I met up with Jason Jones (AKA Double Barky Sparky) and we walked 18 holes at Belvedere GC Wednesday. What an awesome course, but I digress...On the way back I thought I would squeeze in another 9 holes at Elk Rapids GC (Donald Ross, 1922). To be honest, I really wasn’t expecting much from an old, and most likely tired 9 holer. I thought the course probably didn’t have all that much Ross character left by now anyway. It tips out at only a mere 3066 yards from the blue tees. I didn’t get to play it Wednesday as they are closed to public play every Wednesday. It looked decent enough from the street that I drove back this morning to walk a very early 9 holes. As I previously stated, I was expecting much less here than I experienced. The greens were all on the small side and lacked the Ross movement and character that I am used to seeing on the majority of his greens. You should be thinking more like Miami Shores GC and not Grosse Ile CC! The golf course, while somewhat bland overall, does display some interesting features in spots and one (maybe 2) very good par 3 holes. All original 17 bunker are still there, although I am sure most have lost their luster. I am a huge Ross disciple, and it was certainly worth $15 to walk 9 this morning. I am not sure of the club’s history, or how it came to be, but it is semi-private with a membership and open to the public as well. I would wager that Mr. Ross most likely never set foot on said property. I'll play anywhere once, and would walk here again if nearby. Here is the .25 cent tour…
The pro shop, if you can call it that, is about as big as a large walk-in closet:
They had an aerial photo from 1999 hanging the shop, and as you can see they have aggressively planted a ton of trees here to try and protect par. Personally, I would rather see strategic tree planting and a reworking of the greens and bunkers to protect par here. Cash is King, and most likely they are not awash in it so planting trees was their choice.
Hole # 1 Par 5 485 yards. Requires a nice fade off the tee here. Too straight of a drive is collected by an almost unseen bunker about 215 yards out. This also sports a large hardwood tree to the left center of the fairway that may or may not affect your second shot. Nothing special about this green at all except for maybe some semblance of Ross bunkering left and right of the green.
Hole # 2 Par 4 343 yards. Driver not required off the tee, but straight is rewarded with an easy second approach shot. Another small green with a small, kidney shaped bunker to the rear. Sorry about the sunrise in your face off the tee! Time for a new camera with a UV filter...
Hole #3 Par 4 361 yards. Another short par 4 that because of the trees requires a straight tee shot. Again, driver not required here. Again, small, round green which is very flat flanked by a few Ross like bunkers and a near mound to it’s rear.
Hole #4 Par 4 381 yards. This par 4 plays slightly uphill and even with a nice drive affords you no view of the green for your second shot. The fairway dips down at the end to a small green. There is a bunker to the rear of the green that sits on a shelf before dropping off into some scrub and then the lake. Don’t be long and over the green here. The hole had a much better appearance the last 60 yards in my opinion.
Hole #5 Par 3 171 yards. Tucked below a few large trees is a small green. The fairway runs along the lake with the view here being mostly obstructed by many trees. This was a nice par 3, with an excellent green, even though it was small in size. It has a nice false front and an area that falls off to the right. I wonder how much of this green has been lost over the years. I felt that at one time, many of these greens may have had more character and movement. IMO, this was an excellent hole.
Hole #6 Par 4 387 yards, Number 1 handicap hole that requires a long and straight drive. Anything too far right is in the lake and there are some trees that must be avoided off the tee. The green is very small here indeed. After you walk off the 6th green, you follow a path a short distance that goes through the parking lot to the 7th hole. The fescue down the right side was a nice touch, and something the course could use more of.
Hole #7 Par 4 300 yards. Driver not required here at all. The tee box is in a chute and all that is need is a 150-160 straight shot to the middle of a somewhat narrow fairway. The green is perched atop at slight incline in the fairway. Again, small, circular green that is pretty darn flat and boring. This is the easiest hole on the course, but a nice, short par 4. Bring the bunkers back to life and this holes wakes up it's audience.
Hole #8 Par 3 187 yards. I liked this par 3 as well. Decent green, more undulation and well protected by large trees to the left and bunkers to the right.
Hole #9 Par 5 451 yards. This short par 5 is a slight dog leg to the left. Approach is to a small sized green. Although flat, it looks as if it had, at one time, more contouring that in it’s present state. Like #1 a fairly boring, non descript par 5.
Here is a Donald Ross plaque to the rear of the 9th green. Nice touch.
All in all, a decent little Donald Ross course that was well worth the time (and the $15) to walk 9 holes (1 hour 10 minutes) on an early Friday morning in Northwestern Michigan.