Golf!

If there's one activity that connects a big percentage of the Inland Northwest, it's an appreciation of the outdoors and beautiful scenery.

And more and more, golf is a great way to just do that.

There are about 40 courses in the North Idaho/Spokane area, and each one contains diverse scenery, from natural landscapes to beautiful views on local waterways.

Some of the top-ranked courses are in the area, including The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course and its famous floating green, the Coeur d'Alene Casino's Circling Raven, the exclusive Black Rock and new Arnold Palmer-designed Idaho Club in Sandpoint.

There are also some with beautiful scenery and great histories, such as Avondale.

In Spokane, Indian Canyon has a history of attracting some of the game's greatest players, but also is easily able to make room for local foursomes. Meadowood, Hangman

Creek, Wandermere, and others regularly make our lists of favorite courses or at least great individual holes.

A typical round can take three to five hours, depending on the time of day, course conditions, the number of players in your group and how busy the course is that day.

Some courses are booked days or weeks in advance, others let you walk right in,

or at least warm up a little on the range before your turn.

Local and out-of-town golfers wanting information about local courses along with strategies for improving their game can visit www.gogolfnw.com, a free site dedicated to informing and educating the community about golf options.