Otter ♥ Floating Green Not Wilderness

When Gov. Butch Otter spoke to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee in Washington, D.C., this week, he wanted to make a point about how little wilderness means to his home state. “There are more people in one day, probably, that play golf on the floating green in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, than visit the Frank Church-River of No Return (Wilderness) in a year,” Otter told the committee. “And that’s just a par 3.” Well, not exactly. In a normal summer day, with all tee times filled, the Coeur d’Alene Resort’s golf course can handle about 220 golfers, said Andy MacKimmie, the resort’s head golf professional. But in a tournament like the Governor’s Cup, he can start a foursome on every hole. “We can accommodate up to 280 golfers in a day with double shotgun starts,” MacKimmie said/ Rocky Barker , Idaho Statesman. More here . (SR file photo: Jesse Tinsley)

Question: Do you think the floating green is more important to Idaho than the Frank Church-River of No Return (Wilderness), as Butch Otter seems to do?