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A man swings a golf club on a course near a lake.

From its serene lakeshores to its rugged canyons, Idaho boasts unbelievable views at some of the finest golf courses in the country. So pack your clubs, brush up on your golf clap and take a swing at these fantastic courses across Idaho.

The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort | Coeur d’Alene

The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort offers guests a luxury golfing experience they won’t soon forget. Your day begins with a ride on a mahogany boat across Lake Coeur d’Alene to greet your group’s forecaddie and grab your golf carts. Enjoy playing across lush carpets of meticulously manicured bentgrass accented with views of the lake from nearly every hole. And that’s only the beginning.

Home of the world’s first floating golf green

The 14th hole is, without a doubt, the resort’s crown jewel and boasts a truly one-of-a-kind feature—the world’s first and only floating golf green. Using a computer-controlled, underwater cable system, the distance between this moveable island green and the tee changes every day for this popular golf course.

Golfers are given two attempts to land on the 15,000-square-foot island before accepting a drop and being ferried to the green to finish the hole. After your round, head back to the resort for some hydrotherapy, a relaxing massage or a facial at the spa.

An overhead view of a golf green and a floating green on a lake with mountains in the distance, at Coeur d'Alene Golf and Spa Resort.
The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort, Coeur d’Alene. Photo credit: The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort.

Coeur d’Alene Golf Course Details:

Tee times can be booked as far in advance as you’d like within a calendar year.

Sun Valley Resort | Sun Valley

Sun Valley Resort is home to three popular golf courses, each with their own terrain and unique experience. Altogether, these courses offer a total of 45 holes and two driving ranges.

White Clouds Golf Course | Sun Valley Resort

A thrilling challenge in the alpine

White Clouds Golf Course is an alpine links-style course boasting 360-degree views of Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain and other spectacular sites. This course may only be nine holes, but the sand traps, side-hill lies and blind shots prove challenging for both seasoned pros and first-timers.

White Clouds Golf Course Details:

Resort guests can book tee times whenever they’d like. For those not staying at the resort, tee times for this popular golf course can be booked up to two weeks in advance.

Trail Creek Golf Course | Sun Valley Resort

Surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery, Trail Creek Golf Course is the resort’s signature course—and a fairly demanding one. Golfers are put to the test with relatively narrow fairways and a complement of bunkers and stream carries—having to cross Trail Creek seven times on the front nine alone.

A person standing on a golf green preparing to swing a golf club, surrounded by trees covered in yellow and green leaves at Trail Creek Golf Course.
Trail Creek Golf Course, Sun Valley. Photo credit: Visit Idaho.

Trail Creek Golf Course Details:

Resort guests can book tee times whenever they’d like. For those not staying at the resort, tee times can be booked up to two weeks in advance.

Elkhorn Golf Club | Sun Valley Resort

Originally opened in 1974, Elkhorn Golf Club is the oldest of Sun Valley Resort’s courses and was created by the famous father-son design team Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr.

A staple in Idaho, this popular golf course beckons skilled golfers with a hilly front nine, a back nine with water hazards on nearly every hole and more than 100 sand traps and bunkers.

Elkhorn Golf Club Course Details:

Non-members may book tee times no earlier than 72 hours in advance.

Jug Mountain Ranch | McCall

Jug Mountain Ranch tempts golfers with its demanding terrain and picture-perfect views of natural wetlands, towering forests and rolling hills. The first hole, which also happens to be the signature hole of this golf course, is not the warm-up that you would typically expect of an opener.

Instead, golfers are welcomed with a severe downhill tee shot from the highest point on the course. (Aim carefully—Boulder Creek cuts across the fairway near the landing zone.) The 13th hole is another noteworthy challenge, requiring a drive that carries a pond while climbing in elevation.

A person standing on a golf green at Jug Mountain Ranch, preparing to swing a driver, surrounded by trees with a forest in the distance.
Jug Mountain Ranch Golf Course, McCall. Photo credit: Jug Mountain Ranch.

Jug Mountain Ranch Course Details:

Tee times can be booked as far in advance as you need.

Canyon Springs Golf Course | Twin Falls

Located in magnificent Snake River Canyon, Canyon Springs Golf Course not only presents a challenge to players of various skill levels, but also provides an opportunity to admire Idaho’s breathtaking natural beauty.

 As you make your way around this popular golf course, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the canyon, waterfalls and the Perrine Bridge (a popular BASE jumping site).

Hit the Links: Explore Idaho’s Golf Courses
Canyon Springs Golf Course, Twin Falls. Photo credit: Canyon Springs Golf Course.

Canyon Springs Golf Course Details:

Tee times can be booked up to seven days in advance.

Circling Raven Golf Club | Worley

Designed by renowned course architect Gene Bates, Circling Raven Golf Club has been named Idaho’s best public golf course by Golfweek time and time again. For the most part, this championship course is wide open, stretching across 620 acres of wetlands, woodlands and Palouse grasses, providing an impressive backdrop for your morning or afternoon round.

If you care to extend your visit, Circling Raven is part of Coeur d’Alene Casino & Resort, giving golfers the opportunity to stick around for some after-round play or take advantage of the Stay & Play packages.

A body of water beside a golf green, surrounded by a forest of trees at Circling Raven Golf Club.
Circling Raven Golf Club, Worley. Photo credit: Circling Raven Golf Club.

Circling Raven Golf Club Course Details:

Tee times can be booked up to 45 days in advance.

BanBury Golf Course | Eagle

Skillfully designed by acclaimed architect John Harbottle III, BanBury Golf Course is situated on a beautiful expanse of land along the South Channel of the Boise River. The Scottish-style course takes advantage of its landscapes, successfully uniting golf with the natural wildlife habitat.

 In addition to dramatic mounding and strategically placed bunkers, each hole offers the additional challenge of water, including lakes, ponds and natural grass-filled wetlands.

BanBury Golf Course Details:

Tee times can be booked up to seven days in advance.

Teeing Up Soon: Tamarack Resort

Tamarack Resort has begun the restoration of its 18-hole championship golf course, Osprey Meadows, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2023.

Ready for an Idaho golf getaway? Check out even more fantastic courses and start planning.

Feature image credited to Visit Idaho. A version of this story originally appeared in the 2023 Official Idaho Travel Guide.


Published on February 17, 2023