WAM Golf

Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort Review

Turning Stone Resort offers golfers a variety of golf courses but their crown jewel is Atunyote Golf Club. The championship course played host to the PGA Tour's Turning Stone Resort Championship from 2007-2010 and more recently has hosted Notah Begay's Fundraiser which brought in big names from the PGA and LPGA Tour. There's a reason Atunyote hosted these events, it's a great golf course. 

Looking back from the 18th Green

When I called to make my tee time (about 18 hours before I played) I asked if there was a problem getting out. I was told there would be no problem...they only had five tee times scheduled for the day. I was speechless. A Saturday morning round at a public course and it wouldn't be bunched up with slow play? I booked a 7:30am tee time and slept with a smile on my face.

Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone

After driving past the entrance to Atunyote twice, I managed to find the little sign and driveway to enter the golf club. I pulled up an was greeted by a magnificent gate that I wish I had taken a picture of. As the gate opened, I began the mile drive from entrance to clubhouse passing a few holes along the way. It's a beautiful ride and it gave me an appreciation for the Audubon Sanctuary the course was carve out of. Finally, I reach the clubhouse. 

The view from the clubhouse overlooking the golf course.

When I'm paying $200 for a round of golf (in Upstate New York no less) I expect to be treated like I'm the only golfer at the club. I was the only golfer at the club and I was treated that way. I was welcomed and told about the the facility: where I could find the driving range, first tee, locker room and anything else I needed. I was literally the only golfer but the crews were hard at work making sure Atunyote was ready for anyone playing. I was shocked considering they had 11 golfers (including myself) on the sheet for the day. The workers outnumbered the golfers, something I had never seen before.

Atunyote Golf Club: The Golf Course

The first thing I noticed about the course is the length. Atunyote Golf Club offers four sets of tees ranging from 6,069 (Gold) to 7,315 yards (Black). I considered being brave but thought teeing it up from the White tees at 6,561 and 71.6/131 would make for a more enjoyable round. 

The course was in near perfect condition. Starting with the first hole and ending with the 18th, I didn't see a brown patch, scuffed green, water filled bunker... it was perfect. The greens rolled true and quick. The bunkers were deep but filled with soft sand. The rough was thick and forced me to think about what club to play. At times a long iron out of the rough was not always possible. 

The 14th green is guarded by a waterfall.

My 3 Favorite Holes

3. The 18th Hole (Bald Eagle): The 18th hole is a long par 5 with water running the entire length on the right and a few fairway bunkers along the left. The PGA Tour plays it at 598 yards, I played it closer to 550. A good tee shot into the fairway, lay up and solid approach (see my ball in the first picture) allowed me to finish with a birdie 4. 

2. The 14th Hole (American Kestral): I like this hole for the scenery. The waterfall (pictured above) can be a distraction if your tee shot is to the left side of the fairway. Stay right and there is plenty of green to work with. The hole plays 385 from the tips, I played it closer to 350 and walked away with a par. 

1. The 12th Hole (Spotted Sandpiper): I can't believe this was my favorite after making a snowman here. This hole plays the opposite of the 18th with water running along the right side. The left rough, where I hit my tee shot, is thick and I couldn't find my ball. After reteeing I was able to make "par" from the 500 yard tee box. A short approach lands in the water, over the green runs off the back to a collection area and your chip from behind the green will run away from you. 

Overall

If you have the opportunity to play here don't pass it up. The golf course receives doesn't receive regular play so it's in great shape and you won't have to worry about being held up by slow play. If possible, take advantage of the replay rate. A regular round is $200 and you can replay for $100. If you want to replay at Shenendoah or Kaluhyat it will only cost you $50 where it's regularly $125. 

Who: Turning Stone Resort Golf

What: Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone

Where: Verona, New York

Why: Three great championship golf courses. Take advantage of the replay specials!

Cost: $200

Facility: Clubhouse, Locker room, Driving Range, Practice Facility, Restaurant/bar

Play Again: Save up for a special round and play Atunyote. If you have the time, make it a 36-hole day. 

Five Great Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is this Sunday which means most of us will be sitting with our families watching the U.S. Open or on the golf course. If you're lucky, you can pull off both. It happens every year around this time, golf stores and websites are overwhelmed with people wondering what gift to buy this year. 

As we get closer to the deadline, we can expect to pay more for shipping but here are a few items to consider when shopping for Dad this Father's Day:

 

PRO Compression Golf Socks

 

1. Pro Compression Golf Socks: I wear these almost every round I play and I only have one pair. That means I either don't play enough or the socks sit in my trunk until it's time to play again.... either way I need another pair. These are the best socks I own and I wish I had them when I was an "athlete" in college. If you're going to spend on money on clothing for Dad, don't make it a tie. These socks will last a long time and make him more comfortable on the golf course. A seriously great golf gift. Visit their website: http://www.procompression.com/. Cost is $25 and up. 

2. Photo Ball Marker: I wrote about these during the holiday season. A unique golf gift that Dad will be able to carry with him during every round. Whether the picture is of you and Dad, a favorite picture he has or an image from his favorite golf course, this is a great gift. You can visit the website www.photoballmarker.com or use the link on the side of the page to save $5. 

3. The Swinkey: It would take another article just to tell you what The Swinkey does so I'll try to sum it up... just about everything. I use it as a tool warm-up and stretch before a round and it's a for protecting my clubs when I travel. Those are probably the two least exciting features of this magical golf "tool". It's also a camera mount, a putting trainer, helps with your swing plane, helps with setup... I think you get the point. This thing is pretty awesome and I'm glad it's in my bag. Visit their site and check out the videos to really learn what they can do: http://www.swinkey.com/.

 4. A Gift Card: Spare me the line that this is impersonal. A gift card to help Dad get a the new driver he wants or a another golf club might be a great gift. Picking out clubs is a challenge even for those who know what they're looking for. Gift cards are not just for shopping. Consider buying Dad a round at a great golf course he's always wanted to play or even at his local favorite. A round of golf (maybe for two so he can bring a friend) is a great gift for any golfer. 

5. Golf Accessories: Sometimes you just can't pick one thing. If that's the case, package together some golf balls, a towel, ball marker, divot tool and anything else you can think of. Check out the guys at Rule Golf or the Players Towel if you want to customize something. These are all things golfers use and can really never have enough of. 

Bonus #6: This one is a long shot but if your Dad (mine is not) is tech savy, how about a golf app. I recently downloaded and used the Mobitee Golf App as my GPS and it's been great. If your Dad has a smartphone, consider picking up the tab for a gift like this!

Happy Father's Day!