I’ve played the course probably a couple hundred times. I grew up in Tannersville NY, where the club is located. I was the assistant to the golf pro from 1981-1985 — it was my summer job while going to college. I had access to the course up until about 10 years ago.
It’s a very exclusive enclave. I don’t exaggerate when I say it’s the hardest course to access in the US. Personally, I have a better chance of playing Pine Valley than Onteora right now.
I might have a couple of pictures but I don’t have photo bucket to post. One picture I definitely have is lifted from a friends Facebook page LOL
It’s a good mix of hilly and flat holes. Through my own research I believe the course has existed in that location since at least 1905 although the club was formed in 1887 and the first golf course was a rudimentary 5 hole deal built in 1891 in a different location on club grounds.
Course yardage is around 3100, par 35. There are two par 5s and three 3s (1-210 yds (a weak hole), 5-175 yds and 7-226 yds). There are a couple of alternate tees, mostly built in the mid 1980s by the pro I worked for, to create some variety and a possible 18 hole experience. Most of the greens are small and round. There are sand bunkers on #s 2, 5, 7, 8, and 9.
Hole 6 (530 yd par 5) has a good tee that extends as a small peninsula from the edge of Onteora lake ala #18 at Leatherstocking — with a forced carry over water of from 170-210 yards depending on your line of attack.
Hole 2 is a 380ish par 4 with a downhill tee shot and amazing view of Onteora lake and the Catskills that is the prettiest hole I’ve ever played.
A couple of holes (#3 - 390 par 4 and #4 - 470 par 5) have narrow 3’ drainage ditches across the fairway that create some strategy. On #3 it forces you to lay your drive up at around 240 yards (although twice I’ve had my drive strike the 4’ wide footbridge and bound over the ditch). You must navigate two of these ditches on the uphill par 5 4th hole
A few holes have mounding that was created by piling the rocks dug up during construction and grassing them over which adds some variety to the flat parts of the course.