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Pre-Booked Rounds at Circling Raven Golf Club (Idaho Panhandle) Have Increased by 500%
Award-Winning Course Builds Further on Best-Of Status and Media, Consumer Appreciation and Support
(January 16th 2006) (WORLEY, Idaho) – Circling Raven Golf Club – the sparkling amenity of the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort & Hotel in the scenic Idaho Panhandle – today announces the golf club has pre-sold rounds for the 2006 season by more than 500% year to date compared to 2005.
Located in the four-season climate of Northern Idaho 45 minutes west of Spokane, Wash., Circling Raven’s season begins on April 1. This will be the third full season for the golf club, which is owned and operated by the Coeur d’Alene Indian Tribe.
Circling Raven’s robust pre-booked sales performance and year-to-date increase is cause for great expectations given it exceeded projected number of rounds played, merchandise sales and total revenue in each of its first two full seasons.
“Circling Raven’s fast start to this season is the result of several factors, most importantly that our customers find us a great value and experience,” says David Christenson, Circling Raven Director of Golf. “As a result, they are taking steps to ensure we remain a venue where they can go to spend their time and hard-earned dollars and receive a high level of the customer service and satisfaction in return.”
Also contributing to Circling Raven consistently achieving sales records with each ensuing season is the strong momentum generated by word-of-mouth, best-of accolades garnered by golf-and-travel media outlets and comprehensive year-round PR program the golf club employs.
“We’ve been named a best-of course and resort by Golf, Golfweek and Golf Digest magazines, as well as by ZAGAT Survey,” says Christenson, the PGA of America’s 2005 Northwest Section Merchandiser of the Year. “Those types of objective, third-party endorsements resonate with consumers and media, and we make sure we stay in front of them and let them know all that we offer. The best part of our success is, the golf club is an amenity for our Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, and many golfers are taking advantage of our stay-and-place packages, our casino and our other entertainment offerings.”
Contributing to Circling Raven’s acclaim is the price point and value it affords players. Its peak playing fee in 2005 was $79 with GPS-equipped cart and full privileges at the top-line practice facility.
In keeping with the Coeur d’Alene tribe’s reverence for its land on which Circling Raven rests, the golf club has pursued and been awarded a place in Audubon International’s Cooperative Sanctuary System. This means it has taken numerous rigorous steps to ensure that it is environmentally friendly and fosters wildlife habitat.
Circling Raven was designed by award-winning golf course architect Gene Bates, widely considered one of the world’s best. It is a member of the Idaho Golf Trail’s Northern Loop and is located 25 minutes from fellow Northern Loop member Coeur d’Alene Resort Course, home of the world-famous floating green and immaculate conditions. Circling Raven and CDA Resort Course are considered one of the best one-two punches of public access courses in the U.S. and were recently rated No. 7 in Fairways & Greens Magazine’s “101 Best Golf Experiences in the West,” which includes the likes of Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes.
For more information about Circling Raven Golf Club or the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, visit www.golfcirclingraven.net, or call 1-800-523-2464.
About Circling Raven Golf Club and Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort & Hotel
Convenient to Spokane (WA) airport, 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.
Golf, gaming (video gaming machines, off-track betting, bingo), top sporting and entertainment events, fine dining, plush lodging and a spectacular array of natural resources define the resort.
Circling Raven was created amid a unique blend of wetlands, grasslands and woodlands. At 7,189 yards, the par 72 championship layout meanders through 620 acres, only 100 representing cultivated ground. Wildlife is abundant, including elk, deer, moose and an occasional black bear. In fact, the opening was delayed due to damage on two greens by migrating elk.
The player’s experience is that of a links-style course. On the back nine, the only hole a golfer can see is the hole he or she is playing. Wetlands impact play on 13 holes, natural grasses complement the wetlands on 16 holes and a mix of Ponderosa Pines, Aspens, Cottonwoods and Birch blend into the scenery throughout. The blue grass fairways and bent grass greens are closely manicured, as would be expected at a premier resort golf course.
The player’s greatest challenges are “Tees and Threes,” meaning accurate driving and careful management of the four par 3s, all measuring over 200 yards from the back tees. White sand, brought in from Emmet, Idaho, fills 60 bunkers.
The course namesake is revered in Coeur d’Alene tribal lore. Circling Raven was an 18th century headman, or chief, whose vision foretold the coming of the “black robes” and the dramatic change they would bring to the tribe. When Fr. Pierre DeSmet, the famed Jesuit missionary, arrived in the region in 1842, Circling Raven’s vision had already been shared with several generations of tribal members. As a result, the tribe embraced Catholicism and in short time built the Old Mission Church at Cataldo. Completed in 1852, it remains the oldest standing building in Idaho.
Tribal history also tells us that Circling Raven was a spiritually powerful leader, his name coming from his close relationship to the raven, who helped guide him on his journeys, warn him of danger and show him where to find fish and game.
Golf Specifics
Yardages: Gold, 7,189; Blue, 6,578; White, 6,108; Red, 5,389; Green, 4,708
Total Acreage: 670 (including practice area, practice green and clubhouse)
Amenities:
The clubhouse is 6,500 square feet, including the Twisted Earth Grill and full service bar. Both locker rooms include showers and lockers. The practice facility covers 25 acres; separated into areas for wedges, sand play and all clubs in the bag. The resort adjacent to the course includes 202 hotel rooms, casino, events center, buffet, and restaurant, off track betting and conference/convention facilities.
L93 Bent Grass Greens
Bluegrass tees, fairways and rough
Golf Carts: Equipped with a Global Positioning System
Greens Fees: 2005 peak season fees were $69 Mon-Thurs, $79 Fri-Sun includes cart and GPS. The 2006 fee structure will be announced soon.
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