Deer Run Country Club a hilly, target golf test near Cincinnati
CINCINNATI -- Mike Macke designed Deer Run Country Club northwest of Cincinnati in 1987. When the former private club needed a helping hand, his brother, Drew Macke, stepped up to make the save.
Drew Macke, a co-owner at nearby Aston Oaks Golf Club, signed a 10-year lease to take over management and help revive the club last summer. The improved conditioning has long-time members excited that their home club is experiencing a rebirth.
Member Frank Wetencamp of Western Hills calls Deer Run one the prettiest golf courses in the area. Although the 6,354-yard course is buried deep inside a subdivision, houses never ruin the views of the surrounding trees and hills.
"I love it," Wetencamp said of the layout. "Every hole is different. If you can't play to hills, you are in trouble. I bring friends who play on flat courses, and they shoot 95 to 105. It is a target course. If you can hit the target in the fairway, you can score."
The yardage might not be there, but the challenge is. Elevated greens on at least five holes demand confident ball-striking.
Deer Run Country Club's 321-yard 10th hole is a drivable par 4 with a treacherous blind tee shot and three grass bunkers protecting the green. Ponds on the 139-yard par-3 fifth and the par-4 18th hole add character.
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