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4.1
730 Reviews (730)
5 Stars
374
4 Stars
256
3 Stars
64
2 Stars
26
1 Stars
10
Conditions
3.9
Value
3.8
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
3.7
Amenities
3.9
87.0%
Recommend this course
667 out of 730 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
23 Reviews (23)
5 Stars
12
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
4
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
1
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.7
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.2
87.0%
Recommend this course
20 out of 23 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
49 Reviews (49)
5 Stars
20
4 Stars
15
3 Stars
11
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
2
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.6
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.4
Amenities
3.8
StaffFriendliness
4.2
83.7%
Recommend this course
41 out of 49 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Style Links
Par 71
Length 6845 yards
Slope 136
Rating 73.0

Elks Run Golf Club in Batavia was designed by Greg Norman. It sprawls across 163 lush and secluded acres where golfers will be hard-pressed to find a home anywhere close to the course. Norman carefully utilized the natural terrain, incorporating the meandering creek on several holes and also adding a few holes that venture up the side of a hill. Thanks to the dramatic elevation changes, there are some tees where your ball seems to stay in the air forever. The first nine is more open with a traditional links-style layout that then leads to the more densely wooded back nine. In addition to the trees and other natural hazards, there is also an unusually thick first cut of rough as well as tall stands of native grasses.

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Course Details

Year Built 1999
Fairways Bent Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Greg Norman (1999) Tad Burnett (1999)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted Amex MasterCard Visa Discover card(s) Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Fivesomes Allowed Yes
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Colared shirt required, no denim.

Food & Beverage

Snacks, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in Ohio (2021 #20)
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Reviews

4.1
730 Reviews (730)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Challenging layout

I played nine holes on 8/6 at Elks Run for the first time and it was a very good experience. The course is well maintained although not perfect. It would certainly be in better condition if players would fix their ball marks. This course is a good challenge but not daunting. The fairways have a very generous width but the approach shots need to be precise. The greens looked great but were too slow for my liking. I played late afternoon and the pace of play was great at 1-1/2 hours for nine holes. Will definitely be back.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 20-24
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Awesome

Great course- Some really beautiful holes with elevated tee boxes,. Wish I played from the tips just to hit some of the drives off the hills.
Very Friendly- not too challenging from your proper tees.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great course,new owners super nice

Course is in great shape,new owners replaced carts.staff very nice. Cart barn person very good at this job.these are some of the reasons why people go back to a course and play,it's because of your staff,you may have the best course,but may not go back because of the treatment you received.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

The layout is great

The course was in good condition, there were a few tee boxes that need some extra attention. Geens were ok, but other players didn't fix divots that is the only negative thing I have to say. Will be back to play again

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great facility. I really like how close the cart building is at the parking lot. Awesome clubhouse.

Some of the best elevated tees in southern Ohio. A test of golf but fair well positioned hazards. Plays first class.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Some of the prettiest holes in Ohio.

They were not able to mow for a few days so the course was even more challenging than normal. The rough felt like the US Open. Some of the prettiest holes in Ohio without a doubt. Wish they would add collars to the greens and cut the 'heather'back a few yards on each hole. That might help pace of play a little.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Elk Run....Stunning!

I LOVE THIS PLACE.

I live up north of Kings Island and its a hike to get to Elks Run, but man its in awesome shape. Its more difficult this year than it was last year. the far outside rough is much taller and the first cut is thick and healthy. I play many courses in Cincinnati and most are dry and brown, not Elks. Fairways are very healthy and so are the greens. The only negative i can say is the greens seem really slow, as compared to other years...but not bad at all. I played Thursday and did 18 holes in under 3.5 hours, but thats a weekday... weekends i know are much busier.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Fantastic Course

I've played Elks Run GC a number of times now, and the course is almost always in great condition (and I'd never consider it poor). It's a challenging layout that is not very forgiving, but plays to a manageable distance if you can keep it straight. This one stays on the list of 5-10 course I regularly play around the area. The value can't be beat.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Elks run

Over all the course is great. No a trace of dead grass anywhere, the greens are great, and the rough is up. The only areas for improvement would be making the greens a little quicker. They were slightly inconsistent and slow. Other than that they are fixing a few water mains that requires the fair ways to be torn up on no 3 and one of th holes on the back but the damage is minimal. This course has done a complete 180 in the last couple of years and I love aging it and can't wait to get out there again soon.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

A Long Way To Go

I know this course has just recently been reopened, but I expected much better conditions. The greens had no fringe and the fairways still have weeds in them, not to mention the sand traps are terrible. I know that it takes a lot to bring a course back that has sat vacant for some time, but it will probably take another couple years to get the course back to one of the best tracks in tri-state area. Just hopefully they don't have to overprice the course like the old days to cover the necessary price of getting the course to wear it should be. With that being said it is still one of my favorite layouts anywhere and this is from a guy who has played over 100 different courses.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 30
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Kentucky Advisor
First Time Playing

nice track

This was the first time I have been here. This is a pretty good track, but on my visit the greens were running pretty slow, maybe 7.5 stimp so you didn't get the real feel of the greens. This course looks like it is right out In front of you, but many of the holes are slight doglegs and if you don't pick the right line you can get in trouble. If you are spraying to ball at all you are going to waste a large number of ball that will be lost to natural grasses that line just about every hole. There are a couple of really short par 4's in the 300 range, and now that I have seen the course once, I could take some more risk. Nice little course.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Challenging but very Fair

The course is a bit of a drive for me but the serenity was well worth it. The only real complaint I have and it's kind of a big one, is no yardage markers, anywhere! Not on the tees for several holes and pretty much none to be found in the fairways.
The back nine is quite a challenge without knowing landing area yardages, etc.
I played with three guys, one who works there and he was as helpful as could be. I'll make the 45 minute drive to play it again when I sharpen my game up a bit.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great layout on a great piece of land

Great course. The fairways are wide but the rough and heather provide a true penalty if you don't hit the fairway.

Greens could have been faster but they still rolled true.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Excellent Layout

Great course layout. Very well maintained. Tall heather really penalizes when tee shots don't find the fairway.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Good course but beware of the heather

The course is well maintained and the staff is friendly. In addition the course has a challenging but fair lay out. The main issue that is presents difficulty is a abundance of the very thick and high heather that defines and dominates the course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Best public course in Cincinnati area

I have been playing Cincinnati courses for the past 16 months and this is the best course I have found. It is very challenging and I would not necessarily recommend it for a high handicapper 20+. But for the low to moderate handicap golfer it is a great challenge. Fairways were perfect. Greens were smooth and reasonable speed. Rough was thick and fairly deep. It was US Open quality rough. The staff was friendly and helpful. When we had an issue with a group playing slow and holding up several groups the ranger immediately addressed it. Overall I highly recommend this course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

A MUST PLAY

Beautiful setting
Friendly staff
Wonderful conditions
Challenging course

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Great Course in Great Shape

Played here on May 12, 2013 and the course is in really great shape. The greens were a little slower than normal but in great shape. The rough is up pretty high off the fairways, so accuracy off the tee i paramount.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great track!

Some of the heather needs to be cut back to speed up pace of play. For instance, #13 is a long and tight driving hole with trees down the right side. In order to have a shot to the well protected (creek and bunker) green, you have to favor the left side of the fairway. There is some nice banking down the left side which would feed the ball back into play but because the heather is 3 feet tall, very thick and just 10 feet from the fairway, it is a lost ball almost every time. Get the weed eaters out, cut some of it back and it will make for a much more enjoyable hole. More distance markings (sprinkler heads, par 3 tees, distance to creeks and bunkers) would also help speed up play.

Overall, this course is an awesome layout and well maintained. The staff is very friendly and go out of their way to insure you have an enjoyable golf experience. This is by far one of my favorite tracks in Cincy!
For more course reviews check out bestofcincy.com.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser

Great course for a great price

Great course. Playing another round in the morning

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
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