Turning Stone / New York

The take

Turning Stone is one of the more useful golf resorts in the Northeast because it does not ask the group to solve a new logistical problem every morning. The courses, hotel rooms, casino, spa, restaurants, nightlife, and shuttle system are all in one orbit. That sounds obvious until you have planned a 12-man trip in the Northeast and watched everyone discover "nearby" means 47 minutes and a toll road.

The golf is better than casual observers assume. Atunyote is the Tom Fazio crown jewel: polished parkland, large bunkers, manicured surfaces, and PGA Tour history from the Turning Stone Resort Championship. Kaluhyat is the Robert Trent Jones Jr. counterpunch: target golf through wetlands, grasslands, elevation, and enough trouble to make a sloppy player negotiate with himself by the 6th tee. Shenendoah is the Rick Smith course that gives the resort its best broad group fit.

Read the full take

The 2026 story is growth. The Crescent and its new Salt restaurant are scheduled to open June 29, 2026 as part of Turning Stone's larger expansion, which means late-season trips may get a more modern hotel/dining layer while early-season groups should still plan around the established Lodge/Tower/Brook/Sandstone Hollow options.

The best version is a three-night contained resort trip: Atunyote, Kaluhyat, Shenendoah, one big dinner, some casino/sportsbook time, and no heroic driving. It is not Bandon. It is not Pinehurst. It is a very practical Northeast golf machine, and that has real value.

Best version

Stay on property, play the three championship courses in the right order, and let the resort handle the rest. Play Shenendoah first, Atunyote second, Kaluhyat only when the group is ready for the tougher day. If the group wants maximum golf density, use the Champions Package. Turning Stone's advantage is containment.

Skip if

Golfers who need ocean views or mountain drama.
Groups that dislike casino-resort energy.
Architecture purists looking for old-school classics.
Players who want walking-first, caddie-heavy golf culture.

Insider notes

Stay on property, play the three championship courses in the right order, and let the resort handle the rest.
Play Shenendoah first, Atunyote second, Kaluhyat only when the group is ready for the tougher day.
If the group wants maximum golf density, use the Champions Package.
Turning Stone's advantage is containment.

The courses

5 core rounds. Scan first, then click into the course detail when you want the full read.

Full destination course detailsExpand this section for the deeper course reads, then click again to hide it.Expand

4.5(82)

4774 NY-31, Vernon, NY 13476, USA

(877) 748-4653

Must play

Atunyote Golf Club

Designer: Tom Fazio
Year: 2004
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,315 yards
Difficulty: Medium-high
Green fees: 2026 public rates are $275 Friday-Sunday and $250 Monday-Thursday; resort/TS Rewards rates are lower. Same-day replay is $135/$125. Fees include cart, practice facility, locker room privileges, bottled water, and tees. 2026 aeration: April 20-22 and October 12-14.

Atunyote is the resort's best all-around statement. It is wide, pristine, and tournament-clean, with enough water, bunkering, and manicured scale to feel like the proper headline. It rewards power and high-ball comfort more than trickery. If you only play one, this is the one that makes the destination feel credible.

Strengths

Fazio polish
Excellent conditioning
PGA Tour history
Most refined resort course

Weaknesses

Less dramatic than Kaluhyat
Expensive
Can feel controlled rather than wild

Must play

0/5

Signature holes: 7, 12, 16, 18

4.7(72)

5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478, USA

(877) 748-4653

Strong play

Kaluhyat Golf Club

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Year: 2003
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,105 yards
Difficulty: High
Green fees: 2026 prime public rates are $175 Friday-Sunday and $160 Monday-Thursday; early-season public rates are $140/$125. Same-day replay is $80/$75 in prime season. 2026 aeration: April 13-15 and October 5-7.

Kaluhyat is the round that separates a golf trip from a casino weekend with clubs. It is a target-golf exam through protected wetlands and natural grasslands, and the wrong tee box can turn it into an HR meeting with your own swing. Schedule it when the group is awake and honest.

Strengths

Most dramatic test
Strong visual identity
Strategic trouble
Memorable holes

Weaknesses

Penal
Difficult for high handicaps
Can be slow if the group is overmatched

Strong play / must for serious groups

0/5

Signature holes: 4, 8, 13, 18

Image coming soon

4.7(166)

5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478, USA

(877) 748-4653

Strong play

Shenendoah Golf Club

Designer: Rick Smith
Year: 2000
Par: 72
Yardage: Approximately 7,013 yards
Difficulty: Medium
Green fees: 2026 prime public rates are $175 Friday-Sunday and $160 Monday-Thursday; early-season public rates are $140/$125. Same-day replay is $80/$75 in prime season. 2026 aeration: April 6-8 and August 3-5.

Shenendoah is the smart first round. It gets the group into the trip without immediately handing everyone a wetlands-based personality test. It is playable enough for the whole group and still good enough to matter.

Strengths

Best broad group fit
Playable
Good resort rhythm
Strong opener

Weaknesses

Less prestige than Atunyote
Less drama than Kaluhyat

Strong play

0/5

Signature holes: 6, 10, 15, 18

Image coming soon

4.6(34)

5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478, USA

(877) 748-4653

Strong play

Sandstone Hollow

Designer: Rick Smith
Year: 1998
Par: 3 short course
Yardage: Short course
Difficulty: Easy-medium
Green fees: Lower resort rate; verify current availability and pricing.

Sandstone Hollow is the pressure valve. Use it when the group wants action without another four-hour commitment.

Strengths

Fast
Social
Low-stress
Useful after travel

Weaknesses

Short course only
Not a destination anchor

Social add-on

0/5

Signature holes: Short-course routing

Image coming soon

4.5(57)

4727 Stoney Brook Rd, Vernon, NY 13476, USA

(877) 748-4653

Strong play

Pleasant Knolls

Designer: Public course / traditional local layout
Year: Longstanding local course; verify current resort notes
Par: 36 for nine holes
Yardage: Approximately 3,200 yards for nine holes
Difficulty: Easy-medium
Green fees: Lower public rate; verify current Turning Stone pricing.

Pleasant Knolls is there if the group needs it. Most serious golf trips can skip it without guilt.

Strengths

Affordable
Accessible
Easy for casual players

Weaknesses

Not a destination course
Nine-hole/local feel

Casual depth play

0/5

Signature holes: Routing-dependent

Full course library

Where to stay, eat, and stray

Lodging

Where to stay

The Lodge at Turning Stone

The Lodge is the premium answer. Use it when the group wants Turning Stone's convenience without living directly inside casino noise. It is the most polished stay, and it knows it.

The Crescent

The Crescent is the watch item. For late-season 2026 trips, it could become the clean new-premium choice. For early-season trips, it is just a future tense.

The Tower at Turning Stone

The Tower is the practical buddies-trip base. Nobody gets lost, nobody drives, and the trip captain gets to breathe.

Dining

Where groups actually eat

TS Steakhouse

TS Steakhouse is the big dinner. Book it early and spare everyone the group-text archaeology.

Wildflowers

Wildflowers is the better fit when the trip is premium and smaller. For 16 guys, probably not.

Salt

Salt is a late-2026 planning note, not a reason to distort a spring trip. If The Crescent is open and the group is staying there, it belongs in the dinner conversation.

Things to do

Beyond the golf

Casino and sportsbook.

Spa at Skana.

Sandstone Hollow short-course games.

Planning mechanics

Logistics

Flights, driving, walking

Flights

SYR is the clean answer. Albany and Rochester can work for fare/direct-flight reasons but add drive time. For Northeast groups, driving may be realistic depending on origin.

Ground transportation

Once on property, groups can keep transportation simple. Rent cars or arrange transfers from SYR, then let the resort shuttle/internal structure carry most of the trip.

Walking

This is not a walking/caddie destination. Confirm policies, but plan for resort/cart golf.

Weather

When the trip works best

May

Viable but cooler and wetter; check opening/aeration windows.

June-August

Best summer golf window.

September

Strong, often the sweet spot.

Planning ranges

Cost and value levers

Atunyote

$275 Fri-Sun / $250 Mon-Thu public rate in 2026 - The polished anchor.

Kaluhyat

$175 Fri-Sun / $160 Mon-Thu prime public rate in 2026 - The harder test.

Shenendoah

$175 Fri-Sun / $160 Mon-Thu prime public rate in 2026 - Best broad group fit.

Itinerary builder

Build your itinerary

The sample on the right is an illustrative Streamsong example.

It is meant to show the depth and shape of a real plan. Build your own around your group, dates, rounds, lodging, dining, and travel timing.

Build my itinerary

Illustrative sample output

Streamsong in 3 Days: 4 Rounds, Mixed Group

3 nights at Streamsong Lodge covering all 3 courses plus a repeat of whichever lands best with the group. With a mixed-skill group and a social thread running through the trip, the sequencing matters: start approachable, build toward bold, and protect evenings for the group to decompress together.

Recommendation

Start with Red to set the right tone for mixed players, not Black. Black's scale can deflate weaker players early and that poisons the rest of the trip.

Day 1

Morning: Arrive, check in to Streamsong Lodge, and get settled without rushing. Arrival timing is unknown, so do not force a same-day round.

Afternoon: If arriving early-to-midday, use the practice facilities to shake off travel; skip forcing an afternoon round on an unknown schedule.

Evening: Make this the nicer dinner night. Gather the group, debrief the plan, and use the evening to build energy for the heavy golf days ahead.

Insider note: Day 1 is the setup day, not a golf day. Burning a round here on travel legs is the most common mistake groups make at Streamsong.

Day 2

Morning: Tee off on Streamsong Red first thing. It is the most balanced course and the right anchor for a mixed-skill group on fresh legs.

Afternoon: Afternoon round on Streamsong Blue. It is more open and wind-affected, which rewards better players while staying manageable enough for the group.

Evening: Keep dinner casual and on property. Two rounds is a full day and the group needs to recover, not power through a production.

Insider note: Red in the morning lets the group settle in before Blue asks harder questions in the afternoon wind.

Day 3

Morning: Play Streamsong Black. Use it as the bold contrast round the guide describes, not as the centerpiece, and set expectations accordingly for higher-handicap players.

Afternoon: Replay the course that resonated most with the group. Red is the likely call for mixed groups, Blue for stronger players who want another look.

Evening: Final evening on property. Keep it relaxed since departure timing is unknown and no one should be grinding through dinner logistics.

Insider note: Black is the experience round, not the best round. Frame it that way for the group before the first tee so no one is quietly disappointed by the rougher edges.

Tradeoffs

Four rounds in two full golf days is aggressive but workable at a comfortable pace. The plan keeps Day 1 golf-free to protect legs and group cohesion rather than chasing a fifth round nobody would enjoy.

Black is scheduled for Day 3 morning rather than being skipped. It adds useful contrast and a memorable moment, but it was deliberately placed after the group already has two courses under its belt rather than as an opener.

The nicer dinner was placed on Day 1 rather than a golf day. This protects energy on the days that matter and gives the group something to build toward without splitting a long golf day around a formal meal.

Book first

Book all four tee times at Streamsong before lodging fills. The property manages its own tee sheet and availability tightens fast in peak season.

Confirm Streamsong Lodge rooms for all three nights in a single block. A small group of 3-4 makes this manageable, but winter weekends can still book out early.

Arrange caddies for at least Red and Blue if the group is open to walking. First-time looks benefit significantly from local knowledge on both courses.

Watchouts

Two rounds on Day 2 is the heaviest ask of the trip. If anyone in the mixed group is a high-handicapper or infrequent player, build in flexibility to skip the afternoon Blue round rather than grinding through it.

Streamsong is genuinely remote and there is no nightlife option off property. Groups expecting energy beyond the lodge bar will be disappointed, and that expectation gap kills trip morale faster than a bad round.

Black's scale and difficulty can frustrate less experienced players, especially after already playing 36 holes the day before. If the group's weakest player struggled on Day 2, consider swapping Black for a Red replay.

LodgingExpand

Stay on property. Turning Stone's advantage is that the resort handles the trip shape. Leaving the property to save a little money usually gives back the savings in hassle, especially for bigger groups.

Luxury all-suite lodge

The Lodge at Turning Stone

0/5

Best for: Premium groups and quieter high-end stays

Cost: High resort pricing; package rates and event weekends vary.

4.7(646)(800) 771-7711

5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478, USA

The Lodge is the premium answer. Use it when the group wants Turning Stone's convenience without living directly inside casino noise. It is the most polished stay, and it knows it.

Pros

Best luxury feel, all-suite format, quieter than the casino hotel flow, strong service, connected path to the main resort

Cons

More expensive, peak golf weekends can book early, less casino-floor energy

New luxury hotel

The Crescent

0/5

Best for: Late-2026 premium trips and groups wanting the newest rooms

Cost: New luxury-hotel pricing; rates vary by date.

The Crescent is the watch item. For late-season 2026 trips, it could become the clean new-premium choice. For early-season trips, it is just a future tense.

Pros

Scheduled to open June 29, 2026, 258 new rooms/suites, connected to resort expansion, home to Salt

Cons

Not available for early 2026 trips, soft-opening service risk is real

Casino resort hotel

The Tower at Turning Stone

0/5

Best for: Groups that want casino access and convenience

Cost: Variable casino-resort pricing; weekends and events move rates.

4.2(64)(800) 771-7711

5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478, USA

The Tower is the practical buddies-trip base. Nobody gets lost, nobody drives, and the trip captain gets to breathe.

Pros

Central, convenient, good for nightlife/casino groups, easy resort access

Cons

Busier, more casino energy, less retreat-like than The Lodge

Main resort hotel

The Brook

0/5

Best for: Central resort access and package-friendly trips

Cost: Variable resort pricing; often package-dependent.

The Brook is the middle lane: convenient, package-friendly, and less precious than the luxury options. That can be exactly right for a golf group.

Pros

Steps from gaming, entertainment, spas, and golf-package flow

Cons

Less refined than The Lodge/Crescent, more standard resort-hotel feel

Value hotel / golf-adjacent inn

Sandstone Hollow Inn

0/5

Best for: Budget-conscious groups and short-course/cost-control trips

Cost: Usually one of the most cost-controlled official lodging options.

4.4(255)(800) 771-7711

5118 NY-365, Verona, NY 13478, USA

Sandstone Hollow Inn is the value play. Good if the group wants the golf and casino infrastructure but does not need the room to be part of the flex.

Pros

Better value, official resort ecosystem, near Sandstone Hollow, shuttle support

Cons

Requires shuttle/main-resort movement, less premium, not the full resort feel

DiningExpand

Use the resort for most meals. The whole point of Turning Stone is that dinner, drinks, casino, and bed are close enough to survive a slow round and a large group. Leave property only when you have a real food reason, not because someone wants to "explore Verona."

Steakhouse / premium dinner

TS Steakhouse

0/5

Best for: Main group dinner

4.3(524)(800) 771-7711

5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478, USA

Monday: Closed

TS Steakhouse is the big dinner. Book it early and spare everyone the group-text archaeology.

Pros

Top-of-the-Tower setting, premium steakhouse format, sunset/countryside views, classic golf-trip dinner

Cons

Expensive, reservations required, not casual

Details

Fine dining

Wildflowers

0/5

Best for: Couples, smaller premium groups, special dinner

5.0(30)(323) 879-9367

7383 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA

Monday: Closed

Wildflowers is the better fit when the trip is premium and smaller. For 16 guys, probably not.

Pros

Forbes Four-Star rated, intimate, polished, quieter than casino options

Cons

0/5

Best for: Fast snacks, late arrival, and zero-ceremony meals

4.5(82)(310) 498-3761

5168 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA

Monday: 10:30 AM – 1:00 AM