Golf, august 9, 2013

I FRIDAY, AUG. 9, 2013 I SPECIAL SECTION

GOLF ON THE WEB

Going Tubing: Watching swing tips until you drop might bring on a case of the penalty drops.

INSIDE, PAGE 3

GO TO SPOKESMAN.COM/GOLF FOR THE LATEST LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

Striking it rich

Suncadia’s Prospector and Rope Rider courses a jackpot bordering picturesque Cascade mining country PAGES 4-7, 10

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The Spokesman-Review

Friday, August 9, 2013

GOLF 2013 – SUNCADIA RESORT

Courtesy photo

The tee box of No. 14 at Prospector offers a sneak peak into the beautiful greenery you’ll encounter during a challenging day of golf at Suncadia Resort near Cle Elum.

Resorting to adventure Suncadia’s courses worth trek to Cle Elum

By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com, (208) 765-7131

It wasn’t a typical 18-hour day – 3-hour drive, 18 holes of golf, food, another 18 holes, more food and a 3-hour drive home.

But it was worth every minute and every mile.

Some golf ventures are longer than others and different than others.

Suncadia Resort, a sprawling development nestled among fir and pine trees minutes from downtown Cle Elum, qualifies on both accounts. The

place is unique.

There is no shortage of activities, depending on the season. Suncadia has 40 miles of paved and unpaved trails to bike, hike, run, walk and explore.

There’s a swimming and fitness center, water slides, rock climbing, boating, kayaking, fishing, paddleboats and paddleboards. Winter offers cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, snowboarding and snowmobiling.

Throw in shops, restaurants, a spa, a winery and accommodation options – a lodge, an inn, condos and rental homes

Suncadia Resort 3600 Suncadia Trail, Cle Elum, WA 98922. Contact: (509) 649-6400 Online: www.suncadiaresort.com

– and there are plenty of ways to spend a few days, or even a week.

We came for the golf on our one-day trek. There are three courses at Suncadia, which is roughly 205 miles from Spokane and 80 miles from Seattle. Prospector, which debuted in 2004, and family-friendly Rope Rider, which opened in 2011, are public courses. A U.S. Open sectional qualifier

was held at Tumble Creek in June. The private course more than held its own as Wil Collins took medalist honors with a 2-under 138 for 36 holes.

Prospector is an Arnold Palmer design. Rope Rider’s architects were Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy. Tom Doak designed Tumble Creek.

“Even though the terrain is similar for all three courses, there are three distinct styles of golf and they give you completely different looks standing on the tees,” said Brady Hatfield, director of golf. “It gives you a different experience.”

We took on Prospector and Rope Rider, and there was nothing typical about either course.

Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Friday, August 9, 2013

Page 3

GOLF 2013

Too much of a good thing GUEST COMMENTARY

Pete O’Brien Special to The Spokesman-Review

This entire episode happened because I donated some used household items to charity. The sequence of events precipitated by that simple act continues today, like a series of cars sliding into one another at the bottom of the Freya Street hill during an ice storm.

Because the charity items were being stored in my garage, I parked my car on the street that night. I have learned the hard way not to lock your car if you leave it on the street at night, because the criminals will break your window to get the 73 cents from your ash tray.

There was nothing of value in my car, except my motley assortment of golf clubs in a 1983-vintage golf bag. It never dawned on me that your average car prowler would be interested in taking up a

Associated Press

With a new set of clubs and a wealth of online knowledge at your fingertips, the world is you oyster … right?

sport that requires plaid shorts and involves “etiquette”.

The next day my clubs

were gone. They probably ended up thrown in the bushes someplace after the thief took the loose

change and the year-old granola bars from the bag.

My insurance company was very generous, and so

I consulted an extremely accommodating local pro who spent 2 hours trying out different clubs with

me on the driving range, and then made me a full set of “custom” clubs. I will not identify that pro, because I am afraid that it would ruin his business if people knew that he was involved in any way with my golf game.

The new clubs were great. The driver had a head the size of a canned ham, and I was regularly sending out 250-yard drives that split the fairway with an elegant right-to-left draw. From 150 yards in, I was deadly, sending high, soaring iron shots that bounced softly and settled on the green. I should have been very satisfied …

What happened next will make experienced golfers cringe the way moviegoers do when the teenage girl decides to investigate the eerie noise coming from the cellar. I decided that with these new clubs it would be an excellent time to improve my golf swing. And like that teenage girl, I made See YOUTUBE, K8

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The Spokesman-Review

Friday, August 9, 2013

GOLF 2013 – ROPE RIDER

Courtesy photo

Rope Rider was built along the site of the historic Roslyn (Wash.) Mines. Tipple Hill, a 120-foot-high mound of coal tailings borders the par-4 ninth hole to the right.

‘Simple’ ride ropes you in

By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com, (208) 765-7131

Rope Rider is billed as being slightly easier than Prospector. That’s probably true on a calm day, but it didn’t seem that way when the wind picked up midway through the front nine.

Still, Rope Rider simply has an enjoyable feel to it. It’s a tad more open than Prospector and the contours of the greens and bunkers aren’t quite as severe.

While Prospector’s signature No. 10

has a stunning elevation drop of 125 feet, one of Rope Rider’s attractions is a 120-foot hill of coal tailings stationed right of the ninth fairway that is visible from numerous holes. The course is built on the site of the historic Roslyn Mines’ No. 9 and No. 10. Rope Rider is named in honor of miners who balanced themselves on the roped coal cars used to maneuver inside the steep mine shafts.

“It’s built on the same terrain (as See ROPE RIDER, K5

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Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Friday, August 9, 2013

Page 5

GOLF 2013 ROPE RIDER

ROPE RIDER

Continued from K4 Prospector), but the design features are a lot more simple, for lack of a better word,” director of golf Brady Hatfield said. “The rationale behind that is Jacobsen and Hardy designed it to be family friendly. There aren’t as many big numbers, not as many forced carries and not as much mounding.”

The course reinforces its family-friendly claim with a set of youth tees (all par 3s ranging from 85 to 152 yards). It also features three- and six-hole loops that end near the clubhouse, popular for families with younger children.

We selected the blue tees at 6,743 yards, but it was just our luck that six of the last nine tee boxes were set on the “Jake” tees (named for Jacobsen), adding a couple hundred yards of length. The back nine was a serious challenge when the breeze escalated into a oneto two-club wind and my driver took the afternoon off.

From 12 on we dealt with par 3s of 200 and 186 yards, par 4s dead into the wind at 462, 431 and 430, and a 550-yard par 5. The 12th through 14th, all into the teeth of the wind, was the toughest stretch we encountered at either course.

The par-3 12th was 200 yards with a bunker on each side of a green shaped like a one-lane driveway.

The 13th measured 460 yards. A solid drive is a must to take advantage of a downhill approach shot.

Our foursome failed to hit solid drives and paid for it on our scorecards. No. 14 was 431 yards and well-bunkered in the landing zone and near the green.

The back side concludes with the 550-yard 17th, a quality par 5, and the

Rope Rider Jake tees Yardage: 7,271 Rating/Slope: 73.2/129 Blue tees Yardage: 6,743 Rating/Slope: 71.0/123 White tees Yardage: 6,223 Rating/Slope: 68.9/117 Gold tees Yardage: 5,608 Rating/Slope: Men 66.0/109, Women 70.9/125 Red tees Yardage: 5,001 Rating/Slope: 68.2/109 Youth tees Yardage: 2,097 Courtesy photo

Hole No. 1, a 504-yard par 5, offers a challenge with a dogleg right and danger on all sides as you approach the green.

430-yard 18th. A headwind added difficulty to a drive requiring a 235-yard carry over water to find an ideal spot in the fairway.

“No. 18 is a great finishing hole,” Hatfield said. “I really like that tee shot, it’s more demanding than it looks. And 17 is a good par 5. It usually plays into the wind.”

The front nine begins gently with a 504-yard par 5 from an elevated tee box and a 133-yard par 3. The third hole is reachable at 314 yards if one sidesteps fairway and green-side bunkers.

No. 7 was a tough par 4, spanning 444 yards with a slight dogleg right. The fairway was expansive but sand traps bordered the right side and trouble awaited drives wide left. It took us a while to notice.

We had to let a buck in

velvet play through. He meandered by the elevated tee boxes and cut across the right edge of the fairway into the trees. Deer tracks were noticeable in several sand traps at Rope Rider.

Suncadia has a small number of year-round residents. Most of the spacious houses on Prospector and Rope Rider serve as second homes. The majority of the clientele is from the Seattle area but the resort draws visitors from throughout the state and the Pacific Northwest.

“Last year was the first year we attended the Spokane golf show and we had a great turnout,” Hatfield said. “There’s a lot of traffic going back and forth, a lot of folks heading from Seattle to Spokane on golf trips that stop at our place.”

A Great Place to Play and Relax

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Page 6

The Spokesman-Review

Friday, August 9, 2013

GOLF 2013 - P

Continually baffling greens provide a nonstop challenge

Delving into the greenery

By Jim Meehan

T

jimm@spokesman.com, (208) 765-7131

his scenic track isn’t quite as long as Rope Rider, but what it lacks in length it makes up for with plentiful bunkers and complex greens. We played the back tees, measuring 6,641 yards. From the tips, Prospector stretches out to 7,112 yards. Two other tee boxes check in at 6,159 and 5,362 yards.

“All 18 holes are built on mountain, foothill terrain and every hole has its own playing quarters,” director of golf Brady Hatfield said. “The green complexities make Prospector challenging.”

The front begins with a pair of 400-yard par 4s. The greens began baffling me on No. 1, where I was maybe 25 feet from the cup. I walked from my ball to the cup and couldn’t tell if my putt was uphill, downhill or level. I was fortunate to lag within “gimmie” range, but the greens got their revenge numerous times over the remaining holes.

“Two factors go into reading the greens,” Hatfield said. “One is they moved so much dirt making Prospector that it’s See PROSPECTOR, K10

The finishing hole at Prospector is a challenging 517-yard par 5.

Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Friday, August 9, 2013

Page 7

P PROSPECTOR

Courtesy photo

Page 8

Friday, August 9, 2013

The Spokesman-Review

GOLF 2013

YOUTUBE

Continued from K3 matters worse by deciding to head into the cellar alone.

Many recreational golfers (including me) have a flaw in their swing called “coming over the top”. If you are not a golfer, you may not know what this means, and I can assure you that you don’t want to know. If I was a celebrity like Rush Limbaugh or Ray Romano or Donald Trump, I could have gone on the “Haney Project” television show, where Hank Haney – who used to be Tiger Woods’ coach – tries to help the celebrities improve their golf game. I didn’t have access to Hank Haney, but I had the next best thing: YouTube.

A simple search on YouTube yielded a herd of instructional videos with titles like “Stop Coming Over the Top Forever.” I didn’t really need “Forever”, as I assumed (or at least hoped) that there is no golf in the afterlife (although making a guy play golf 24-7 with Rush Limbaugh might be a good punishment in Purgatory). These videos are full of phrases like “hitting-throwingstriking position”, “right shoulder back, down, and under”, “centrifugal force”, and “maintain the relative position of the hands in relation to the body.” I watched several of them and they all made sense. Unfortunately, they did not agree with each other. One said to begin the down swing by pivoting the hips. Another said do not pivot, but “bump” the hips laterally.

A third said do not try to maneuver your hips in any way because you are not athletic enough.

I took notes, watched a video of Natalie Gulbis’ swing for inspiration, and

you do not want to hit your ball into the next fairway, because in Spokane, the golfers in the next fairway might be members of the Tea Party, the Teacher’s Union, or even that one guy from LC High School who is a member of both.

More practice, and off to Downriver with my good friend Tom. I love playing golf with Tom, because unlike me, he has a nice, smooth, controlled swing that helps calm me down. Also, unlike me, he doesn’t talk too much. The highlight of my round was a par 5 I started with a drive that flew far to the right into a no man’s land completely out of sight from the fairway behind a wall of bushes and 100-foot pines. After a scouting expedition to find the ball and determine the general Associated Press direction of the fairway I YouTube is filled with instructional golf videos featuring professional pure-swingers like Natalie Gulbis, above. was supposed to be playing, I determined that over the trees on the left the trees on the far side of my only chance was to hit my club approached the headed for the range. I picked two changes that I ball on the “proper swing side of the fairway, across that fairway. Even at the the next fairway, and into Spokane Country Club, plane,” it dug into the thought I could make. I See YOUTUBE, K9 practiced the changes for ground about six inches behind the ball. The a few minutes, and then technical term for this in started hitting balls. The immediate result was the golf is “hitting the big green ball before the little Voldemort of golf shots, white ball.” This results in the-shot-who’s-namemust-not-be-spoken: The a problem known as “standing too close to the “shank.” Ball after ball ball after you have hit it.” flared away like a In two short sessions I right-handed batter Authorized Dealer and Fitter for had almost completely fouling fastballs into the MIURA Golf Clubs • KZG Golf Clubs • SAQRA Golf Clubs lost the ability to hit a golf first-base dugout. The ball. only thing worse for a Authorized True Temper Rifle Performance Fitting Center After a few more golfer than having a case practice sessions, I was of the shanks would be Authorized SeeMore Putting Instructor and Dealer ready to venture back out actually pooping ones on the course. My lovely pants on the golf course, Complete full service repair shop and it is possible that the sister and her husband, Indoor hitting booth and fitting center The World’s Nicest former could actually Attorney, invited me to cause the latter. I was Flight Scope X2c launch monitor the Spokane Country mildly discouraged.

Club, a challenging course I tried it again a few with lots of trees, sand days later. This time, I Kelly Crumpler, Owner was successful in altering and water. Somehow I parred the first two holes the path of my swing so Master Club Fitter and birdied the third. The that the club now Certified Club Builder approached the ball from less said about the rest of the round the better, but the inside just like the Nine Mile Falls, Wa. 99026 here is an example: On videos instructed. The Custom Club LLC 1-509-688-9075 only problem was that as one hole my drive went

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Friday, August 9, 2013

Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Page 9

GOLF 2013

Associated Press

After filling your mind with YouTube tips and suffering from information overload, you might start asking yourself if even more time at the range will fix your swing.

routine birdie. The rest of the round was uneventful, and I finished quite Continued from K8 happily with an 83. Maybe my YouTube a shot that started out to the right of my “lessons” were paying off.

My next round with Tom was at target and then hooked back to the left.

Esmeralda, where I once broke 80 after If I was really lucky, the ball might get back into the trees next to my fairway. I my uncle, the Reverend Monsignor Charles Francis Muth, blessed my clubs whacked a shot that did exactly what I in the parking lot before we teed off. wanted and the ball disappeared over Things started off well, and when we the bushes and into the trees. After came to my nemesis hole, a long, searching throughout the trees for my straight par 5 with out of bounds all ball with no luck, I gave up. along the left side, I was feeling pretty I hiked cross country towards the green (without the aid of a GPS system I confident. (Cue the music with the dark, minor chords). I smoothly sent a might add) finally emerging from the beautiful drive down the left side of the forest to find that somehow, miraculously, my ball had rolled all the fairway, putting me in position to reach the green in two. I proceeded to whack way back on to the fairway about 20 a low, vicious hook out of bounds into a yards in front of the green. I calmly Hillyardite’s back yard, right between pitched on and rolled in the putt for a

YOUTUBE

an old refrigerator and a defunct satellite dish. I questioned the parentage of that ball, dropped another and, with a motion akin to a cave man attacking a rattlesnake, hit it even farther left. I guess I must not have “maintained the relative position of the hands in relation to the body.”

After that, my 3-wood somehow flew gracefully like a helicopter into the nearest Oak tree and disappeared. I even climbed up into the tree, but the 3-wood, despite its bright-red shaft, was nowhere to be seen. Tom, being the gentleman he is, never laughed once.

At this point I was somewhat frustrated with the game of golf. Despite my diligent studying of YouTube videos, I was not getting better, and possibly was getting worse. What should I do

next? More YouTube? More time on the range practicing my messed up swing?

Lessons? And then the wise words of my uncle came back to me (not the Monsignor, this uncle sold insurance in Wenatchee). One time in about 1985, we were playing, and I was really struggling. My uncle said, “Pete, you’re trying too hard. I think what you should do is lay off golf for about two weeks, and then quit.” I probably should have taken his advice those many years ago.

Of course, they didn’t have access to YouTube instructional videos back in the 80’s.

Former Altar Boy Pete O’Brien is a lifetime Spokane resident, a high school chemistry teacher, and lists his golf handicap as “emotional instability.”

Page 10

Friday, August 9, 2013

The Spokesman-Review

GOLF 2013 - PROSPECTOR equation. Three balls in our group met watery graves, one that spun back off the front edge of the green.

Players reach for their cell-phone cameras on the 393-yard 10th hole. It’s a 125-foot drop from the tees to the fairway with spectacular views of the Cascades. The hole itself is a Prospector challenge. If the wind is at your back, the wise play is to Championship try to fly a bunker on the Yardage: 7,112 left. It might leave you in the Rating/Slope: rough, but the diagonal 74.5/139 green is more accessible Back tees from that angle. If the wind Yardage: 6,641 is in your face, you might Rating/Slope: have to aim for a narrow 72.4/134 fairway and face a longer second shot.

Middle tees The green is perhaps Yardage: 6,159 40-45 yards deep.

Rating/Slope: Men “It’s by far the most talked 69.8/132, Women about hole,” Hatfield said.

75.9/142 “The aesthetic view gives Front tees you a perfect snapshot of the Yardage: 5,362 terrain the course is built Rating/Slope: on.”

70.9/125 One of the better par 4s is the uphill, 400-yard 14th. It’s typically a 6- or 7-iron approach to an elevated green. Like many of Prospector’s holes, 10 and 14 demand solid second shots.

“It’s 100 percent a second-shot course in a lot of ways,” Hatfield said.

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Courtesy photo

Your approach to the elevated green on No.14, a 400-yard par 4, will demand a well-struck 6- or 7-iron.

PROSPECTOR Continued from K6

hard to determine true downhill. Every putt wants to break East but it’s hard to see that when you’re looking over a putt.

“On No. 1 you’ll be pin high and see the mound behind the green and think it breaks to the front, but it’ll actually break to the back.”

I made my first ball donation into high grass well left of the No. 2 fairway, the result of a hideous pull hook.

The fairways are truly generous at Prospector, but spray it wide and you might need a search party to locate your ball. The good news is if you don’t find your ball, chances are you’ll find someone else’s.

The par 5s, all between 498 and 519 yards from the back tees, are generally reachable in two but only if you can land an approach softly on a fairly small target. Most of the greens at Prospector are either

wide and shallow or narrow and long. Both require precise approach shots.

The fifth hole is a classic risk-reward par 4.

Hatfield described four ways to play the 325-yard hole protected by a large pond and narrow green: Go for the green, hit driver or 3-wood about 250 yards leaving a simple chip shot, challenge the edge of the water with a 205-yard tee shot or avoid the pond by aiming at the 150-yard stake. It’s roughly a 270-yard carry over the pond to the green.

“I play that hole by where the flag is,” Hatfield said.

“If it’s tucked to the right, you don’t have to carry the water (on the tee shot) and you can lay up to the right. If the pin is tucked left and you have to negotiate the water, I’d rather take my chances on the tee box.”

The fairway on the par-4 seventh hole was one of the smallest landing areas. No. 9 featured a large pond that pretty much took driver out of the

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Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Page 11

AREA COURSE DIRECTORY The following is a directory of area golf courses. fees: weekends $31, weekdays (Monday-Thursday) For more information on the area golf courses go $29, (with discount card the weekends are $25, online at www.spokesman.com/golf. weekdays $21). 9-hole: weekends $31 ($21 after 3.p.m), weekdays $21 (with discount card •Avondale GC (208) 772-5963. 18-hole greens weekends $17 after 3 p.m., weekdays $17). 18-hole fees: weekends/weekdays, $58.75, except cart fee: $28; 9-hole: $14. Tee times: weekends, call Mondays at $37. After 1 p.m., $40. 9-hole previous Friday starting at 2 p.m.; weekdays, call weekends/weekdays, $31. 18-hole cart fee: $30; two days in advance by 2 p.m.

9-hole: $15. Tee times: no deadlines. www.spokaneparks.org. www.avondalegolfcourse.com.

•Esmeralda GC (509) 487-6291. 18-hole greens •Bryden Canyon GC (208) 746-0863. 18-hole fees: weekends $31, weekdays $29 (with discount greens fees: weekends $26; weekdays, $22. card $21 during weekdays, $19 for seniors, $25 on 9-hole: daily, $17. 18-hole cart fee: $14 per seat; weekends). 9-hole: weekends (only available after 9-hole: $9 per seat. Tee times: no deadlines.

2 p.m.) $21; weekdays (only available after 3 p.m.), www.brydencanyongolf.net. $21 (with discount card $16). 18-hole cart fee: $28; •Chewelah G&CC (509) 935-6807. Until May 15: 27 9-hole: $14. Tee times: weekends, call previous holes (includes cart), $50 on weekends, $45 M-Th.; Friday starting at 2 p.m.; weekdays, call two days 18 holes $35/$30. May 16-Sept. 5: 27 holes in advance by 2 p.m.. www.spokaneparks.org. $60/$55; 18 holes $50/$45. Sept. 6-season close: •The Fairways GC (509) 747-8418. 18-hole: 27 holes $50/$45; 18 holes $35/$30. Seniors $5 Tuesday-Friday greens fees $24; Monday $19 (high discount M-Th.; juniors $5 discount on 9 holes, $10 school students $11, senior citizens $19, everyday); on 18 or 27 holes M-Th. Walking rates all season: 9 weekends $29. 9-hole: weekends/weekdays $17. holes $17, 18 holes $35/$30, 27 holes $40/$35. Tee Everyday after 4 p.m. $19. Tee times: times: no deadlines. www.chewelahgolf.com. weekends/weekday tee time opening varies, call •Circling Raven GC (800) 523-2464. 18-hole clubhouse for availability. greens fees (with golf cart and use of practice www.golfthefairways.com. range): Through May 16: Monday-Thursday: $65, •Hangman Valley GC (509) 448-1212. 18-hole Friday-Sunday: $75; May 17-Sep. 29: greens fees: weekdays (Monday-Thursday), $27, Monday-Thursday: $80, Friday-Sunday: $95. Sep. weekend $29; rate for pre-book $32; county 30-end of season: Monday-Thursday: $65, discount card $22 M-Th, weekends $24; 9-hole: Friday-Sunday $75. Tee times: 30 days in advance. weekdays $21. Seniors rate with discount card www.circlingraven.com.

M-Th $18.50. Juniors – 9 or 18-hole $15, 10.50 with •Coeur d'Alene GC (208) 765-0218. 18-hole greens junior discount card. 18-hole cart fee: $28; 9-hole: fees: weekends/weekdays, $29, $24 for seniors. $14. Tee times: weekends, call the previous 9-hole: weekends/weekdays, $17, $15 for seniors.

Saturday by 7 a.m.; weekdays, call on Tuesday at 7 18-hole cart fee: $27; 9-hole: $17. Single person a.m. Course does not allow fivesome parties.

18-hole cart fee: $17; 9-hole $10. Tee times: •Harrington G&CC (509) 253-4308. 18-hole Friday-Sunday and holidays, call prior Tuesday; greens fees: Wednesday-Sunday $18, $16 for Mon-Thurs, prior Thursday. seniors; Monday-Tuesday $10 (except holidays). www.cdapublicgolf.com.

9-hole: weekends/ weekdays $13, $11 for seniors.

•Coeur d'Alene Resort (208) 667-4653. 18-hole 18-hole cart fee: $23; 9-hole: $13. Tee times: no greens fees: weekdays/weekends, April: $150 for deadlines. day guests, twilight rate April daily $75, (after •Highlands GC (208) 773-3673. 18-hole greens 2:00), May/October: $150-$175, twilight $75-$90, fees: weekends/weekdays $35; seniors June/September: $195, twilight $110; July/August: weekdays/weekends after 1 p.m. $28; juniors, $220, twilight $135. Fees include cart, range balls weekdays $15 and weekends $22 until 1 p.m. then and forecaddie, sports massage and back to $15; 9-hole: $22 weekdays/weekends after complimentary bag tag. Best values: Golf 1 p.m.; 18-hole cart fee: $14 per seat; 9-hole: $7 per packages available, include lodging and golf. seat. Tee times: weekends, call up to one week in Spring starting at $99 per person based on double advance; weekdays, up to one week in advance. occupancy. Specials will be announced throughout Twilight time is after 3 p.m. and is $25 with cart, the year. Tee times: no deadline if staying at hotel. $20 without. www.thehighlandsgc.com.

Call for Good Neighbor specials starting at $75.

•Idaho Club (208) 265-2345. 18-hole greens fees: www.cdaresort.com. $125 includes golf cart. Twilight rate (after 2 p.m.)

•Colfax G&CC (509) 397-2122. Summer rates: $80. Tee times required.

18-hole greens fees weekend/weekdays, $23.

•Indian Canyon GC (509) 747-5353. 18-hole 9-hole: weekends/weekdays, $16. 18-hole cart fee: greens fees: weekends $31, weekdays $29 (with $20; 9-hole: $14. Tee times: weekends, call one day discount card $21 during weekdays, $17 for seniors, in advance; weekdays, no deadlines. $25 on weekends). 9-hole: weekends/weekdays •Dominion Meadows GC (509) 684-5508. 18-hole (only available after 2 p.m.), $21 (with discount greens fees: weekends/weekdays $26/23; Senior card $17). 18-hole cart fee: $28; 9-hole: $14. Tee 18-hole: $23/$21. College $23/21, Junior $18 (no times: weekends, call previous Friday starting at 2 weekend rates), 9-hole fee: weekends/weekdays p.m.; weekdays, call two days in advance by 2 $21/$19; Senior 9-hole: $18/$16. College $18/$16, p.m.. www.spokaneparks.org.

Junior $12/$12. 18-hole cart fee: $24; 9-hole: $12.

•Liberty Lake GC (509) 255-6233. 18-hole greens Tee times: Call one day in advance. fees: weekday (Monday-Thursday) $28.24, $15.69 www.dominionmeadowsgolf.com. for juniors. With $30 discount card the rate is •Deer Park G&CC (509) 276-5912. 18-hole greens $23.01, $19.35 for seniors and $10.98 for juniors. fees: weekends $29 ($20 for sunset rate after 3 Weekend $30.33 and $25.10 with discount card. p.m., with $10 cart fee); weekdays Seniors after 3 p.m. is $19.35. 9-hole: weekday (Monday-Friday) $26 ($21 for seniors). 9-hole: $21.97 and $17.78 with discount card. 18-hole cart weekends after 3 p.m., $17.50 ($16 for seniors); fee: $28; 9-hole: $14. Tee times: weekends, call on weekdays (Monday-Friday) $17.50 ($16 for Saturday one week in advance; weekdays, call the seniors). 18-hole cart fee: $29; 9-hole: $14.50. Tee previous Tuesday morning. times: weekends/ weekdays, call one week in advance. www.deerparkgolf.com.

See COURSE DIRECTORY, K12 •Downriver GC (509) 327-5269. 18-hole greens

Custom Balls for Recreational Players Add Distance and Reduce Slicing up to 75% John Daly Touts Polara's Effectiveness

By Leonard Finkel

Golf is a difficult game. Golfers want to hit the ball as hard as they can to maximize distance, but fight a slice when they do. Hitting the ball longer AND straighter means fewer lost balls to replace, less time searching for wayward drives and above all, greater enjoyment from shooting lower scores! Tour pros get help the average golfer doesn't.

Golfweek (4/26) revealed that golf ball manufacturers customize dimple patterns to provide specific flight characteristics for PGA Tour pros.

Shouldn't those benefits be available to everyone? Polara Golf accomplishes that goal with its XD ball, delivering extra distance while correcting slices by up to 50% with its unique, asymmetrical dimple pattern.

PGA Tour legend John Daly proclaims, "Polara Golf has created terrific products for recreational golfers that allow them to Grip It and Rip It, get more distance, be more consistently in the fairway and have a lot more fun on the golf course!"

With the Polara ball, you too can Grip It and Rip It like John Daly without fearing that nasty slice! For those needing extra correction, the Polara Ultimate Straight reduces slices up to 75%. "Everyone loves to hit their low loft driver. But if you have a bad slice, using a 3-wood or at least 12° loft on your driver lets you hit the Ultimate Straight ball much farther and much, much straighter," Daly points out. “Try both balls to see which one works better for you. With either ball, you’ll certainly experience the anti-slice effect.”

Golf Tips Magazine stated, “If you’re a recreational golfer who tends to find the rough more than the fairway, your fast track to straighter shots has arrived.

It’s a golf ball that flies straight, even when you put a slice swing on it.” Daly concludes, "I've had my own issues with wild shots in the past and Polara balls would have corrected them all.

Polara balls are the perfect solution for any golfer who wants more distance but struggles with a slice."

Order 6-ball trial pack for as low as $7.95 each www.BuyPolara.com or call (800) 274-8673

Robotic Testing Validates Claims Polara went to Golf Labs to validate its ball’s performance, with eye-opening results. During robotic testing, a significant slice was induced. On average, Polara reduced the slice by up to 75% over traditional balls including premium brands. Independent test manager Richard Levine, PhD, reported, “The Golf Labs’ robot was set up to simulate a 90 foot slice based on launch conditions of an average golfer. With the Polara Ultimate Straight ball we found that compared to several popular golf balls, which all sliced about 90 feet, the Polara ball corrected up to 70 feet of the 90 foot slice.”

Garnering National Acclaim Bill Pennington (New York Times) wrote, “The design of the (Polara) ball corrects slices and hooks by 75 percent.

When I took the ball to a New Jersey driving range, regular golfers and the occasional pro could not slice or hook the ball with any regularity.” Veteran journalist Ron Claiborne (ABC News, Good Morning America) reported, “I carefully teed up a Polara ball, arrow on top, as instructed. I reared back and let it rip. The ball soared high into the sky, arched and landed on the fairway about 250 yards away. It had flown straight and true from tee to landing. I was in shock. No slice! I hit another Polara. The same thing. And another. I simply could not hit a bad shot. It was a miracle.”

Polara balls are designed for the vast majority of golfers: recreational players who want to take advantage of technology improvements and have more fun. “We’re not trying to remove skill from the game,” said Polara’s David Felker. “We’re just trying to remove the frustration.” With Polara balls, hit longer, straighter shots and have more fun - guaranteed or your money back. For a limited time Polara is offering 6-ball trial packs for as low as $7.95 each (free S&H, continental US only). Polara balls are available at stores nationwide, but this specially priced offer is only available at www.BuyPolara.com or call (800) 274-8673.

Page 12

Friday, August 9, 2013

The Spokesman-Review

AREA COURSE DIRECTORY weekends/weekdays $25.50. 9-hole: weekends/weekdays $16.50.

•Tekoa GC (509) 284-5607. 9-hole greens fees: weekdays $12.

18-hole cart fee: $23; 9-hole: $16.50. Pull cart (unlimited): $5. Tee weekends/holidays $15. 9-hole: $9. Tee times: none.

Continued from K11 times: none.

•Twin Lakes Village GC (208) 687-1311. All rates through May: •Shoshone G&TC (208) 784-0161. 18-hole greens fees: 18-hole greens fees: all week $30; seniors (Monday-Friday) $25. weekends/weekdays $26, senior $22, junior $18 (under 18 years).

9-hole: Monday-Friday and weekends after 3 p.m. and before 8 a.m.

•The Links GC, Post Falls (208) 777-7611. 18-hole greens fees (all 9-hole: weekends/weekdays $16, senior $14, junior $9. Monday $22; Monday-Friday 18-hole for juniors is $18, 9-hole is $12; twilight prices include tax): Through April 14, $20 any time. Friday, Saturday, except holidays, all day $20. 18-hole cart fee: $26; 9-hole: $13. Tee rate $28 after 3 p.m. 18-hole cart fee: $14 per seat; 9-hole: $7 per Sunday $36; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday $31; 9-hole Friday, times: no deadlines. seat. Tee times: call one week in advance. www.golftwinlakes.com.

Saturday, Sunday $26; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday $21; •St. John G&CC (509) 648-3259. All-day greens fees: •University of Idaho GC (208) 885-6171. 18-hole greens fees: Tight-Wad-Tuesday: 18-hole: $21; 9-hole: $14. Seniors 60+: $26 for 18 weekends/weekdays $15. 9-hole: weekdays $10.

Weekends $28. Weekdays $25, students $17, seniors $22, juniors $15. holes, $16 for 9 holes. Juniors: $17 for 18 holes, $12 for 9 holes. 18-hole •St. Maries GC (208) 245-3842. 18-hole greens fees: weekends $24; 9-hole weekends: $17 after 2 p.m.; 9-hole weekdays: students $12, cart fee: $30; 9-hole: $15. Tee times: no deadlines. weekdays $20 (weekdays juniors, $8). 9-hole: weekends $15; juniors $10, seniors $16. June-September twilight (weekdays after •MeadowWood GC (509) 255-9539. 18-hole greens fees: weekday weekdays $13 (juniors, $8). 18-hole cart fee: $26; 9-hole: $13. Tee 3:30 p.m.) $21. 18-hole cart fee: $13 per seat; 9-hole: $9 per seat. Tee (Monday-Thursday) $28.24, $15.69 for juniors. With $30 discount times: no deadline. times: accepted one week in advance. www.webs.uidaho.edu/golf. card the rate is $23.01, $19.35 for seniors and $10.98 for juniors.

•Stoneridge GC (208) 437-GOLF. 18-hole greens fees: Through •Trailhead GC (formerly Valley View GC) (509) 928-3484. 9-hole: Weekend $30.33 and $25.10 with discount card. Seniors after 3 p.m. April, $44 includes 18-holes, cart and lunch. May-Sept weekdays $32; $15 every day, $10 juniors, $12 seniors; second 9: $8 adults, $6 weekends $35; weekdays twilight $22, weekends twilight $25; April juniors, $7 seniors; Pull cart $4. Club rental $10. Power cart: 9-hole: is $19.35. 9-hole: weekday $21.97 and $17.78 with discount card.

18-hole cart fee: $14 per person; 9-hole: $7 per person. Tee times: for and October $26 any time, twilight $18; Cart-$14 per seat. Large bag $7 per seat, 18-hole: $14 per seat. Every day after 5 p.m., unlimited weekends, call on Saturday one week in advance; weekdays, call the range balls-$6. Tee times: call 14 days in advance. play $11 (with cart $16). www.stoneridgeidaho.com. previous Tuesday morning. www.meadowwoodgolf.com.

•Wandermere GC (509) 466-8023. 18-hole greens fees: weekends •Sun Dance GC (509) 466-4040.

18-hole greens fees: •Mirror Lake Municipal Golf Course, Bonners Ferry, Idaho (208) $29; weekdays $25, seniors $21, junior $18 flat rate (regardless of weekends/weekdays $26; weekends before 8 a.m. and 267-5314. 9-hole greens fees: $16, weekends and holidays $18, juniors 9-hole or 18-hole, after 3 p.m. on weekends). 9-hole: weekdays $19, Tuesday-Thursday between Noon and 3 p.m. $15; juniors $13.50; $9. 18-hole: $23, weekends and holidays $25, juniors $13. Cart trail seniors $16. 18-hole cart fee: $28; 9-hole: $14. Tee times: weekends, seniors $23. 9-hole: weekdays/weekends, all 18-hole rates apply fee: $5. until 3 p.m. 18-hole cart fee: $28; 9-hole: $14. Twilight (After 3 p.m.): call one week in advance; weekdays, call one day in advance.

•Palouse Ridge GC (509) 335-4342. 18-hole greens fees for www.wandermere.com. $13. Tee times: call one week in advance. www.sundancegc.com. residents (live within 40-mile radius): $50. Non-residents: $99.

Seniors (60+)/Faculty and Staff: $40. Students: $40 (Monday-Thursday $30). Juniors (17-): $20. Twilight: $30. 9-hole greens fees: $40 before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m.. Cart fees: all rates include a cart. www.palouseridge.com.

•Pine Acres (509) 466-9984. 18-hole greens fees: weekends/weekdays $13; seniors/juniors (weekdays only) $12.

9-hole: weekends/weekdays $9; seniors/juniors (weekdays only) $8.

Pull carts $1. Tee times: none. Range bucket prices: 135 balls for $11, 90 balls for $8, 60 balls for $7. Club Rentals: $0.50 a club.

•Pinehurst GC, Pinehurst, Idaho (208) 682-2013. 18-hole greens fees: weekday and weekend $22, 9-hole $15. Play Monday or Thursday for $15 all day fee. 18-cart fees: $14 per seat; 9-cart fees: $7 per seat.

•Pomeroy GC (509) 843-1197. 18-hole greens fees: weekends/weekdays $18. 9-hole: $12. 18-hole cart fee: $20, 9-hole: $10. Off-course cart fee: $3. Tee times: none.

•Ponderosa Springs (208) 664-1101. 9-hole: weekends/weekdays $12, $6 to play again. Weekdays: seniors (55 and over) $10, juniors (17 and under) $10. Ten-play passes: $90. Pull carts only: $2. Club rentals: $3 for a bag. Tee times: none. No dress code.

•Prairie Falls GC, Post Falls (208) 457-0210. 18-hole greens fees: $25. 9-hole: $15. 18-hole cart fee: $15 per seat; 9-hole: $8 per seat.

Tee times: one week in advance. www.prairiefallsgolf.com.

•Priest Lake GC (208) 443-2525. 18-hole greens fees: weekends/weekdays high season (June 18-Sept. 11) $55; 9-hole: weekends and high season $29; off-season $29 for 18, $15 for 9.

18-cart fee: $15 per seat, 9-cart fee: $12 per seat. Tee times: no deadline, but time availability varies. www.priestlakegolfcourse.com.

•Quail Ridge GC (509) 758-8501. 18-hole greens fees: weekdays (Monday-Thursday) $25; weekends $28. 9-hole greens fees: weekends/weekdays $17. 18-hole cart fee: $28, $14 per seat; 9-hole: $16, $8 per seat. Tee times: one week in advance.

•The Creek at Qualchan GC (509) 448-9317. 18-hole greens fees: weekends $31, weekdays $29 (with discount card $21 during weekdays, $19 for seniors, $25 on weekends). 9-hole: weekends/weekdays (only available after 3 p.m.), $21 (with discount card $17). 18-hole cart fee: $28; 9-hole: $14. Tee times: weekends, call previous Friday starting at 2 p.m.; weekdays, call two days in advance by 2 p.m. www.spokaneparks.org.

•Ranch Club Golf Course (208) 448-1731. 18-hole greens fees: weekends/weekdays $22. 9-hole: weekends/weekdays $17. 18-hole cart fee: $20; 9-hole: $15. Golf all day (April, May, October, Ranked as one of the top Resort courses in the he country and nestled nestle amid November): $15. Tee times: on weekends reservations are needed a couple of days in advance. a stunning blend of unique terrain, Circling Raven Golf Club •Ritzville GC (509) 659-9868. 18-hole greens fees: weekends $22; weekdays $20; senior (Monday-Thursday) $17. 9-hole: weekends at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort offers everything you could want and more. $16; weekdays $14, senior (Monday-Thursday) $12. High School students and below can play unlimited rounds for $5 (Monday-Thursday). Trail fee: $5. Tee times: no deadlines. Subject 8 0 0 5 2 3 - 2 4 6 4 | U S H W Y 9 5 , W O R L E Y, I D A H O | C I R C L I N G R AV E N . C O M | to change because of city council.

•Sandpoint Elks GC (208) 263-4321. 18-hole greens fees:

COURSE DIRECTORY