Most of us know Cooperstown, New York as the home of
the National Baseball Hall of Fame. But if you’re a golfer
and find yourself anywhere near Cooperstown, take your clubs.
Leatherstocking Golf Course is worth playing. Leatherstocking is part of The Otesaga Resort Hotel, which sits right on Otesaga Lake in the Village of Cooperstown. The Clark family built the hotel in 1909 and, remarkably, the family still owns
it today.
The Otesaga is quite a place. It’s a big, old-fashioned resort hotel with more than 400 windows and terrific views of the lake. It has the feel of an earlier era when people spent their summers at grand resorts, and it’s now one of only about 275 hotels recognized by Historic Hotels of America. For golfers, though, one of the best parts of the property is the clubhouse.
I’ve seen a lot of golf clubhouses over the years, and this one really caught my attention. White siding, green shutters and a pointed roof give it a classic look that fits the setting perfectly. Outside is a great dining terrace with cream-colored umbrellas, large potted plants and a beautiful bed of red flowers. The fifth tee is right there. You can practically have lunch and critique everyone’s tee shot at the same time.
The golf course itself is exactly what you would expect from an old course built in this setting.
Leatherstocking was designed by Devereux Emmet, one of the better-known architects from golf’s Golden Age. He designed more than 130 courses, and Leatherstocking has plenty of that early 20th-century character. At 6,401 yards from the back tees, it isn’t long by today’s standards.
But don’t mistake short for easy. The fairways can be narrow, and many of the greens are small and plateaued. Grassy mounds surround greens and bunkers, and some of those bunkers are considerably deeper than they first appear.
The elevation changes also provide some spectacular views. The par-5 11th tee is the highest point on the course, with a wonderful view across the course and Otesaga Lake toward the hotel.
I also really liked the 366-yard par-4 16th. It’s downhill and requires a tee shot over a road, with bunkers left and water right. Then you play your approach over water to a small green with wetlands beyond. All the while, the Otesaga Hotel sits prominently in the background. But the hole you’ll probably remember is the 18th. It’s a 515-yard par 5, sharp dogleg left, with the tee sitting on a narrow piece of land surrounded by water on three sides. You decide how much of Otesaga Lake you want to challenge off the tee. Take on more water and you can shorten the hole enough to think about getting home in two.
The small 18th green sits just below the hotel’s outdoor restaurant and firepit. People are eating, having drinks and watching you finish your round. It’s a great setting—although it does add a little pressure to that final approach. After playing Leatherstocking, I understood why it gets so much attention among New York’s public courses. It’s not about length or flashy modern golf course design. It’s an old-fashioned golf course in a beautiful setting, with a terrific clubhouse, wonderful lake views and a finishing hole you won’t forget.
If you’re planning a trip to Cooperstown to see the Baseball Hall of Fame, make room for another four or five hours. Bring your clubs.
By Chuck Fox, Owner, Quintessential Golf, Resident since 2012