Course Breakdown: Elmbrook

Elmbrook Golf Course holds a special place in our hearts, and it's where we play the most golf during the summer. Built in 1964, this course is short, but the small, sloping greens are lightning-fast. Add in the tight, undulating fairways, and life comes at you quickly as you walk off the green wondering how you ended up with a double on a sub-350-yard par 4. Follow along as we share how we attack this golf course with the goal of making birdies and minimizing poor decisions along the way.

Distances will be measured from the blue tees. While there are longer tees available, we typically play the blues due to the difference in maintenance between the blue tees and the longer black tees. If we were to offer any critique of this well-designed and enjoyable golf course, it would be that we'd like to see an emphasis on maintaining the black tees to add additional length and challenge.

As for the Google Earth images, these photos don't quite capture how lush the course conditions are, as Elmbrook has access to well water. The older photos do a better job of showcasing the terrain from an overhead perspective. I can confidently say that last year, Elmbrook's conditions were the best I have ever seen. I can't stress enough how enjoyable it is to play here.

Hole 1: 343 Yards
This dogleg-left par 4 features a creek running along the left side, forcing players to decide whether to risk carrying the creek or play it safe and lay up short. Long hitters must be cautious not to overshoot the fairway. With the usual downwind, a perfect drive flies either just right of the creek or clears it at around 230 yards.

The green is slightly elevated and is protected by a tightly mowed false front in the front and along the left side. With the green running slightly front to back, missing long or to the right is preferable for a better chance at saving par on your approach shot.

Hole 2: 161 yards

This medium-length par 3 is protected by bunkers short left and right. The elevated green plays at least 5 yards uphill, which hides the fact that these front bunkers stretch all the way to the middle of the green. The green slopes from left to right and back to front. I’ve bogeyed this hole more than any other because I tend to miss left, leaving myself with a tough downhill chip to a green that slopes away from the hole.

A miss right isn’t ideal either, as the right side is guarded by a couple of large trees that tend to knock any slightly off-target ball out of the air. A miss long leaves a clear shot, but, like the left, you’ll typically face a downhill chip shot. I always make sure to use enough club to clear the bunkers and trust my wedge if I miss the green. Long left is the worst miss, while long right is the best.

Pro tip: Don’t let it throw you off if you hear someone honking from the road. It happens, and it’s up to you to stay focused. The best response is a great, unphased swing with a smile (and maybe a middle finger in your mind)!

Hole 3: 470 Yards

The par 5 3rd hole is well under 500 yards, but it’s no walk in the park. The tee shot feels awkward, with trouble lurking in every direction. The entire left side of the hole is bordered by a property line defined by out-of-bounds. As you can see from the overhead view, it doesn’t take much to find that out-of-bounds area. The target line is along the right rough (yellow), where the OB starts 290 yards from the tee.

On the right side, there’s a bunker complex shaped like the Great Lakes. It looks cool, but I wouldn't recommend visiting these "Great Lakes." It’s 220 yards to carry Lake Superior, but there are a couple of giant trees right behind it. The good news is that the ground beyond these bunkers is usually firm, which gives your ball a chance to roll past the trees, leaving an opening toward the green. To clear the two largest trees, your ball needs to travel about 260 yards. If you're like me and tend to spray your drives in every direction, hitting a 220-yard shot off the tee with the intent to play this as a 3-shot par 5 can really help avoid a big number.

Assuming you survived the tee shot, now you need to worry about the left out-of-bounds area. The white stakes are uncomfortably close to the green, so you must be cautious not to miss left here. I vividly remember a high school tournament where I hit a great drive, followed by a long iron that landed on the gravel cart path and kicked straight left into someone's backyard. OUCH. This moment has haunted me ever since, but I must warn you that missing right isn’t much better. Two large trees create a tough obstacle, requiring a bump-and-run shot to keep the ball below the branches. Unless I have a 6-iron or less, I usually opt to lay up short of the green and hope to get up and down.

The green complex slopes slightly from front to back but is one of the flattest on the course. Make sure to get past the small false front, but also be cautious not to go long into the narrow bunker behind the green. If you don’t have a comfortable shot into the green, make sure your miss stays short.

Hole 4: 330 Yards

At just 330 yards, you might think the 4th hole at Elmbrook should be an easy one. But, oh boy, would you be wrong—this hole has teeth! The fairway moves dramatically left to right, and so does the terrain. There’s plenty of rough left of the fairway, which will leave you with an awkward left-to-right lie.

The right side slopes back towards the fairway, but there are a dozen or so trees just off the edge. The biggest challenge, though, is the giant tree about 115 yards from the tee that will swat down any ball that starts too far right. The ideal line off the tee is between the gap of the left pine trees and just left of the giant tree.

As a lefty who doesn’t hit a draw with my driver, this hole doesn’t set up well for me. It’s one of many holes at Elmbrook where I opt not to use driver. My play is a 5-wood, which gives me about 230 yards and leaves me with 80-100 yards for my next shot. For those who naturally hit a left-to-right shot, I think driver is a safe play, but you’ll need to decide what kind of shot you want to leave yourself for this diabolical green.

Yes, I said diabolical! The green complex is elevated about 8 feet above the fairway, with tightly mowed grass creating a nasty false front. The green itself is only 23 yards deep and slopes sharply from front to back, and slightly right to left. Be wary of a back pin—there’s not much flat area, and shots that don’t quite reach the back will tend to roll back toward the front. DO NOT MISS LONG. The green plays about 5 yards uphill from the fairway, and it's usually into the wind, even if you don’t feel it. A miss to the left is your best bet for getting up and down.

Hole 5: 340 Yards

The #1 handicap at Elmbrook is a straightforward par 4 with out-of-bounds left, a runaway ridge on the right side, and a large dip in the fairway from 260 to 320 yards. This hole is actually really good from the black tees, and if you’re looking for a bit more challenge, give it a try.

This hole is usually into the wind, so most golfers should be fine hitting driver. However, you don’t want to overshoot your tee shot past 260 yards to avoid the low area in the fairway. The dip drops about 15 feet, and you’ll either have a downhill lie to an elevated green or be left with a completely blind shot from the bottom of the hole, with just a wedge to the green. You have more room to miss on the right side, as you must avoid flirting with the OB on the left.

The green is similar to the 3rd hole: a slight false front to protect the front and not much movement once you’re past it. This green is also notorious for being firmer than the others, so expect your ball to bounce when it lands. Missing long isn’t the worst option, but both left and right tend to fall away. A bad bounce on the right could send your ball all the way down to the next fairway.

This hole shouldn’t pose too much trouble, but if you get off line, things can escalate quickly!

Hole 6: 370 yards

The most picturesque hole on the course offers stunning views of both East and West Bay of Grand Traverse Bay. The hole itself is just as captivating, with an elevated tee shot that gives you a great view of the equally elevated green, set in a ravine between two hillsides. The right hillside is steeper than the left and is also the preferred miss. I see no reason not to go for it with a driver here—swing away!

The real challenge on this hole is playing to the uphill green. From the 100-yard marker, the green sits about 25 feet above the fairway. With this much elevation, the uphill shot plays about 10 yards longer than the actual distance. What can drive a golfer crazy is that the uphill shot is often mitigated by the lack of height the ball has when it arrives, causing it to release towards the back of the green. The dilemma is whether to be aggressive and not account for the uphill or to play it safe and accept being long. That decision always comes down to whether you'd rather miss long or short.

Like many of the green complexes at Elmbrook, this one has a false front that denies any ball that doesn't clear it. The green slopes from the front left corner to the back left corner, which explains why golf balls often release forward on approach shots. The rough surrounding the back half of the green is elevated, stopping balls that roll through in a hurry. I’d recommend missing long rather than short, so I’d add at least 5 extra yards for the uphill approach. Aim for the left half of the green, as a slight miss left can kick right onto the green. The right side, however, elevates before falling off into some nasty grass—definitely avoid missing right.

Hole 7: 485 yards

A good drive on the downhill, downwind 7th hole gives you an opportunity to reach the green in two. At just 485 yards, you might think this hole is easy, but much like the 6th hole, the fairway sits about 25 feet below the green, making it difficult to hit the target.

Off the tee, the left side must be avoided. Finding your ball in the left tall grass is a challenge, and even if you do locate it, you’ll be blocked by trees along the entire left side. The right side is also tree-lined, but the grass is shorter and the ground is usually firmer, making it more likely for your ball to kick left, especially if you can carry the right bunkers (230 yards).

As long as I hit a decent drive, I always try to go for the green in two. I take an extra club for the uphill shot and do my best to get up and down for a birdie. If I don’t have the chance to reach the green, I aim to leave myself at least 100 yards for my next shot. Given the steepness of the green, I try to hit the ball as high and soft as possible, which is easier with a full swing. There’s not much difference between missing left or right of the green, but you’ll always prefer to be long rather than short. The green slopes from front to back, so anything past the pin leaves you with an uphill chip shot. The hill leading up to the green is very steep and typically lush, so it’s best to avoid this area at all costs.

Hole 8: 285 yards

The short par 4 8th hole is gently uphill to a green that falls off to the right and back. From the blue tees, this hole is only 285 yards and doesn’t pose much trouble. It’s probably the easiest hole on the course, but it can definitely cause problems if you get out of position.

I typically hit less than driver, aiming to stay short of the green with my tee shot. In my opinion, the biggest risk is missing pin-high left or right. The left side features a handful of trees you definitely want to avoid. I can’t count the number of times I’ve hit a good shot just left of my target and ended up completely blocked for my next shot. Missing pin-high right leaves you about 5 feet below the green surface, in an area that doesn’t get as much water as the rest of the course, so the lies can be unpredictable.

Another area to avoid are the Lake Michigan bunkers from the 3rd hole. These are just off the right side of the fairway, about 215 yards to reach and 230 yards to carry. My strategy is to either hit my 3-wood to carry over the bunkers and avoid this miss or hit a 5-iron 200 yards to stay short of them if I’m not feeling confident with my swing that day.

The green slopes from front to back, and the ball tends to roll out a long way. Generally speaking, you want to land the ball just onto the green and let it release. This hole is one where you shouldn’t chase a birdie at the risk of making anything worse than par.

Hole 9: 172 yards

Man, the deeper I get into this breakdown, the more I realize how challenging the par 3’s at Elmbrook are. The 9th hole is the gold standard when it comes to tough par 3s. From the blue tees, it typically plays around 170 yards, usually into the wind, and always uphill by at least 5 yards. I’ll never forget my high school coach, Dr. Derr, who always urged the kids to use enough club to fly the ball over the green. He’d say this knowing they still wouldn’t take enough club and would end up short. I’m with you, Doc—missing long is always better than missing short!

The elevated green has a false front on both the front and left side, with the severity of the false front increasing the further left you go. You definitely don’t want to be caught with a shot from here. The front half of the green slopes toward the tee box, while the back half slopes toward the back edge of the green. I aim for the right half of the green and select a club that gives me a better chance of missing long rather than short. On a windy day, I’ll use my 200-yard club or even more to ensure I hit it where I want.

Hole 10: 300 yards

There’s a trend at Elmbrook: most of the par 4s don’t require much more than a wedge for your second shot, but you’d better be darn good with that wedge because there’s trouble around most of these greens. The 10th hole is a perfect example of this. At only 300 yards, with minimal trouble off the tee, you might think it’s a birdie hole. But the incredibly sloped, elevated green will make you rethink that quickly.

From the tee, a large hill blocks your view of the fairway. Be sure to use the elevated tree mirror to check if there are any golfers ahead that you can’t see. The ideal line off the tee is up the left edge of the cart path. The fairway rises to its peak before sloping forward and towards the right. This slope is dramatic, making it tough to keep the ball on the fairway. You’d prefer to miss right rather than left, as there’s long grass on the left and the 18th fairway on the right. As long as you miss right, using driver is perfectly fine. With that in mind, I aim for the right side of the fairway. If I end up in the rough, at least I’ll still have a good angle into the green.

The green complex slopes steeply from the back left corner to the front left, with a false front on the front part of the green. The left half slopes so sharply that there are no pin positions there. I like to aim my approach shot just left of center and let the ball feed back to the right. Both long and right of the green drop off severely into rough, making for tough up-and-downs. Long is the absolute worst miss.

When I play this hole, I either hit driver to try and get close to the green or I’ll hit my 5-wood if the hole is into the wind. This leaves me with nearly a full wedge shot, which I try to hit toward the left center of the green.

Hole 11: 470 yards

The 470-yard par 5 almost always plays into the wind and is gently uphill the entire way to the green. The hole is lined with trees on both sides of the fairway, and there are definitely areas you’ll want to avoid. I’m notorious for missing left on this hole, which often leaves me completely blocked out on my second shot. Even if I have a chance to work around the large tree on the left, a steep hillside rises quickly behind it, making it impossible to hit a punch shot under the branches. Take it from me: don’t miss left. Aim to miss right instead.

Even if you hit a great drive, going for the green in two is a risky proposition. I recommend laying up somewhere between 85 and 50 yards out. This part of the fairway has the least trouble and still offers a great view of the green. From this position, the uphill plays an additional 5 yards and could be into the wind. Keep in mind that there’s a large tree and hillside behind the green that might block the wind, making it harder to judge how much the wind is affecting your shot.

The green is elevated, with a false front on the front half. Both the left and right sides slope toward the center, and the back half of the green slopes sharply from back to front. There’s a flat spot just before the back fringe, which creates a tough back pin placement. Missing long is a big mistake here, as the tall grass behind the green is thick as oatmeal, and any shot that goes past the fringe will likely roll down into that thick rough.

Personally, I’m a bit greedy and try to hit driver as far as I can up the right side. If I were trying to protect a good score, though, I might consider hitting a club that keeps me short of the 250-yard mark to avoid the left tree.

Hole 12: 170 yards

The 12th is the toughest of the challenging par 3s at Elmbrook. Playing around 170 yards, the green falls off sharply on the back left and the front right. A shot that lands behind the front bunker can “trampoline” another 20 yards into thick, long grass. Missing short right doesn’t result in as much roll, but it leaves a tough, uphill chip shot to a green that slopes away toward the left drop-off I mentioned earlier. I don’t want to point fingers at anyone in particular, but I play a lot with a guy named Greg who tends to bounce between those two trouble spots.

The wind usually blows left to right, which, as a lefty, makes this hole a little less penalizing for me than it is for right-handed players. Here’s a little “next-level” insight on why: A shot that misses left for me typically travels shorter than it normally would. This happens because an open clubface causes a higher loft at impact, turning my 7-iron into something closer to an 8-iron. Conversely, when I pull a shot, it tends to travel further because a closed clubface relative to the target reduces loft. So, if I’m dead center of the green, I’ve either made a solid shot, pushed it short of the left trouble, or pulled it and flown past the short right trouble.

For all the right-handed players out there, there are two places you absolutely cannot miss here. My advice? Consider hitting this tee shot left-handed, just to keep things interesting.

On a serious note, though, left is definitely the worst miss here. So, be sure to choose a club that’s more likely to leave you short rather than long.

The green slopes from right to left, and the back half tends to roll toward the back of the green. If you manage to make par or better here, you’ll be gaining significant ground on the field.

Hole 13: 465 yards
Standing on the 13th tee box and looking out at the fairway is one of the scariest golf shots I can imagine in my career. This dogleg-right par 5 is short and downhill, but it’s target golf at its finest. OB lines the entire left side of the hole, and at its shortest point, you can reach OB with a shot that only travels 180 yards. The right side is more forgiving, not OB, but it’s lined with trees and waist-high long grass. I remember my high school coach, Dr. Derr, telling me and my teammates that if we hit a driver during tournament play on this hole, we’d be benched for the next event.

For the tee shot, the safest club is one that goes about 190 yards. This shot gives you enough room to avoid the OB on the left and get past the big tree on the right side. If you manage to clear that tree, the ground slopes steeply from right to left, and you might even get a generous kick left back toward the fairway. Any further and you’ll be in a cluster of trees that will completely block your shot to advance up the fairway. The goal here is to make your landing zone as large as possible. I know it’s frustrating hitting a sub-200 yard shot off the tee on a par 5, but this hole is all about survival.

Personally, I tend to be a little more aggressive off the tee, but that’s because I hit a natural left-to-right shot with my 5 wood. I’ll aim for the middle OB line (around 235 yards) and let the shot shape take over. After breaking down the hole, though, I’m thinking about clubbing down to ensure I keep the ball in play.

As tough as the tee shot is, the second shot doesn’t get any easier. The OB continues all the way to the green, but to make matters worse, the trees on the left overhang and love to swat golf balls in all directions if your shot drifts that way. You might think bailing out to the right is the answer, but that leaves you with a poor angle into the green, with a front bunker and overhanging trees to navigate.

My suggestion is to hit a 190-yard tee shot followed by a 170-yard lay-up. This leaves you around 80 yards for your approach, which is the most forgiving area into the green. Even if you miss a little right, you can still hit a shot over the bunker with a decent chance of stopping on the green.

The green complex has a ridge running from the front to the back. The left side of the ridge slopes down toward the rough, while the rest of the green slopes left to right. Most pin placements are located to the right of this ridge. The best place to miss is short and left of the front bunker. Anywhere else around the green, and you’re in trouble.

I’ve made eagle here, but I’ve also given up on the hole before even reaching the green. As I’ve said before, this hole is one of the toughest I play, and I respect it enough to play cautiously and accept par. I suggest you do the same.

Hole 14: 140 yards

The shortest and arguably easiest par 3 at Elmbrook plays around 140 yards to a very steeply sloped green. This green is pitched from the back left corner to the front right corner and, surprisingly, is almost always into the wind.

The main thing to keep in mind here is that it’s always better to miss short than long, as an uphill chip shot is far more manageable than a downhill one. I’d also recommend missing to the right rather than the left for the same reason. If you do find yourself with a downhill putt, just know that it’s likely to be faster than you expect!

Hole 15: 265 yards

The 15th hole requires one of the straightest tee shots you’ll hit all day. At just 260 yards, this uphill hole usually plays into the wind, but don’t let the distance fool you — it’s not about distance here, it’s about accuracy. Many golfers might be tempted to try to hit the green off the tee, but that’s a risky move.

To the left, the terrain slopes steeply to a ravine, and any shot in that direction is essentially gone for good. The right side is a little more forgiving, but with the fairway sloping left to right, any shot that ends up on the right side can run away into the rough or, if hit too hard, deeper into long grass.

To play it safe, aim for a shot that travels no more than 205 yards. With the uphill and usual wind in your face, you might need a club that reaches around 220 yards, but it’s not worth pushing your luck. I recommend aiming just left of center to steer clear of the trouble on the right.

For the approach shot, it’s about 5 yards uphill, so factor in the extra distance the wind and elevation will add. The green has a false front between the two front bunkers, and there’s usually more room long than short. Once you clear the false front, the green slopes from left to right and slightly front to back, so be cautious of your approach.

Hole 16: 241 yards

The shortest par 4 on the course is also the easiest hole on the course. Don’t get me wrong, this is by no means an instant birdie/par but if you can avoid trouble you should score reasonably well here. Playing 5 yards downhill, the 240 yard par 4 doesn’t require some golfers to even hit their driver to reach the green. The major defense on this hole is the green complex. The green slopes sharply from the front right corner to the back left corner. The left of the green is mowed tightly and slopes down to a low area of rough. This is actually the preferred miss but you have to make sure to hit your chip shot far enough where it doesn’t roll back to your feet. With how much uphill your lie will be from this position, the ball tends to hit high on the face and come out with much less power than you’re hoping for. The miss of short right leaves a very fast chip shot that if you don’t catch perfectly, will probably roll off the other side of the green.

For some reason, this is my typical miss on this hole and I get more and more disappointed with myself each time I do it. Please don’t be like me. You can't get too aggressive and miss long. The back edge of the green is 253 yards and at 256 yards there is a large bush that will swallow your golf ball whole. I’d imagine hitting a 170 or so shot off the tee would play well but I’ve never done and nor will I. If your tendency is to miss right that day, it might be something worth thinking about at the very least.

Hole 17: 360 yards

The 17th at Elmbrook is one of my favorite holes, though it can certainly make you feel uneasy off the tee. From the tee box, you’ll see fairway to the left, but right ahead, there’s a large pine tree about 100 yards out. For most golfers, the ideal target line is just left of the tree or even straight over it. While the tree may block your view, there’s plenty of room to miss right, as it’s #10’s fairway. But if you do miss right, make sure to shout “FORE 10 FAIRWAY!” just in case, since you won’t have a clear view of anyone and it’s always good to give a heads-up.

The key miss you need to avoid on this hole is left. The hole doglegs right at about 210 yards, and if you end up on the left hillside, you'll be in thick, tall grass, which is an especially tough place to be.

The green slopes left to right and tends to release more than you might expect. Missing long isn't ideal, and the same goes for left of the green. Your best miss is short and right, where you’ll have a good chance to get up and down.

This hole has a bit of a nervous energy, but when you play it smart and avoid the major trouble spots, it can be a rewarding challenge.

Hole #18: 340 yards

The par 4 18th is a fantastic finishing hole at Elmbrook, and it’s deceptively tricky. From the tee box, it may look manageable, but as we've seen throughout the course, there are plenty of places where your score can take a nosedive.

The main trouble on 18 is on the left side of the fairway. For the first 220 yards, the left side is tree-lined, and missing into those trees is a recipe for disaster. Even if you manage to get past those trees, the steep left-to-right slope of the fairway makes for a very tough approach shot. Your target line should be just left of the right edge of the green.

Missing right is generally better than left, mainly due to the green complex. The left-to-right slope of the fairway continues onto the green, and if you miss left, your ball could easily bounce right and roll through the green. The green itself has a significant left-to-right slope, which, combined with the elevated terrain behind it, gives the green an amphitheater-like feel.

The best angle into this green comes from the right side of the fairway or even from the right rough. From here, if you overshoot or pull the shot a bit, you get a natural backstop that can help your ball stay in play.

For my play, I usually hit driver, but if you feel more confident with a less risky club, there’s no harm in going that route. Either way, it’s a hole that will test your composure and shot-making ability as you close out your round.

SUMMERY:

Elmbrook is the shortest golf course I play but doesn’t necessarily allow you to overpower it. The greens are well defended and a bomb and gouge philosophy will probably end up screwing you in the end. Next time you play here, try our strategy and compare it to some of your older rounds. My guess is you’ll score at least a few strokes better and if you don’t it's obviously because you’re rusty. Or the dog was barking. I know I can't wait to play it come Spring!

-Your hat caddies