Syracuse, NY golf course

[GolfSpy WD]

I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Syracuse soon. Anyone have recommendations for good clubs? I'm a value oriented golfer, so I'm not looking for either the top end or low end courses. Because I bring my son with me kid friendly is a must and flatter courses are better so he doesn't get tired going up and down hills. Definitely no course with artificial grass tees, I hate those.

 

Thanks!

[mudfish]

Here is the golf section in the local paper, you can see a link to all the courses on the left...

 

http://www.syracuse.com/golf/

 

As far as value goes, most courses are around the $20-$30 range for 18/cart...

 

A fun course with your son would be Hickory Hill. It's all par 3 and 4 and is VERY kid friendly, usually not too busy, and not too much trouble to hit into.

 

Here are some of the courses I like playing. They are all middle of the road courses, where you can play at your own pace, dress comfortably, and most people are mid/high handicappers...

 

Pine Grove - Par 71, short, not much trouble, fun with kids

Casolwood - Right off the ThruWay, fun course

Rogues Roost - 36 holes, the East course is more difficult

Drumlins - Very hilly, but fun... SU students play free, so it can seem like a frat party on nice days

Liverpool - average course

Foxfire - average course

Links at Sunset Ridge - Nice course, reasonable price

Links at Erie Village - kind of a drive, but beautiful scenery, average course

Northern Pines - average course

 

High end:

Timber Banks - new and beautiful - expensive

Turning Stone Casino - had a tour stop for a couple years (best in the area)

[Tony Covey MGS]

Here is the golf section in the local paper, you can see a link to all the courses on the left...

 

http://www.syracuse.com/golf/

 

As far as value goes, most courses are around the $20-$30 range for 18/cart...

 

A fun course with your son would be Hickory Hill. It's all par 3 and 4 and is VERY kid friendly, usually not too busy, and not too much trouble to hit into.

 

Here are some of the courses I like playing. They are all middle of the road courses, where you can play at your own pace, dress comfortably, and most people are mid/high handicappers...

 

Pine Grove - Par 71, short, not much trouble, fun with kids

Casolwood - Right off the ThruWay, fun course

Rogues Roost - 36 holes, the East course is more difficult

Drumlins - Very hilly, but fun... SU students play free, so it can seem like a frat party on nice days

Liverpool - average course

Foxfire - average course

Links at Sunset Ridge - Nice course, reasonable price

Links at Erie Village - kind of a drive, but beautiful scenery, average course

Northern Pines - average course

 

High end:

Timber Banks - new and beautiful - expensive

Turning Stone Casino - had a tour stop for a couple years (best in the area)

 

Turning Stone should be about a 45 minute drive from Syracuse, and it's definitely where you'd want to play. I haven't played Atunyote. It's where the PGA event was held, and as you might expect, is the most expensive of the 3. I've heard it's absolutely top tier.

 

I have played both of their other full-sized 18 hole courses. I'd recommend Shenendoah over Kaluhyat. Both are outstanding courses, but Shenendoah offers a greater margin for error, and ultimately may prove to be much less frustrating. The heather gets tall on Kaluhyat, and can cost you more than a few balls.

 

 

 

[GolfSpy WD]

Here is the golf section in the local paper, you can see a link to all the courses on the left...

 

http://www.syracuse.com/golf/

 

As far as value goes, most courses are around the $20-$30 range for 18/cart...

 

A fun course with your son would be Hickory Hill. It's all par 3 and 4 and is VERY kid friendly, usually not too busy, and not too much trouble to hit into.

 

Here are some of the courses I like playing. They are all middle of the road courses, where you can play at your own pace, dress comfortably, and most people are mid/high handicappers...

 

Pine Grove - Par 71, short, not much trouble, fun with kids

Casolwood - Right off the ThruWay, fun course

Rogues Roost - 36 holes, the East course is more difficult

Drumlins - Very hilly, but fun... SU students play free, so it can seem like a frat party on nice days

Liverpool - average course

Foxfire - average course

Links at Sunset Ridge - Nice course, reasonable price

Links at Erie Village - kind of a drive, but beautiful scenery, average course

Northern Pines - average course

 

High end:

Timber Banks - new and beautiful - expensive

Turning Stone Casino - had a tour stop for a couple years (best in the area)

 

I would have never noticed Hickory Hill, but it looks perfect for an 8 year old. We're in the Manlius area, so Hickory will probably be our first stop. I wish more of the places had websites.

 

Sunset Ridge, Rogue's Roost, Casolwood look good too, really good 18 + cart deals.

 

Erie Village looks very nice and still within our price range, but I may try the others first

 

Thanks!

[GolfSpy WD]

Turning Stone should be about a 45 minute drive from Syracuse, and it's definitely where you'd want to play. I haven't played Atunyote. It's where the PGA event was held, and as you might expect, is the most expensive of the 3. I've heard it's absolutely top tier.

 

I have played both of their other full-sized 18 hole courses. I'd recommend Shenendoah over Kaluhyat. Both are outstanding courses, but Shenendoah offers a greater margin for error, and ultimately may prove to be much less frustrating. The heather gets tall on Kaluhyat, and can cost you more than a few balls.

 

I would love to play those courses, but not with an 8 year old . When he's older I'll be happier to drop $96 on a round, but wow do they look nice.

[Flv02]

Look at the Accolades for Atunyote:

 

2011 Golf Digest - America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses

2011 Golfweek - Best Courses in New York State

2011 Golfweek - Best Tour Courses You Can Play

2011 Golfweek - Top 100 Best Resort Courses

2010 Golf Digest - Best Courses in New York State

2010 GOLF Magazine - Top 100 Courses You Can Play

2010 Golfweek - Best Casino Courses

2010 Golfweek - Best Courses You Can Play (New York State)

2010 Golfweek - Top 100 Best Resort Courses

2009/2010 Golfweek - Best PGA TOUR® Courses You Can Play

2009 Golfweek - Top 100 Best Resort Courses

2009 Golfweek - Best Courses You Can Play in New York

2009 Golfweek - Best Casino Courses

2009 PGA Professionals Guide to Travel - Favorite Course to Play in the Northeast

2009 Travel & Leisure Golf - Best for Buddy Trip

2008 Audubon International - Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary

2008 GOLF Magazine - Top 100 Courses You Can Play

2008 Golfweek - Best Resort Golf Courses

2007/2008 Golf Digest - Best in State

2007 Golfweek - Best Resort Courses

2007 Golfweek - Best Course You Can Play in New York

2007 Golfweek - Best Casino Courses

2006 GOLF Magazine - Top 100 Courses You Can Play

2006 Golfweek - Best 21 Casino Courses in the USA

2006 Golfweek - America's Best - Top 10 Public Courses in New York

2006 Native American Casino - Top 10 in the Country

2005 Robb Report - Best of the Best: Golf Courses

 

I might have to take a drive up and play at least one of the courses. They all look amazing.

[mudfish]

I would have never noticed Hickory Hill, but it looks perfect for an 8 year old. We're in the Manlius area, so Hickory will probably be our first stop. I wish more of the places had websites.

 

Sunset Ridge, Rogue's Roost, Casolwood look good too, really good 18 + cart deals.

 

Erie Village looks very nice and still within our price range, but I may try the others first

 

Thanks!

 

 

You might also want to look at Butternut Creek. It is only 5 minutes from Manlius just off the Jamesville exit on 481. It is owned by the same people that own Hickory Hill, but it's smaller and cheaper. Mostly par 3s. It can get pretty busy there with first time players, older people in their 70s-80s, and parents with kids. They also run a program similar to The First Tee out of there too I think, so the course is really geared toward beginners...

 

Other VERY friendly kid courses are Burnet Park (behind the zoo)and Sunnycrest (next to Henniger High School and owned by the city of Syracuse). Both are 9 holes and made for beginners with little trouble

[GolfSpy WD]

You might also want to look at Butternut Creek. It is only 5 minutes from Manlius just off the Jamesville exit on 481. It is owned by the same people that own Hickory Hill, but it's smaller and cheaper. Mostly par 3s. It can get pretty busy there with first time players, older people in their 70s-80s, and parents with kids. They also run a program similar to The First Tee out of there too I think, so the course is really geared toward beginners...

 

Other VERY friendly kid courses are Burnet Park (behind the zoo)and Sunnycrest (next to Henniger High School and owned by the city of Syracuse). Both are 9 holes and made for beginners with little trouble

 

These may be too small, I still like to be able to pull out my driver . Though $6 (+ $3 for my son) isn't bad at all for practicing the short game.

[GolfSpy WD]

Just found out kids under 13 play for free at Drumlins and it's hosting the Symetra tour on the east course this weekend. Going to have to stop by there next weekend. $25 for 18 + cart for both of us is a steal.

 

Been playing Rogue's Roost west, which is a nice course, though the greens are a bit small for my skill level.

[mudfish]

Just found out kids under 13 play for free at Drumlins and it's hosting the Symetra tour on the east course this weekend. Going to have to stop by there next weekend. $25 for 18 + cart for both of us is a steal.

 

Been playing Rogue's Roost west, which is a nice course, though the greens are a bit small for my skill level.

 

 

Rogues Roost is where I play for leagues... fun course...

[GolfSpy WD]

Rogues Roost is where I play for leagues... fun course...

 

Yeah, I like it a lot. Depending on how things go at Drumlins I may alternate. They have a kids play free deal at 3pm on Sundays too, would love to hit up the east course.

[mudfish]

Yeah, I like it a lot. Depending on how things go at Drumlins I may alternate. They have a kids play free deal at 3pm on Sundays too, would love to hit up the east course.

 

The East course is a little nicer... The greens are bigger, but the fairways are tighter, and you are rewarded for smarter play... don't grab for the driver on every hole, shorter shots off the tee are better on a few holes... Also the thing I like about the East compared to the west is that they use colored flags to mark the pin placements: Red-Front, Yellow-Middle, Red -Back

[RoverRick]

I spent 4 days in Syracuse NY and every course I wanted to play absolutely sucked. Worst golfing place I have ever been. I spent most of my time sitting in a motel room reading a book. When I finished the book, I simply left and went to Florida. Oh yeah, it was January and snowed 48" one day. We get 48" of snow a century. The equipment I was supposed to install, sat in Ohio for a month waiting for the ok to transit all the way with clear roads. I did not go back.

 

I have played in the Adirondacks at a couple of courses that were really nice, on another trip. The funniest thing about that was the locals were complaining about how hot it was. It was 15* cooler than what I am used to and they could barely breath. The next time I went up there it was when there was all the snow.

 

Lake Erie was frozen over, I am a Southern Boy and that was fasinating.

[RoverRick]

Double post

[mudfish]

I spent 4 days in Syracuse NY and every course I wanted to play absolutely sucked. Worst golfing place I have ever been. I spent most of my time sitting in a motel room reading a book. When I finished the book, I simply left and went to Florida. Oh yeah, it was January and snowed 48" one day. We get 48" of snow a century. The equipment I was supposed to install, sat in Ohio for a month waiting for the ok to transit all the way with clear roads. I did not go back.

 

I have played in the Adirondacks at a couple of courses that were really nice, on another trip. The funniest thing about that was the locals were complaining about how hot it was. It was 15* cooler than what I am used to and they could barely breath. The next time I went up there it was when there was all the snow.

 

Lake Erie was frozen over, I am a Southern Boy and that was fasinating.

 

hahaha... Yea, average over 100" of snow per year... Golf season is from about March thru November... everything else we are covered in snow...