Great Golf
                    You Can Bet On It!

I remember seeing a photo advertisement featuring Jack Nicklaus at the peak of his dominance, back in the mid-‘70s. It struck me then and has stayed with me since. The gist of the ad was that for some people, the best way to relax is to knock themselves out. Like me: I can only handle so much downtime, and so many cocktails with umbrellas. I need action!

But while jumping out of a plane or running with the bulls is okay for you adrenaline nuts, my idea of action is teeing it up at a challenging course, then doubling down into the dealer’s 18 or keying in on the wonderful sound of a slot machine pay-off. Here in our region, I’ve discovered some magnificent locations that offer quality golf, a casino, and the many luxuries of a high level resort all in one.

1 Wildhorse Resort & Casino is located 4 miles east of Pendleton, Oregon, just off Interstate 84. Nestled into the foothills of the Blue Mountains is a championship golf course, designed by John Steidel, that can play about 5700 from the short tees or a challenging 7100 from the tips. The resort also features a practice range, putting green, Clubhouse Bar and Grill, and a full-service Pro Shop.

When you’re done golfing, the casino awaits, and it’s open 24/7. Here you’ll find more than 800 slot machines, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and bingo. Check out the equal-opportunity deals, with ladies’ night on Wednesday followed by guys’ night Thursdays, with drawings, free slot play, and other fun discounts.

Right next door to the casino is the newly renovated 100-room hotel with new luxurious suites, a swimming pool, hot tub, video arcade, and the Child Entertainment Center for the kids. If you want to take a trip back in time, spend the night at Tipi Village. You’re not quite roughing it, though, as the site is complete with showers, laundry, restrooms, and heated outdoor pool and hot tub. It’s part of the RV Park, which offers free shuttle service to and from the casino.

Wildhorse offers some terrific dining options, including their newest jewel, Plateau, serving eclectic Northwest cuisine with an amazing selection of Oregon and Walla Walla Valley wines and a knockout view of the Blue Mountains. What was once known as the last stop before Deadman Pass is now the region’s most exciting entertainment destination. This is an A+ way to spend your vacation. (800-654-9453; www.wildhorseresort.com)

2 In Lincoln City, on the magnificent Oregon coast, you’ll find the Chinook Winds Casino Resort. The hotel is right on the ocean, located just down the hill from the casino. It has 227 rooms, including 81 suites and a heated, indoor pool, spa, and sauna.

The Chinook Winds Golf Resort is about a half-mile from the casino and hotel. It’s currently a 4500-yard course but is slated to expand to a 6640-yard, par 71 course. Right now an upgraded executive layout is available. It’s a par 65 from the men’s blue tees. Half the holes are a par 3, but unlike the typical exec layout, they also have a trio of par 5s. On site you’ll find the pro shop, health club and Aces Bar & Grill, where you can catch ballgames on the big screen, eat, play darts, or try out the new golf simulator and shoot a fantasy round at 10 possible classic courses such as Pebble Beach.

The casino is set up both for the novice who enjoys turning a card or pumping a few bucks into a slot and for seasoned players, offering the highest-limit blackjack—$1000—in the state of Oregon. The poker room opens daily at noon, with tournaments Monday through Thursday starting at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Enjoy all kinds of slots, from a penny all the way up to the $100 high-stakes machine. Naturally, you can also throw ‘dem-bones’ at the craps tables and let ‘er spin on roulette. “Parents can enjoy playing their favorite games of chance while their children are safely having fun at our children’s Play Palace arcade,” says general manager Jim Kikumoto.
Chinook Winds has become legendary for the variety of entertainment they present. On July 20 and 21, crooner Neil Sedaka will be appearing. On August 24 and 25, you can enjoy country music master Randy Travis. Tickets for both great shows are available by calling 888-MAIN-ACT.

Several dining options are available, from the Euchre Creek Deli to the Siletz Bay Buffet. On the high end, you’ll find the Rogue River Room serving delicious cuisine and great wine along with a spectacular view of the Pacific. It’s a dynamite setting to enjoy the sunset. (888-CHINOOK; www.chinookwindscasino.com)

3 The new kid on the block is the awesome Circling Raven Golf Club, adjacent to the highly acclaimed Coeur d’Alene Casino.

When Circling Raven opened in 2003, both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine placed it in their Top 10 lists of new courses. This astounding par 72 gem maxes out at nearly 7200 yards from the gold tees, with scenery provided by ponderosa pines, birch, aspen, native grasses, wetlands, and 62 bunkers. The pro shop, practice range, and putting green are all first class.

Guests will enjoy the combination of tribal hospitality and small-town friendliness. The Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel underwent major renovations and expansions just 3 years ago, adding 107 hotel rooms, another 30,000 square feet of casino space, and the Night Hawk Lounge and Sweetgrass Café. The hotel rooms are spacious with great amenities, and suites are available. Spoil yourself on the main floor with a heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and fully loaded workout facility.

The casino never closes, ever! Beyond the 1800 gaming machines, they have a newly remodeled off-track betting room to play the ponies and doggies from all around the globe. Visitors will lack for nothing.

Anyone familiar with this part of Idaho knows the weather is pretty much perfect until the first snowfall. The last weekend of July brings Julyamsh, the largest outdoor powwow in the Northwest. It’s an opportunity to be a part of a unique cultural experience.

And Mark Chesnutt & Cowboy Crush bring their country sound to the casino on August 2. (800-523-2464; www.cdacasino.com)

4 You’ll find Quinault Beach Resort and Casino and Ocean Shores Golf Course just 3 miles apart on Washington’s beautiful Olympic Peninsula. These places rate high on the WOW scale.

Ocean Shores Golf Course has a pretty cool history, with Pat Boone among the original developers in the 1960s. It was the site of his annual celebrity tournament and for a while was a regular LPGA tour stop. It’s a terrific golf setting. You will walk away telling your friends about the greens. All are elevated and maintained to be rather brisk, so you best bring your smoothest Crenshaw-like putting stroke. The golf course plays to a par 71 in a non-traditional sense, with five par 3s and four par 5s over the final 13 holes. Bob Bostwick of Ocean Shores informs me the course is different than most due to the contrasting nines. The front has a more traditional feel, while the back is true links golf. The onshore breeze can definitely influence your round.

The resort has 150 oversized, comfortable rooms with 10-foot ceilings, fireplaces, and large sitting areas. The décor is warm and fits in perfectly with the setting. You’ll enjoy amenities galore with a day spa, fitness center, indoor pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna.

Emily’s Restaurant (named after Emily Sherwood, a well-respected elder of the Quinault Indian Nation) is an elegant eatery that features regional seafood specialties and a breathtaking view of the ocean. After breakfast, which is served until 2 p.m., they shut down
for a couple of hours to prep their sensational sunset dinner. Recently, Chef Doug has added home-style lunch and dinner buffets.

When it’s time to crank up the action, Quinault has plenty to choose from: 350 Vegas-style slot machines, a Texas hold ‘em poker room, craps, roulette, three-card poker, and intriguing card games like Spanish 21 or Fortune Pai Gow.

On Thursday nights, you can go head-to-head with other guests in a blackjack tournament that pays the top seven finishers. (360-289-3357; www.oceanshoresgolf.com / 888-461-2214; www.quinaultbeachresort.com)

5 Our journey concludes at the magnificent St. Eugene Mission Resort just outside Cranbrook, British Columbia. Talk about a majestic setting! The resort is framed by the Rocky and Purcell mountains as well as the St. Mary’s River.

After its opening in 2000, St. Eugene was named as one of the top three new courses in Canada by Golf Digest. The clubhouse is an area landmark with a unique barn-like design. The greens are huge—with many over 30-yards in depth—so proper club selection on the approach is critical. You know how beautiful the area is and the course is no different, but it offers golfers a true test of their game as well, measuring 7000 yards from the back or black tee boxes. The back nine presents a non-classic par 36 with a trio of par 3s, 4s, and 5s so you’ll give every club in the bag a workout.

Dining options cover the entire spectrum, from some mighty fine barbecue to the casually elegant Purcell Grill. The menu is updated weekly to capitalize on seasonal produce and keep the selections fresh. The 4 ½-star hotel offers 125 gorgeous rooms with killer views of the aforementioned mountains, with the signature Chief Isadore suite offering a look at dramatic Fisher Peak Mountain.

They have the lone casino in the Kootenay Rockies, with 224 slot machines in various denominations and 10 gaming tables, including roulette, traditional blackjack, and Texas hold ’em. (866-292-2020; www.steugene.ca).

Northwest Travel July/August 2007