Circling Raven Garner Best-Of Accolade; Sets April 7 as Opening Day for 2023 Season By Brian Weis

Circling Raven Garner Best-Of Accolade; Sets April 7 as Opening Day for 2023 Season

Announces New PGA of America Certified Director of Golf; Unveils Array of Programs and Specials

By Brian Weis

Winter is typically a dormant time for Northern Idaho golf clubs, but Coeur d'Alene Casino's Circling Raven has been anything but sleepy this offseason, appointing a new Director of Golf, earning a new "best-in-kind" accolade, and revamping key operational components as it eagerly approaches the 2023 season.

"Each season is a chance to build upon the previous one, and we expect 2023 to be exceptional," said Christopher Runyan, PGA, Circling Raven's new Director of Golf. "As our guests have come to appreciate, we will provide superb course conditions, multi-faceted programs, first-class customer service, and one of the best golf experiences in North America."

A U.S. Marine veteran, Runyan assumes the golf club helm with a resume filled with distinctions including:

2021 Golf Digest "Best in State" Golf Coach

2020 PGA of America, National Patriot Award Recipient

2019, 2018, 2013-16 Pacific NW PGA Section Patriot Award Recipient

2019 Golf Digest "Best in State" Golf Coach

He is also serving on leading golf committees including PGA National Special Awards (2022-2023) and PGA National HOPE Committee (2023-2024).

Runyan brings his impressive track record to a golf club with a similarly outstanding history. Since opening in 2003, Circling Raven has accumulated dozens of honors ranging from "Best Casino Course in America" to "Top 100 U.S. Resort Course" by multiple national media outlets.

Circling Raven's latest honor - No. 1 Public Golf Course in Idaho - came last month from GolfPass and its annual "Golfers' Choice" lists, compiled by analyzing the ratings and reviews submitted by GolfPass members throughout the preceding season.

Owned by NBCUniversal under the Golf Channel banner, GolfPass has nearly 1 million members and gets nearly 2 million unique visitors to its website monthly.

Owned by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and designed by golf course architect Gene Bates, Circling Raven's 18 holes are astoundingly routed across 620 stunning acres of Palouse Region terrain. The course unfurls amid woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife, including eagles and moose.

The course is "home" again this season of the Circling Raven Championship presented by KXLY News 4 Now, an Epson "#Road2LPGA" Tour event. This summer approximately 132 top women professionals will vie for their share of the $225,000 prize purse, August 21-27.

Also returning this season are the popular, value-laden Advantage Card ($299) and Player Development Card ($249), rewards programs with numerous benefits and discounts for cardholders. Leagues, events, and programs for youth and couples are also being held this season.

Golf playing rates, including 18 holes, cart with GPS, use of the practice facility start at $79 in early spring and increase to $159 in peak season on weekends for hotel guests.

For more information about Circling Raven, including stay-and-play packages and booking online, visit www.cdacasino.com or 800-523-2464.

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Revised: 03/20/2023 - Article Viewed 3,580 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.