Elk River Club

High in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Elk River Club is a Jack Nicklaus design that combines mountain beauty with playability.

Opened in 1982, it was the Golden Bear’s first signature course in North Carolina and remains one of his most beloved.

The course flows along the Elk River, with mountain peaks framing nearly every shot.

Elk River is more than a course — it’s a retreat into the highlands, where golf and nature coexist seamlessly.

On one trip to Elk River, I arrived during a snowstorm with a tight deadline for a Links Magazine assignment. By the time the sun broke through and the snow began to melt, the course revealed itself in a way I’ll never forget. I just knew that between the cold temperatures and the winds that all those beautiful leaves were going to be on the ground it the sun didn’t break through pretty quick. Those fleeting conditions — snow dusted mountains, clear skies, and emerald turf — created some of the most memorable photographs I’ve ever taken.