Elkview Country Club

I'm giving Elkview 5 stars because it was certainly closer to a five-star experience than a four-star experience. All around, Elkview was a real treat for me to play. Of course, the company of the head pro, assistant, superintendent and past president made it that much better, but the course itself, plus the renovated clubhouse and setting between two crystal clear lakes makes this a special place. As for the layout, this is a Donald Ross design that goes all the way back to 1919. In fact, you'll find the original drawings from Ross inside the clubhouse. No two holes are alike, and there's real challenge out here even though it's just under 7,000 yards from the tips. But what really makes the course are the greens, which have all kinds of interesting slopes that go back to the original design. A couple of greens, in fact, have been softened because modern green speeds are so much faster than they were in in the early 20th century and pin positions were becoming somewhat limited. With that said, you certainly need to find the right part of the fairway coming into the greens, and shots above the flagstick on some holes are almost impossible two putts. Which leads to much of the fun out here. Inside, expect great service and food, and the club has excellent practice facilities.