Elks Run Golf Club (Batavia, OH)

I remember when I first played Elks Run twenty years ago. For $85, you could play unlimited golf for the entire day. It was a lot of money back then but it was one of my favorites and the cornerstone of the Cincinnati/Dayton trip. 
(The 156/136 yard par three eighth is a fantastic drop shot hole. With a short iron in hand, one can be as aggressive as one wants but missing the putting surface especially on the right or rear will lead to a big number. The front bunker has a shoulder that pushes into the green, and when the pin is on the right side, will be a difficult two putt.) 

Elks Run was designed by Greg Norman in 1999, and is a good example of his design philosophy. His routing takes advantage of the hillside and a rock strewn creek, and uses these features as much as possible. On the back nine, 11-15 all have the creek in play, fronting putting surfaces, forcing players to favor a particular side to gain an edge for the approach.  

(The 154/144 yard twelfth is a downhill par three surrounded by water. There’s plenty of room for the shot at hand and is a good birdie opportunity. Still, players must take heed not to be too zealous otherwise a mishit can find the hazard.) 

Much of the front nine plays in a field with the two standout holes, 7 & 8, stretching into the hillside and playing on the highest part of the property. The back nine then plays on the other side of the clubhouse where the aforementioned creek arches into five consecutive holes. The creek holes are definitely the most memorable. 
(The 550/535 yard fifth tees off from atop the hill and plays to a shared green that wraps around a small lake. Both par fives, 3 & 5, play to the boomerang green, and while the green is wider on three, it’s a narrower on five. The longer hitter has a chance to reach both in two, but the prudent play is laying up to a workable yardage and attacking with a wedge.)

The back nine is where the fun begins and is a blast to play. The creek is wide in certain spots and the amount of rocks and stones makes it an impressive sight. I like how Norman varies the yardage it is from the greens. It’s a notable distance back on the eleventh, and then on my favorite hole, the thirteenth, it guards the entire left side of the green. 
(The creek guards the entire right side of the 539/517 dogleg right par five fifteenth before cutting in front of the green. A solid drive is a must in order to advance the ball to a short yardage third shot. No easy pickings on this par five. A par is a fine score, and birdie is a reason to celebrate.) 

The final three holes are strong and demanding. A long par three sandwiched between two stout par fours, a par on any of these holes is a good score indeed. 

(The 457/420 yard eighteenth has a small window to run the ball on the putting surface. Pins tucked on either side will prove very difficult to get close. Four goes a long way.)

Elks Run is one of the top five public courses in Cincinnati, and overall a top twenty public course in Ohio.  I give Elks Run a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play).