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McDERMOTT — The Portsmouth area has been home to one of the classic golf courses for more than a century.

This month, the Elks Country Club turns 100 years old — and has some festivities planned to celebrate.

“The fact that this is a Donald Ross design and is a part of the Portsmouth heritage is still a big deal” said Sam Franklin, the general manager of the Elks Country Club. “The course has been here for more than 100 years and is a staple here in the community.”

Ross, who was born in Scotland in 1872 and played professional golf, is best known for his work as a golf course designer.

Between 1900 and 1948, he designed or redesigned about 400 courses, including what is now the Elks Country Club.

What made a Ross-designed course stand out is the design principles and elements he used, as well as the attention to detail.

Ross chose the location to design the course in 1920.

The next year, 188 acres were bought to construct the course.

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In 1923, ground was broken and the next year, the Portsmouth Country Club opened.

Fourteen years later, the course sold at a public auction and was renamed Valley Country Club.

Then in 1941, the Order of the Elks No. 184 bought the course — and called it the Elks Country Club.

Six years later, Jack Nicklaus won the Ohio Jaycee Junior Tournament and shot a 66 at the ECC.

Del Duduit | For The Daily Times

Nicklaus — the Golden Bear — went on to win 18 Major Championships on the PGA Tour (most ever), and is widely recognized as the greatest golfer ever to play the game.

“The course remains a beautiful challenge for any golfer,” Franklin said. “Each hole is unique and stunning as far as golf aesthetics go. My favorite is the 15th green around sunset. It’s just stunning.”

Ross created a challenging course with very little earth moving, according to Nicklaus, who said Ross’ stamp as an “architect was naturalness.”

“I grew up playing here,” Franklin said. “A lot of our older patrons grew up playing here too. Some even had family members who caddied when we had caddies. The culture has changed but the course has not. It’s a course that welcomes anyone. We have our members and our Elks and as well as weekend players.”

Former Scioto County Commissioner and ECC member Bob Cross said he’ll put the course up against many top-rated golf courses in the entire tri-state.

“You just can’t beat it as far as the overall design,” he said. “And it’s well-maintained and a traditional golfer’s golf course.”

The 6,701-yard par-72 course received a four-star rating from Golf Digest, and played host to the Black Knight — Gary Player — who won nine major tournaments in his prestigious career.

Player came to the Elks Country Club on Aug. 28, 1969 for an exhibition sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth.

Jim Furyk, the 2010 FedEx Cup Champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year, also graced the grounds of Elks Country Club — and shot a 214 overall in the TC Jordan Tour Pepsi Cola Open.

Today, the Elks Country Club is home to five high school golf teams and one college team — Shawnee State University.

“We are not only about the regular golfers and the community, but we are about the next generation of golfers,” Franklin said. “It’s about sustainability. We want the new players to learn the game. We want them to learn the etiquette and sportsmanship. One of our big things is to offer this to our youth and I’m excited about that. We have just as many young people coming out here to play as much as our established patrons and members.”

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To celebrate and recognize the 100th birthday of the Elks Country Club, big things are planned.

“We just held the Tri-State Hickory Golf Tournament and that was a huge success,” Franklin said. “And we are about to hold our first induction class in the Elks Hall of Fame soon. We plan to induct five people this year who have helped to make this course what it is today. It won’t just focus on great players, but people who’ve been instrumental in the Elks Country Club. When people say they are going to play golf at the Elks Country Club, there is an expectation of excellence not only to the course but to the environment. We want to honor a few folks who’ve established that reputation.”

The plan going forward is to induct about two people each year, after the initial induction ceremony.

But that’s just part of the festivities.

Jay Miller, who is on the ECC board and chairman of the centennial committee, said there will be a special dinner at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28 to pay tribute to the first class of inductees — who were selected by the Elks Country Club Hall of Fame Committee, made up of seven members.

The five inductees include Boone Coleman, Jerry “Skip” Bower, Russ Coleman, Dick Cook and Dale Hunter.

“We will also have a representative from the Donald Ross Historical Foundation to present a plaque to the Country Club. This should be a fantastic night.”

Miller also organized the hickory tournament, and said participants played with clubs from the 1924 era as well as a simulated Ouimet firm mesh replica golf ball — and dressed in attire worn by golfers from that time.

Del Duduit | For The Daily Times

“It was a lot of fun and a challenge to play with that equipment,” he said. “There was limited distance compared to today, but it was a blast.”

Rick Woeckner, the fourth-ranked hickory player in the nation, won the event at the Elks Country Club in August.

“If you love golf and history and tradition, you’ll love this dinner and event,” Miller said. “We will have wonderful food from the Scioto Ribber and some great speakers all here on the grounds of the historic Elks Country Club to honor the past and look ahead to the future.”

Del Duduit | For The Daily Times

For more information, and to make a reservation, please contact the ECC at (740) 259-6241.