Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone

Designed by Tom Fazio for the Oneida Indian Nation's Turning Stone Resort, Atunyote (the Oneida word for "eagle") is a parkland-style championship layout featuring gently rolling hills, small waterfalls, and tree-lined fairways. The course hosted the PGA Tour's Turning Stone Resort Championship from 2007 to 2010 and has earned consistent recognition among America's top public and resort courses.

Atunyote Golf Club opened in 2004 as the crown jewel of the Turning Stone Resort Casino's golf offerings, designed by Tom Fazio, a prolific and acclaimed golf course architect in the game's history. The name "Atunyote" is the Oneida word for "eagle," reflecting the course's ownership by the Oneida Indian Nation and their deep connection to the central New York landscape. Fazio's design at Atunyote involved moving prodigious amounts of earth to create the rolling, parkland-style terrain that defines the course. He planted approximately 1,000 young trees, carved out numerous water hazards, and added ornamental details including small waterfalls that provide both visual beauty and acoustic ambiance throughout the round. The course was reportedly inspired by Augusta National Golf Club, and Fazio's attention to detail in conditioning and presentation reflects that lofty aspiration. The layout stretches 7,315 yards from the Black tees at par 72, featuring generous fairways lined by mature hardwoods and strategically placed bunkers filled with bright white sand. Wetlands and native grasslands serve as important design elements, creating natural buffers between holes and adding ecological diversity to the property.

The relatively flat terrain makes the course easily walkable, a hallmark of Fazio's design philosophy. Several holes stand out for their design quality. The par-3 11th hole plays 230 yards over water, with bunkers and a stream creating hazards around the putting surface. The par-5 12th features a reachable layout with a creek and pond creating a peninsula-style green that tempts aggressive players. The 14th hole incorporates a decorative waterfall and pond left of the green, while the par-4 15th demands a dogleg-right drive that rewards skilled shot-shaping. The dramatic 18th hole provides a memorable finish, with the green overlooking a large lake and panoramic views of the central New York countryside. Atunyote's tournament credentials were established quickly.

The course hosted the BC Open on the PGA Tour in 2006, followed by the Turning Stone Resort Championship from 2007 through 2010. Notable PGA Tour winners at the venue include Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson, lending professional validation to Fazio's design. The course also hosted the PGA Professional Championship in 2006 and 2016, as well as the Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge from 2008 to 2014. Atunyote is the most celebrated of three courses at Turning Stone, which also includes the Shenendoah Creek Course (designed by Rick Smith) and the Kaluhyat Course (designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.). Together, the three courses offer 54 holes of golf at the resort, but Atunyote is the flagship layout that has garnered the most national recognition. The course has received consistent accolades from major golf publications. Golfweek ranked it among the Top 200 Resort Courses in the U.S. in 2023 and 2025 and among the Top 50 Casino Courses in 2021, 2022, and 2025.

Golf Digest placed it on its list of America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses from 2015 through 2017. It has been recognized as one of the best golf courses in New York State by multiple organizations. The PGA Tour has visited Atunyote for the Turning Stone Resort Championship, confirming the course's standing as a tournament-quality venue whose Fazio design and immaculate conditioning meet the standards that Tour professionals demand. The New York State Golf Association recognizes Atunyote among the state's most significant resort course offerings, and the course's combination of private-club conditioning with resort access creates a golf experience whose quality reflects the Oneida Nation's commitment to operating the Turning Stone complex at the highest level of the American resort golf market.