Coeur d’Alene Resort, Idaho
Floating Green Golf & Lakeside Luxury
The world's first floating green changes yardage daily, creating one of golf's most memorable par 3s. [credit: CDA Resort]
There are pretty golf resorts, and then there’s Coeur d’Alene—a place where arriving at the first tee is one of the most memorable parts of the round. The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course is two miles as the crow flies from the main campus. Unless you opt to drive yourself or take the resort shuttle, your golf experience begins with an exhilarating seven-minute ride in a Stancraft mahogany boat across Lake Coeur d’Alene. Back ashore, the course rarely lets the water out of sight. The day’s defining shot comes at a par-3 played to a green that floats in the lake itself.
Set along the shoreline in Idaho’s northern panhandle, the resort combines a large waterfront hotel, a full-service spa, and a golf course built around comfort and scenery rather than punishment. When you step ashore, an assigned forecaddie is waiting to greet you. Your clubs have already been transferred, cleaned, and are waiting in a custom luxury cart. Beds of the resort’s trademark red geraniums add color throughout the grounds. Before the round, players warm up on a driving range that sits on the lake itself, launching floating balls at target buoys. A massage therapist is on hand to loosen shoulders before play. Out on the course, even the restrooms are tucked underground and into hillsides to keep the views clean. The course is beautifully maintained and not interested in grinding you down. Most rounds tend to leave players smiling more than they expected.
Few golf resorts make such complete use of their surroundings, and fewer still leave visitors with such a strong sense of place.
A Vision, a Lake, and a Floating Green
Coeur d’Alene Resort is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026. [credit: CDA Resort]
It wasn’t always this way. Before the resort existed, the shoreline here was defined by an idle sawmill—industrial, neglected, and far removed from the polished waterfront that stands in its place today. The transformation began when Coeur d'Alene newspaper publisher and developer Duane Hagadone and his partners acquired the land, cleared the old mill, and began reshaping a working lakeshore into a resort anchored by golf. The lake, the timbered slopes, and the long summer evenings were already there; the development simply organized them.
The golf course came later. Designer Scott Miller was given a relatively modest footprint and a clear brief: create a manicured course with lake views throughout, capped by one hole that would be unlike anything else in the game. Miller, whose resume includes the Cholla Course at We-Ko-Pa along with Eagle Mountain and the Kierland Golf Club in the Scottsdale area, let the setting dictate the routing. Known for creating beautiful golf courses, he transformed land that had been used as a sawmill for seven decades into an arrestingly beautiful parkland layout.
The singular hole that earned Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course instant fame became the 14th, a par 3 whose green is not attached to land at all. Instead, a 15,000-square-foot island floats in the lake, anchored and repositioned by an underwater cable system that allows the yardage to change from day to day. Even decades later, it still stands alone.
The only way to reach the green on the floating island hole is by boat. [credit: CDA Resort]
The origin story is refreshingly simple. Hagadone reportedly watched a tugboat tow a raft of logs across the lake and wondered why a golf hole couldn’t float the same way. Engineers eventually turned the idea into reality: a structure of remarkable mass (2,200 tons) and technological complexity, built with its own soil profile, irrigation, and bunkering, capable of sliding closer to shore or farther out to alter the shot. When play began there in 1991, the hole quickly became the resort’s calling card.
The resort itself evolved alongside the course. The original hotel opened in the mid-1980s and has been expanded and updated several times since. Today, the property reads like a small waterfront district: a tall lakefront tower with fireplace rooms overlooking the marina, a lower-rise wing with more modest accommodations, a full-scale spa, multiple restaurants, and docks that function as both arrival point and social center. What began as a regional curiosity — a floating green on a lake in northern Idaho — has grown into one of the Pacific Northwest's most recognizable golf destinations, with the Sherman Tower, a 15-story addition, currently rising just steps from the existing campus.
The Golf: More Than a Floating Green
Stunning scenery, immaculate conditions, and thoughtful amenities are hallmarks of the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. [credit: CDA Resort]
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course leans into its strengths: scenery and conditioning, with just enough theater to remind you this is a resort round. It isn’t long by any stretch, and it doesn’t pretend to be. The scorecard for the par-71 course shows five sets of tees, ranging from just under 6,500 yards at the back to the mid-4,000s forward markers. What it offers instead of distance is a meticulously maintained, ornamentally landscaped routing where the lake keeps reappearing—sometimes beside you, sometimes below you, rarely absent for long.
The floating green at the 14th naturally gets top billing. Depending on where the underwater cable has positioned it, the hole can play as a short iron from forward tees or a demanding mid- to long-iron from the back. Wind off the lake, a subtly contoured putting surface, and the certainty that any miss is unrecoverable turn it into more than a novelty. Find the green and you’re ferried out by boat to finish the hole; miss and your ball joins the thousands retrieved from the lake each season. Par or better earns a certificate marking the achievement, and every player leaves with a personalized engraved bag tag regardless of score.
Several holes wind through towering pines and quiet forest corridors. [credit: CDA Resort]
The other par 3s would headline most resort courses. The short downhill 3rd hugs the water, with beach sand and lake left and a green perched above the shoreline. The 5th plays to a distinctive three-tiered clover-shaped green ringed by a gigantic bunker and rock outcroppings, with a broad lake vista completing the backdrop. The set varies enough in length, angle, and character that the course's short-hole identity never feels repetitive — each one asks something different, and all of them reward imagination over power.
The drivable par-4 4th hole is the front nine's strategic centerpiece. It's a sharp dogleg from an elevated tee that drops into a valley before the fairway climbs back up to green level, with trees pressing both sides and strategically placed bunkers punishing anyone who tries to cut the corner. A deep bunker guards the front center of the green, threatening both those who go for it from the tee and those who lay back and face a steadily uphill approach to a green with falloffs. It's the kind of hole that looks straightforward until you're standing on the tee deciding what to do.
Lake Coeur d’Alene takes command of the most memorable holes. [credit: CDA Resort]
The back nine shifts the balance considerably. The terrain opens up, trees give way to wider corridors, and the lake asserts itself more forcefully—wind whipping off the water becomes a factor that the sheltered front nine rarely presents. Fernan Creek meanders through the early holes of the back nine. By the time the routing turns back toward the lake, the water has fully taken command of the round. Long par 4s bracket a tempting drivable par 4—it maxes out at 254 yards—giving players one last chance at a red number before returning to the dock.
Throughout both nines, conditioning is excellent: dense bentgrass fairways that feel like carpet set against deeper-green Kentucky bluegrass rough, creating a vivid visual contrast that frames every hole before you even think about the shot. Greens run brisk and true, and the well-kept edges reflect the resort's uncompromising standards.
Practice facilities are part of the theater. The driving range sits on a narrow arm of the lake, with floating range balls that bob on the surface and are later collected by staff. It’s charming—though those floaters make precise carry distances tricky. The on-range massage therapist, however, is an inspired touch—five or ten minutes in the chair are meant to loosen shoulders, but they might quietly remove any remaining excuses when you start play.
A complimentary shoulder massage loosens players up before the first tee. [credit: CDA Resort]
What ultimately distinguishes the experience is how carefully it's orchestrated without ever feeling stiff. Some of that orchestration is meant to be noticed—the boat ride across the lake, the forecaddie who is part guide, part strategist, part storyteller, the floating driving range, the on-course massage therapist, the feature-loaded golf carts, the abundance of blooming flowers, and of course, the moveable island green complete with its boat shuttle and certificate of accomplishment.
Throughout the round, though, the most important details are the ones that quietly disappear: smooth, unobtrusive cart paths and rides, ball washers tucked out of sight, bunker rakes stored in flush floor compartments just outside the traps, and restrooms built into hillsides or hidden underground. The lake, in the end, remains the constant presence throughout.
For a completely different but equally compelling golf experience defined by dramatic red-rock scenery, see our guide to Enchantment & Seven Canyons Golf Club in Sedona.
On the Lake: Rooms, Views, and Resort Life
Classic mahogany speedboats whisk golfers from the resort to the golf course. [credit: CDA Resort]
Back at the main resort, the tone shifts from golf‑only to lakeside hub. It’s no accident that Coeur d’Alene Resort earned honors at the Best Waterfront Hotel in the US from Newsweek in 2025. The property stretches along the waterfront in multiple wings, but the centerpiece remains the Lake Tower, rising above the marina with panoramic views of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Many lake‑view rooms here feature wall‑to‑wall windows, private balconies, and fireplaces, with contemporary furnishings and plenty of natural light that make watching boats return to the docks below a highlight of the evening.
If you’re more budget‑minded or don’t need nonstop water views, Park Tower and the North Wing provide alternatives. Park Tower rooms can face the marina, city, or nearby mountain park areas, and include oversized windows and modern décor. North Wing rooms occupy the footprint of the original hotel with simpler layouts and limited views—comfortable, functional, and typically the most economical choice.
Many Lake Tower rooms at the Coeur d’Alene Resort feature balconies and sweeping water views. [credit: CDA Resort]
Public spaces reflect the resort's layered growth and its eye for detail. The lobby centers on a custom 32-foot koi aquarium—2,200 gallons of Japanese koi that has become one of the resort's most recognized interior touches, separating the check-in area from the busier corridors leading to rooms and amenities. Around it are lounges, a cocktail bar, and patios that step down toward the lake, drawing guests naturally toward the water as evenings settle in.
For its 40th anniversary in May 2026, the resort replaced its famous "Geranium Hill" entrance—thousands of bright red geraniums that had greeted guests since opening day in 1986, a personal touch of founder Duane Hagadone—with a Pacific Northwest-inspired landscape of waterfalls and pine trees. The gesture reflects something essential about Coeur d'Alene Resort: even its sentimental traditions eventually give way to something better. With guests ranging from conference groups to families and golf parties side by side, the resort generally feels lively without ever overwhelming.
Rendering of the Sherman Tower, scheduled to open in May 2027. [credit: CDA Resort]
A new chapter for the resort is already taking shape just steps from the current lobby. The Sherman Tower, a 15‑story expansion scheduled to open in May 2027, is rising across the street from the main resort hub on Sherman Avenue. When complete, it will add about 139 lake‑view guestrooms, its own restaurants—including a rooftop bar with sweeping water views—and new social spaces designed to complement the existing hotel and add more activity along Sherman Avenue after dark. Though it won’t change the golf course experience itself, the addition reflects how the resort continues to grow as both a lodging and lifestyle destination.
Eating, Drinking, and Dockside Evenings
Beverly's pairs lake views with one of the top dining experiences in the Pacific Northwest. [credit: CDA Resort]e
Coeur d'Alene Resort's dining lineup is broad enough that you can spend an entire weekend here without repeating a restaurant unless you want to. At the top end, Beverly's has long been the resort's special-occasion restaurant—an elevated dining room on the 7th floor of the Lake Tower with panoramic views over the lake, along with granite floors, copper ceilings, and a wine cellar holding more than 10,000 bottles, the largest restaurant collection in the Pacific Northwest. The menu leans into Northwest seafood and steaks with seasonal touches, and the kitchen has been led for years by Executive Chef Jim Barrett, a 35-year veteran of the Hagadone Hospitality team. Beverly’s is a place for a drawn-out dinner, a celebratory bottle pulled from a cellar worth touring on its own, and a sunset over the water that feels worth lingering for.
Closer to the waterline, Dockside handles much of the daily traffic. Situated on the lobby level with expansive lake views, it serves breakfast, all-day comfort food, and robust weekend brunch spreads, complete with signature gooey desserts that have become one of its calling cards.
Just off the resort docks, The Cedars Floating Restaurant offers a different kind of waterside experience entirely—a true Coeur d'Alene institution that has floated at the confluence of the lake and the Spokane River since 1965, buoyed by 600,000 pounds of concrete-encased styrofoam. Locals have been pulling boats up to its docks for prime rib and cedar plank salmon for generations, decades before the resort itself existed. At the golf course, The Floating Green Restaurant rounds things out with bar and grill-style food and drinks, plus a patio looking out at the course's namesake hole.
For a more romantic place to linger in the open air, Whispers is the resort's intimate waterfront lounge—known for glowing fire-pit tables, craft cocktails, and a surprisingly full menu, all of it taken in right on the lake.
Whispers is an elegant spot for cocktails, bites and lake views. [credit: CDA Resort]
Beyond these, you're within a short walk of other Coeur d'Alene Resort casual favorites. Taphouse Unchained, a sports bar, sits just across the sky bridge from the resort campus. The cycling-themed bar features 24 rotating microbrews and ciders, burgers, and pub fare, plus a signature Margarita Bike that guests pedal to power the blender mixing their own drink. In the same block, Tito's Italian Grill rounds out the resort's casual lineup with wood-fired pizzas and fresh pasta in a relaxed, family-friendly setting.
Among independent options, Coeur d'Alene's downtown adds sushi spots, craft beer pubs, and Pacific Northwest-leaning menus that make dinner and drinks part of the town's evening rhythm. The dining feels consistent with the place itself—polished when you want it, casual when you don't.
You can dress up for an elegant dinner at Beverly's, then keep it casual the next night with prime rib at The Cedars, fireside cocktails at Whispers, or pedal-powered margaritas at Taphouse Unchained. Looking ahead, the Sherman Tower will bring Azul, a live-fire Latin restaurant with a rooftop lounge, into the resort's dining lineup when it opens in 2027.
Beyond Golf: Spa, Water, and More
The Blu Infinity Pool & Beach Club adds a resort-within-a-resort feel at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. [credit: CDA Resort]
Part of Coeur d'Alene's appeal as a weekend golf getaway is how much there is to do when you're not swinging a club. The spa is a prime example. Set apart as its own sanctuary, it leans on lake views, water features, and generous relaxation areas that make it easy to lose track of how close you are to the lobby. The menu covers familiar massage and bodywork options, but the space itself—with a fireplace, lake views, and hydrotherapy experiences that layer different temperatures and pressures—does as much to slow your brain down as the treatments themselves.
On the main campus, an indoor pool and a large fitness center cover more conventional needs—there's no outdoor pool here. Instead, resort guests have access to the Blu Infinity Pool & Beach Club at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course. Reimagined in 2024, it features plush daybeds, private cabanas, and poolside food and beverage service.
The pool runs year-round, including deep into winter—long after the golf course has closed—when the climate-controlled water turns it into a giant communal hot tub for “Hot Winter Nights,” complete with a heated deck, a warming tent, and private heated igloos for guests who want their own corner of the steam.
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Spa is a quiet sanctuary of fireplaces, lake views, and layered hydrotherapy. [credit: CDA Resort]
Back in season, bicycling remains one of the favorite ways to spend a free afternoon here. Complimentary bicycles are available with a reservation, making it easy to explore the lakefront and downtown at your own pace. For guests who enjoy racquet sports, the resort no longer has its own tennis and pickleball courts, but both are available a short walk into town.
Walkers are just as well served: the waterfront and downtown streets are lined with shops, galleries, and casual restaurants, and Coeur d'Alene is home to the world's longest floating boardwalk—3,300 feet of cedar-log walkway that wraps around the marina, with lake views almost the entire way.
The lake itself is the center of much of the resort's non-golf activity. You can rent a speedboat to explore on your own, take a 90-minute scenic cruise, or choose from seasonal offerings like sunset cruises, dinner cruises, and pirate adventures for kids.
For guests looking for more active pursuits, the resort can connect you with local guides for fly fishing on rivers like the St. Joe—renowned for cutthroat and rainbow trout—along with kayaking, whitewater rafting, and guided cycling excursions into the surrounding hills. Closer to the resort, Tubbs Hill offers an easy two-mile loop along the lakeshore, with enough elevation change to make it feel like a hike without becoming strenuous.
Of course, you may be perfectly content staying put. Between the lake, the golf, the spa, and the variety of dining and recreational options, it's easy to fill a long weekend without ever feeling the need to venture farther afield.
Travelers who place as much emphasis on the spa as the golf may also enjoy our guides to Enchantment & Seven Canyons Golf Club in Sedona—home to the celebrated Mii amo spa—or the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, whose celebrated subterranean spa is one of the country's most distinctive wellness experiences.
Getting There and When to Go
A variety of scenic cruises showcase the beauty of Lake Coeur d'Alene. [credit: CDA Resort]
Coeur d’Alene sits east of Spokane, Washington, about 15 miles into Idaho. Spokane International Airport (GEG) is the primary gateway for most visitors. From there it’s roughly 40 minutes to the resort via I-90, with stretches that occasionally open to lake views. Private pilots also have the option of flying into Coeur d’Alene Airport (COE), about 15 minutes from the property.
The golf season generally opens in early spring and closes by mid- to late October, depending on weather. July and August bring the most reliable warmth—daytime highs often in the upper 70s to low 80s, long evenings, and steady lake activity. Spring and fall can be outstanding for golf: cooler, less crowded, and often clearer, though you’ll want to pack layers as mornings and evenings can be crisp.
The resort offers attractive shoulder-season packages in May and again in early fall, often bundling rounds, lodging, and occasionally dining or spa credits.
Who This Getaway Fits
Golf and the lake remain the centerpieces of the Coeur d'Alene Resort experience. [credit: CDA Resort]
Coeur d’Alene Resort is ideal for:
• Golfers who love their rounds to be experiences—people who will remember the boat ride, the floating green, and the scenery long after they’ve forgotten what they marked on their scorecard.
• Couples looking for a mix of golf, spa time, and lakefront dining, all without having to get into a car once they arrive.
• Families who want resort energy and lots of activity options but prefer a mountain lake setting to a beach or desert.
It's less tailored to travelers chasing a punishing championship test, players who favor a stripped-down, minimalist golf experience, or those hoping for a quiet, low-key retreat—the main hotel hums with group business and family traffic, and the round is designed to delight rather than intimidate, with very little left to chance.
But if you like your weekend golf getaways with a sense of occasion—a bit of choreography, a lot of scenery, and a story you can tell afterward—Coeur d’Alene delivers something genuinely unique.
You May Also Enjoy …
If you enjoyed this look at Coeur d'Alene Resort, you might also like these Weekend Golf Getaways destination guides:
• Enchantment & Seven Canyons Golf Club (Arizona) — Red-rock scenery, the nationally renowned Mii amo spa, and one of the Southwest's most memorable golf settings.
• The Omni Grove Park Inn (North Carolina) — Historic Asheville resort with a restored Donald Ross course and one of America’s great destination spas.
• Forest Dunes (Michigan) — Pure golf immersion featuring Tom Weiskopf’s original championship course, Tom Doak’s reversible Loop, and the Bootlegger short course.
• The Abaco Club (Bahamas) — A look inside one of the Caribbean's premier private golf communities, available to prospective members through Discovery Visits.
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