Shenendoah Golf Club at Turning Stone, Verona New York? A Rick Smith-Designed Golf Course, Constructed and Maintained to PGA Tour Standards

Shenendoah Golf Club is a Rick Smith design that was constructed and is maintained to PGA Tour conditions and standards normally reserved for Tour professionals. Smith made use of the natural landscape to create a layout with wooded, parkland-style holes, simple, low country-style holes, as well as open pastures for a links feel.

The 18-hole, par-72 course plays 7,129 yards from the longest (Black) tees, with a USGA rating of 74.1 and a slope rating of 142 on Bent grass. Some of the most noteworthy features of Shenendoah include its generous fairways, thick woodlands, coforful fescue grasses, wetlands, and some bunkering that's been described as extraordinary.

Some of the more noteworthy holes include No. 3, which plays as the most difficult on the course. This par-4 plays to 452 yards from the back tees, and a respectable 402 from the Whites. The tee shot is key here, with a wide fairway but three bunkers placed right near the landing area. From there the hole doglegs left around wetlands and approach shots must take aim at a green guarded by the hazard and a deep bunker.

The most difficult hole on the back nine is No. 14, which plays to 494 yards from the tips, making this a daunting par-4. Adding to the difficulty, the fairway winds snake-like from tee to green and bunkers guard the left side of the landing area off the tee. The fairway is also narrow on the right and some thick rough will catch any wayward shots.

The last three holes on the course are considered among the finest at Turning Stone, which has four other courses at the resort. At 228 yards from the tips, No. 17 is the longest par-3 on the course, but plays slightly downhill. It also features one of the smallest greens on the course, making it difficult to hit, and a well-contoured surface, including a ridge in its middle, that makes putting a challenge as well.

The finishing hole is a par-5 that plays to 553 yards from the Black tees. Tee shots must carry over wetlands and sand to find a wide, but sloping, fairway. From there the hole bends to the left and second shots are forced to carry another hazard to a wide landing area. Approach shots then take aim at a green with a treacherous grass hollow in the front right, as well as a very undulating putting surface with some distinct sections.

Since opening in 2000, Shenendoah has received its share of aclaim, including a ranking in the Top 100 Courses You Can Play from GOLF Magazine, and a ranking among America's 100 Greatest Public Courses from Golf Digest. The course also hosted the 2006 PGA National Club Professional Championship.

Practice facilities at Shenendoah include the Golf Training Center, a premier year-round dome with state-of-the-art facilities for lessons and individual practice, including a two-tiered hitting area and two virtual golf simulators.

The 28,000-square-foot clubhouse at Shenendoah is designed as a stone-and-cedar Tudor mansion and houses a Golf Shop and The Grille at Shenendoah restaurant. The Turning Stone resort also features four hotels, two spas, a total of 21 dining choices, and a world-class casino among its amentities.