ORISKANY FALLS – For round two of my three-part summer golf series, several courses were in the discussion, and we (my foursome) settled on Barker Brook Golf Club in Oriskany Falls.
It's a course I toured and reviewed with Bob McNitt 11 years ago, and honestly, I remembered little about the 18-hole layout.
My only recollection of the course was how poorly I played it. The conditions and playability of Barker Brook were forgotten long ago, but after this latest outing, I can only say, "wow, that was much better than I remembered."
Early this week, my partner in week one of our tour, Mike McCormack, had to beg out of the golf outing for a family commitment – and those who know Mike are well aware he rarely passes up any opportunity to play golf.
It took three other good buddies – Rick Ferris, Mark McLaughlin, and Jim Johnson – to fill Mike's shoes as the four of us rode over in Mark's truck. Mark, a member at seemingly every course I know, had the most familiarity with the course, but as our rounds showed, familiarity does not equate to stellar golf.
In 2003, the course was owned by the Keshlers, who sold it a year later to the Intartaglias family (I'll made no attempt at pronouncing his last name), and it was Mike Intartaglia, the course president, who not only got us out promptly, but also allowed us a few minutes, post round, to discuss the golf course.
Mike handed me his business card, and on it stated the course slogan: "The public course with private club conditions."
Nearly every course you play has an attention-grabbing description meant to lure in customers. Boasting of this or that is the norm, and in the case of Barker Brook, the slogan isn't hyperbole, it's truth. "It was a nice course when we bought it," Intartaglia said. "Little by little we've tried to improve it each year, and our guys are doing a super job."
Chiefly responsible for the course upkeep is course superintendent Jordan Keshler, son of the previous course owners. Those who play Barker Brook frequently gush about the greens, but the fairways and tees are mown pristinely, and one need not touch any ball in the fairway. With few exceptions in my golfing life, I've played winter rules in your own fairway. Like the best private clubs, Barker Brook's fairway lies are ideal every time. Only out of habit did I roll my ball a couple of inches left or right in the fairway.
Intartaglia had a men's league in full swing as we arrived for our tee time, so after a few putting strokes on the practice green, he started us on the back nine first to avoid any congestion.
The discussion amongst our group was blue tees or white tees. The last time I played Barker Brook, the white tees measured just over 6,300 yards, and the back tees were about 6,550 yards. A few holes have been slightly lengthened, and the tips now played to over 6,740 yards.
I was resolute in stating I was all-in for the full length of the course. I believe there was some minor groaning from a couple members in our group, but three of us decided to play it back - contrary to the PGA's new initiative, "play it forward."
Mark, who is just in his third year playing the game after a 30-year hiatus, chose to play the white tees. At 6,284 yards, he still had ample length to cover.
Intartaglia was quick to mention the disparity in nines. For the most part, the back nine is relatively flat, and is the shorter of the two nines by over 200 yards, while the front nine features rolling hills.
Number 10 is a fairly innocuous, short par four, although there is out of bounds far to the left. After that friendly initiation to the back nine, you're rudely introduced to a difficult par three.
