on both sides and dog legs left. The fairway and green then open up for a fairly easy approach. The Eighth is narrow and proceeds downhill to an amphitheater green. It's a 420 yard par 4 and is a well done hole.
 |
| Tee shot at the Eighth |
 |
| Approach shot at the Eighth |
The Ninth is a 560 yard par 5. It's long and bottle necks at the tee shot landing area and there are a ton of bunkers around the green, making an interesting tee shot. The hole leads you back to the clubhouse.
So for the front 9, I would rank the holes as 5, 8, 9, 4, 3, 6, 1, 2, 7. I really liked all of the holes, although you could probably find 1, 2, and 7 at a lot of other courses. The conditions and beauty of the course still made them worthy though.
Back 9 posted in separate thread
