Famed Northwest golf course architect John Harbottle is at it again.
This time, he's opening Palouse Ridge Golf Club on the Washington State campus in Pullman. The $8.5 million, 18-hole destination course is scheduled to open in August and represents an upgrade of staggering proportion from the nine-hole course it replaces.
"This is a pretty dramatic piece of ground," said Harbottle, who also designed Ridgecrest Golf Club in Nampa and BanBury Golf Club in Eagle. "It has more elevation changes than most courses in our region."
The hope is that Palouse Ridge becomes part of a golf swing that includes Idaho courses Circling Raven in Worley and Coeur d'Alene Resort.
Greens fees for non-residents of Whitman County will be $45.50 during peak hours Monday-Thursday and $71.50 on weekends. The course is 7,300 yards from the championship tees and the goal of WSU officials is to host an NCAA championship.
Former WSU president V. Lane Rawlins pushed hard for the course, contending it was something that would benefit the campus and community. The course is expected to make Pullman more appealing for meetings and conventions and as a place to live and retire.
SUN VALLEY OPENS: The Sun Valley Resort Trail Creek Golf Course opens May 15. The driving range opens Monday.
Early-season green fees will be in effect through June 1: $89 for 18 holes and $58 for nine.
IDAHOANS SELECTED FOR PNGA EVENT: Twelve Idahoans were selected by the Idaho Golf Association to compete in the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Cup, which runs Wednesday through Friday at Pronghorn in Bend, Ore.
They are Todd Points, Eric Peterson, Jonathan Edwards, Marc Rhoades, Bob Wheeler, Brett Rupert, Joe Malay, Bob Lutz, Kareen Markle, Karen Darrington, Jean Smith and Georgia Hutchinson.
Forty-eight players from the four Pacific Northwest regional amateur golf associations will compete in four-ball, foursome and singles matches.
CALENDAR
IDAHO STATE SCRAMBLE: The 17th annual Bengals in Boise Golf Scramble is May 31 at BanBury. An evening reception is scheduled for May 30. Teams for the scramble will consist of six players, with an entry fee of $100 per player. The fee includes golf, cart, barbecue lunch and entrance to the Friday reception, also at BanBury. Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen will be on hand to auction off a trip for two to any 2008 Vikings home game. To enter, call Donna Hays at 208-282-5773 or by email: haysdonn@isu.edu.
ACES
A roundup of holes-in-one reported in the past week:
Gerald Fisher, Falcon Crest (Robin Hood), No. 2, 178 yards, 8-iron, April 21. Witness: Fred Fisher Sr.
Vicki Luna, Purple Sage, No. 8, 92 yards, 8-iron, May 3. Witness: Marnie Kuyper.
Skeet Evans, Centennial, No. 4, 119 yards, gap wedge, May 4. Witnesses: Philip Brown, Alison Brown, Rick Ryerse.
Mike Feiler, Foxtail, No. 5, 110 yards, pitching wedge, May 4. Witness: Judy Feiler.
Gary Crupper, SpurWing, No. 12, 175 yards, 6-iron, May 5. Witnesses: Stan Kolby, Dave Hendrickson, Troy Dykstra.
Nick Oversby, Quail Hollow, No. 15, 170 yards, 9-iron, May 6. Witnesses: Dominic Wrublik and Jason Krogman.
