Livin' the High Life: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

 

Alex, the Caddy

A caddy is not something that Randy usually has on a golf course. It's not a feature at the Stafford Country Club ... or anywhere else he's played.

He has a "cheerleader" on occasion - if I look up from my book at the right time.

As I texted the kids: "Dad is living the dream. His golf game today includes a caddy named Alex."

At the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course, the caddy was a requirement. (So was the gratuity that came at the end of the golf round.)

They have a gated course and your name has to be on the list. (I'm convinced that's so another employee can meet you at the car and collect yet another tip for unloading your clubs and getting them down to the driving range and start area.)

Alex was definitely a better cheerleader than I am. 

Alex also had better eyesight. My eyesight is just one other excuse I have for not playing golf ... oh, yeah, and being hopeless at the game. (I tell people that after trying the game, I opt to go along for the ride, along with a book. I'm a champion reader.) One of Alex's jobs was helping find where the golf balls landed for the four golfers to which he was assigned that day. Since each group had an assigned caddy, it helped move the games along - more people, more greens fees, more tips, more trips to the pro shop ... you get the idea.

The floating green in the lake to the left of Randy in the photo.

Another of Alex's jobs was to give advice about where to direct the ball on the unfamiliar course for his foursome that day - Randy, Stewart, Michael and Cole. His unwavering enthusiasm and optimism generated some laughter from the foursome throughout the game.

"We'll find it."

"That's OK. There's a free drop zone from there."

And so on and so forth.

They did keep their editorial comments about Alex's unwarranted enthusiasm among the four of them. 

 

 

The caddy and the gate weren't the only unusual features. The course also is home to the only movable floating golf green.

Alex was able to use his unrelenting optimism when two of the four golfers - including Randy - had to take a second shot to get it to the green.

Once they'd teed off, they went down to a dock, where a boat transported them to the green. I stayed on dry ground so I could take photos.

The 14th hole - which included the floating green - was not the only beautiful hole on the course. 

What's not to love about greens surrounded by waters?

There was one other big difference. While many golf courses play host to geese who like to roam the manicured lawns, the Coeur d'Alene course had another kind of birds - sea gulls.

***

The golf course wasn't our only stop in Coeur d'Alene. We also roamed what the city calls "the world's longest floating boardwalk."

It is 3,300-foot long, 12-foot wide and offers views of the marina and the lake. There was definitely some money represented there!

That wasn't the only place we saw fancy boats and yachts. If we'd had one, we could have arrived via boat to our evening supper spot, The Cedars Floating Restaurant.

It was our favorite meal of the trip.

 

 This was a view from the window. 

Randy took a video of the lights swaying in the floating restaurant and sent it to the kids. 

I didn't get a photo of Randy's meal, but I did of my cedar-plank salmon, asparagus and roasted potatoes. Their salad bar was phenomenal, too. (Not many restaurants offer salad bars after the pandemic, so that was a treat, too!)

We splurged on dessert that night, too. Randy had the chocolate mousse cake (right) and I had the half order of the Mile High Mud Pie (with an Oreo crust, espresso ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauces.) Yum!