Turning Stone (Atunyote)

Operated by the Oneida Indian Nation, the Turning Stone Casino and Resort in Verona first opened its doors to visitors in 1993. It now offers golfers the use of three championship-standard courses, two of which – the Atunyote and Kaluhyat – were designed by Tom Fazio. The first course to appear at the resort, however, was Rick Smith's Shenendoah in 2000.

At 7,315 yards from the tips, Atunyote is the longest layout at the resort and the course is marketed as the premier 18-hole configuration at Turning Stone, validated by its hosting the BC Open in 2006 then the Turning Stone Resort Championship from 2007 to 2010.

Every hole at Atunyote is named after a bird – starting with “Red Tail Hawk” on the 398-yard 1st and ending with “Bald Eagle” on the long par five 18th – and many of these avian species can be spotted in and around the water hazards dotted around the course.

The four par threes on the card are all testing holes and the toughest of these (stroke index 8) is undoubtedly the 250-yard 11th, which plays to a green that slopes from left to right, towards a creek that runs alongside the putting surface. When Atunyote was on the PGA Tour roster, this was the longest par three that the pros played all season.