The Coeur d’Alene Tribe won’t compromise quality for cost – a tradeoff that’s made almost every day in the increasingly expensive world of golf course construction. When building the Circling Raven Golf Club as part of the Coeur d’Alene Casino and Resort, a mandate was set to make the course environmentally friendly.
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“The Native Americans have a belief that if you take care of the earth then it will take care of you,” says superintendent Brian Woster. “They feel very strongly about that belief, so I try to do my very best to ensure that I protect the local environment by using the best management practices I can, using as little chemicals as possible and yet providing as nice a playing surface as we can.”
Woster joined Circling Raven in January of 2001 before construction of the course started. He was there as project superintendent for the construction and, in spring of 2002, was asked to grow it in and possibly stay on as the superintendent. After being in the scenic panhandle of Northern Idaho for a little more than a year, he says he didn’t even have to think about it.
In addition to meeting the high standards of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Woster worked hard to achieve Audubon Sanctuary status.
“Probably the most difficult thing was establishing a baseline for chemical reduction and water conservation,” he says. “Because we started the program from the very beginning, I had nothing to go by. We’ve tried to establish the course with as little chemicals as possible and water with as little of runoff as we can … the same thing all other superintendents try to accomplish. We spot treat for weeds as much as we can instead of broadcast applications. I’ve yet to apply an insecticide application, and my fungicide applications on greens consist of snow mold in the late fall and take-all patch in the spring.”
Woster says he’s about half way to becoming a certified sanctuary and hopes to submit the final categories for certification this winter.
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“If you’re there during construction, you have the advantage of knowing what you have in the ground as far as irrigation, drainage and soil types,” he says. “You might also have input on changes or modifications that could make your life easier years down the road. Probably the best part is seeing it go from farm fields and native vegetation to dirt to green grass before your eyes.”
Because he was there from the start, Woster worked closely with course architect Gene Bates. Though they didn’t always agree, Woster says the two worked well together.
“Gene and I have a good relationship, although we know that all superintendents and architects don’t always see eye to eye,” he says. “The growing Indian tribal golf course market is important to Gene, and he wanted this project to go especially well. I brought a superintendent’s point of view into the mix, and the ‘design/wow’ ideas of the architect and the ‘design/maintenance’ ideas of the superintendent don’t always mesh, so there are normally some differences of opinions with the construction manager at times.”
David Christenson, director or golf at Circling Raven, says there were several architects brought in to look at the land prior to construction, but Bates was the only one who looked at the eastern side of the property and saw a course. The added cost fell in line with the Tribe’s desire to put quality ahead of cost.
Christenson sees the views of the Tribe and Audubon International as one in the same.
“The environment is sacred and protected by the Tribe,” he says. “It was a perfect marriage with the vision of the Tribe, what was done in the past and how they respect the land.”
Woster, who says the best part of his job at Circling Raven is the role he played in creating and then maintaining the course, sees himself at the course for years to come.
Woster, who says the best part of his job at Circling Raven is the role he played in creating and then maintaining the course, sees himself at the course for years to come.
“I hope so,” he says about a long tenure. “Since I was a young superintendent, I’ve had a dream of growing grass in a mountainous region in the West, a dream of owning 40 acres in the mountains and building my own golf course. Well, I didn’t build it, but I helped. I’m growing grass in a great climate, and I live on 50 acres in the mountains. So I guess you could say that I’m living my dream.”
Playing at 7,189 yards from the tips, the par-72 Circling Raven blends wetlands, grasslands and woodlands on a 620-acre layout. According to Christenson, only 100 acres of land are manicured, however, leaving the remainder natural. Wetlands are in play on 13 holes and natural grasses complement the wetlands on 16 holes. The greens are bentgrass, and the fairways and rough are bluegrass.
Circling Raven was rated "best new course" by GOLF and Golf Digest in 2004. For more information about the course, visit the Web site at www.golfcirclingraven.net. GCN
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