Coeur Belief – The Club at Black Rock
BY JOHN TORSIELLO
It is a combination sometimes hard to come by at a golf community; a feeling of intimacy in a larger-than-life setting that simply begs you to embrace it with open arms.
This unique dynamic can be found at The Club at Black Rock in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, a place where nature and all its pleasures merges sweetly with tasteful homes and a wealth of man-made amenities.
Located about 90 miles from the Canadian border, Black Rock sits majestically above the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene, judged by no less an authority on natural wonders than National Geographic to be one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the United States. Deer and elk move easily about the property, with eagles overhead. That’s because half of the 650-acre site is dedicated to open space. It is obvious that noted Colorado-based architect and land planner Frank Vaught created the club’s original master plan from an artist’s viewpoint.
At the center of the active lifestyle that Black Rock residents pursue on a daily basis is a marvelous Jim Engh-designed golf course. The layout has some of the most stunning views you can enjoy with a seven-iron in your hands. The 150-yard, par-three 13th has five waterfalls cascading down a rocky cliff to the left of the putting surface. And the approach shot to the par-four 11th hole is over rock outcroppings and two more waterfalls to a green that sits tucked in a bowl. This is special stuff.
Another course, being designed by former PGA Tour star and accomplished “western mountain course” architect Tom Weiskpof, is on the way and should be ready for play in May of 2009, says Roger Nelson, president of Black Rock Development. Each course will have its own clubhouse and practice facility, and an 18-hole putting course opened last year.
“We are very excited about the new course. We will introduce the first phase of lots on the course this summer. Many of the lots have golf or lake views.”
The original community has about 50 homesites still available, with prices ranging from $200,000 to around $1.5 million. Lots in the new community near the Weiskopf golf course will run from $350,000 to $2 million. Membership deposit for the club, which now has about 310 members, is $125,000.
Among the residential choices at Black Rock are custom-built homes, member cabins, and golf cottages. The homes are designed around a theme in keeping with the rustic nature of the environment and are laced with modern day conveniences.
There is much to do at Black Rock, if you can pull yourself away from the golf course. The nearby lake provides an ideal venue for boating, water skiing, swimming, fishing, and parasailing. The club maintains a marina on the lake. After a full day of activity you might want to sit by a fire and watch as a T-bone steak is grilled to your specifications on the deck of Shooters Bar and Grill, as the sun sets behind the tall pines and water.
In a nod to a society where playing together is an important ingredient to successful family life, The Club at Black Rock will this year open its 5,000-square-foot Kootenai Cabin, where youngsters can enjoy their own fishing pond, swimming pool, rock climbing wall, basketball court, and sand volleyball court. The cabin is named after the Kootenai Indians who reside in northern Idaho.
“It’s an extensive children’s facility,” says Nelson. “We are very pleased about its opening in June. Families just love it and it makes our community much more well-rounded.”
In addition to the views, peace and quiet, splendid homes and amenities, buyers from places like California, Texas, and Las Vegas have been attracted to the ideal weather the area affords during the summertime.
“One of the great things about Coeur d’Alene is that the water temperature is in the 70s in the summer, so it’s ideal for all kinds of activities,” says Nelson. “And, being around 2,200 feet above sea level we don’t get the bugs that bother some other places, which is unusual for such a big lake. It stays warm and dry.”
Black Rock Development has a number of other projects in the Coeur d’Alene area as well as nearby Spokane,Washington, says Nelson, including Bellerive and Rivers Edge on the Spokane River in downtown Coeur d’Alene. The latter community will have condominiums, town homes, and single-family homes with boat slips selling for between $400,000 and $1.7 million, as well as 22 custom homes with river frontage selling for around $2 million.
Just The Facts:
- Lakeside Attraction: In addition to golf and the Kootenai Cabin for children’s activities, one of the main amenities of The Club at Black Rock is its marina. It has 130 slips, boat and jet ski rentals, and is home to Shooters Bar and Grill.
- Location: The Club at Black Rock is in the town of Coeur d’Alene at the north end of the 30-mile lake of the same name in the Idaho panhandle. It is 30 miles east of Spokane, Washington.
Information: www.blackrockidaho.com or 208-665-2024
