10th Hole The Idaho Club
THE IDAHO CLUB
RUNDOWN: When thinking of playing The Idaho Club, make sure you are hitting the ball straight before your trip. 16 of the 18 holes on this course have some sort of water feature on them. Combine the water with the large trees, undulating greens, strategically placed bunkers and forced carries, you will be in for one of your tougher tests of golf! You will definitely be tested out on the course, but you will also be blown away by the views! The routing of the course winds through large trees, mountains, marshes and rock cliffs. Keep the focus on your game and you may have a chance to walk away with a decent score. Jack Nicklaus provided Northern Idaho with a true gem! If I lived there, I would not hesitate making this my home course that I could enjoy every day. The Idaho Club is a semi private course that provides it's members with the morning tee slots before opening to the general public. The staff is beyond welcoming and helpful and will do everything to make your experience great.
They are in the process of rebuilding their clubhouse that was lost in a fire. The recession also hit the club hard but they weathered the storm and are returning stronger than ever. The Idaho Club looks to be a solid fixture in the Sandpoint area for years to come and is an amazing site to visit! Do not get caught up in the large names closer to Coeur d'Alene or you will miss one of the best courses Idaho has to offer.
COURSE INFO AND DIRECTIONS
Designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Semi Private. Open to the public after 11 a.m.
Rates range from $55 to $95.
4 sets of tees range from 4,944 to 7,089 yards.
https://www.theidahoclub.com
208-265-2345 216 Clubhouse Way, Sandpoint, ID 83864
They are in the process of rebuilding their clubhouse that was lost in a fire. The recession also hit the club hard but they weathered the storm and are returning stronger than ever. The Idaho Club looks to be a solid fixture in the Sandpoint area for years to come and is an amazing site to visit! Do not get caught up in the large names closer to Coeur d'Alene or you will miss one of the best courses Idaho has to offer.
COURSE INFO AND DIRECTIONS
Designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Semi Private. Open to the public after 11 a.m.
Rates range from $55 to $95.
4 sets of tees range from 4,944 to 7,089 yards.
https://www.theidahoclub.com
208-265-2345 216 Clubhouse Way, Sandpoint, ID 83864
REVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS
Hole 4 Par 3 - 153 Yards
|
|
This par three is the lead hole of an amazing stretch of golf here! Looking at the yardage will not bring fear, but lift your head up and this short par three will show its teeth. Besides the pond that sits between the tee and green, you face some of the deepest bunkers on the whole course. Trying to avoid the bunkers on the left can take you dangerously close to the large pines on the right side of the hole. You will need to strike this short shot clean in order to avoid all the struggles around the green! The green has some large undulations that will make even the best tee shots difficult to capitalize on.
Hole 5 Par 5 - 525 Yards
|
|
The first par 5 on the course is the epitome of what I mentioned earlier, keep your shots straight! From the back tees the large pines pinch right down on the tee box. It does open up a little beyond the tee boxes but there is still plenty of trouble left and right. However, the tees are largely elevated and you will want to grip it and rip it for a chance to get on in two.
Enjoy watching your ball soar through the air and hopefully avoid the large tree in the left fairway. The right side is more open, but provides less of a shot into this tucked green. There is a large rock outcropping that will block much of your view of the green. The outcropping on the right will definitely make you think twice before trying to get on in two. If you can avoid that, you are still faced with bunkers on the left and right side of this severe putting surface. The large mounds and break in the green will require you to think about your approach shot placement. Get on in two and you may still risk a three putt par, but play it smart and this hole can yield a decent score.
Enjoy watching your ball soar through the air and hopefully avoid the large tree in the left fairway. The right side is more open, but provides less of a shot into this tucked green. There is a large rock outcropping that will block much of your view of the green. The outcropping on the right will definitely make you think twice before trying to get on in two. If you can avoid that, you are still faced with bunkers on the left and right side of this severe putting surface. The large mounds and break in the green will require you to think about your approach shot placement. Get on in two and you may still risk a three putt par, but play it smart and this hole can yield a decent score.
Hole 6 Par 4 - 439 Yards
|
|
Welcome to one of our favorite par 4's from this recent trip! Elevated tees always bring joy since you can watch your ball soar through the air. The hole is framed by large trees and a big hill off to the right side of the fairway. Make sure that your drive carries to the corner or you will be faced with an impossible approach shot. The hole doglegs hard to the right and climbs uphill as well. The green is very well protected in front and especially on the right side. The front bunker will keep you from running anything up on the green. Get your ball in the air on the approach and on the left side as this will provide a good kick to the green that slopes from left to right. I did say it is one of our favorites because of the views, not because it was an easy hole to maneuver.
Hole 8 Par 4 - 334 Yards
|
|
Here is the shortest par 4 you will find on the course and one that should provide an opportunity to score. First you will have to cross the large marsh in front of you to reach this fairway. Your forced carry can extend well beyond 200 yards, so make sure you pick the correct tees to play from. You will also need to avoid the bunker in the middle of the fairway to score well. The real view is up by the green with a large rock face that frames the right side. However, there is more room to miss the green right then there is over or to the left side. With the green tucked back in the trees you definitely feel secluded here. With this relatively tame green, you should be able to pull a decent score if you avoided some of the trouble along the way.
Hole 9 Par 5 - 558 Yards
|
|
In my opinion this is the best par 5 on the property. That is saying a lot because there is a superb collection of par 5's here. From an elevated tee you are once again faced with a decent sized forced carry. You will want to hug the left side on the drive, but avoid the large bunker at the corner. The best play on the tee is a right to left shot shape that will round the corner but hold short of the hazard that is through the fairway. Your approach shot will not be an easy one as you play uphill to this green. A fairway bunker and very large mound will gobble up anything low and left on your approach. Make sure you take plenty of club on the approach as anything short has a solid possibility of rolling down the hill about 30 yards. Hitting the middle of the green is heroic enough, so don't try to get to cute on an approach here.
Hole 10 Par 5 - 536 Yards
|
|
Pull out the big dog off the tee on the start of the back nine! You will be hitting over the same marsh as you did on the 8th hole, and the forced carry can definitely play over 200 yards again. The green is not visible from the box as the fairway snakes through the trees and large rock hill. If you can play that right to left shot shape it will serve you well on this hole also. Anything to the right will cause a blind second shot into this green. Larger hitters will have a chance to get on in two, but it doesn't hurt to lay up here either. Your approach shot is to an elevated green that is protected by a deep bunker in the front. The green also has a large ridge running through it that can make ball position vital for a decent putt. Play to your strength here instead of trying to pull off an amazing shot. Birdie is very possible, but par is more probable.
