Samuel L. Jackson recently played Circling Raven Golf Club in the Idaho Panhandle and came away impressed with the Gene Bates-design. "Circling Raven is great,” said Jackson, a 5-handicapper who has written into his contract a set amount of days reserved for golf. He’s filming on location in nearby Spokane, Wash.
“I like how I'm able to use every club in my bag here. It’s a beautiful setting and wonderful design and I can't wait to come back and play No. 9 again.” The tough ninth hole, which stretches over 460 yards from the tips, is a dogleg-left par-4 lined by wetlands and pines.
Jackson joins a growing list of celebrities who’ve played and enjoyed Circling Raven. Others include Dennis Franz (former NYPD Blue star), erstwhile motorcycle daredevil Evel Kneivel, PGA Tour star Rich Beem (who holds the course record – 65), Syracuse University men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim, NBA Hall of Fame point guard John Stockton, NBA player Dan Dickau, Super Bowl MVP and former Redskins QB Mark Rypien, Major League Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, former N.Y. Yankee and World Series perfect game pitcher Don Larsen, and others.
“We’re very excited that celebrity golfers continue to seek out Circling Raven to play, because these people have the wherewithal to play the very best courses in the world,” says Director of Golf Dave Christenson. “They tell us they read and hear about Circling Raven such that they feel compelled to find out for themselves what the buzz is all about.”
Golf, Golfweek and Golf Digest have all honored Circling Raven as a “best-of” course since its first full season in 2004. Located near Spokane’s airport, the golf course and surrounding resort occupy a portion of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Tribe’s reservation, a 345,000-acre expanse of mountains, lakes, old-growth forest and farmland on the western edge of the Rocky Mountains.
In addition to golf, gaming (video gaming machines, off-track betting, bingo), big-name entertainment, dining, lodging and an array of natural resources – including snow-capped mountain views – characterize the resort. For more information about Circling Raven Golf Club or the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, call 800/523-2464 or visit
www.circlingraven.com.
