Tanner Valley Golf Course

The Tanner Valley Golf Course is our business of the month, and what an impressive and beautiful place.  If the lush course weren’t breathtaking enough, you will certainly be impressed with the tree covered hills that frame it. 
Set between the hills of South Onondaga and Lafayette, Tanner Valley is only 15 minutes from Syracuse, Camillus or other residential areas.

So who’s the brains behind this operation?  That would be R.J. Graham!  R.J. is a natural in the golf world.  His Dad turned his grandfather’s farm into a golf course in Deruyter so R.J. began his love of golf early.  After high school, R.J. attended SUNY Delhi studying turf management.  After college, R.J. moved to Hilton Head, NC.  There, he became a Teaching Pro for the Junior Players Academy.  In the morning, R.J. would teach adults at every level of play, and start teaching youth golfers beginning at 2:30.  These were long days, but he loved what he was doing so that didn’t matter.

A few years ago, R.J. brought his family back to CNY with the idea of either creating or buying a golf course.  So last June, R.J. bought Tanner Valley.  While the previous owner did a great job of remodeling the dining room and bar area, there wasn’t a pro shop.  Since he still teaches, R.J. felt that a quality pro shop was necessary.  So he built an area that he could properly fit his customers with clubs.  The proper fit is everything and the selection is great!.

I asked R.J. what he disliked most about the business and he said, “finding reliable help.”  “What  do you like best?”  “Anything to do with golf,” he said with a huge smile.  R.J. is truly a Renaissance man – you’ll find him doing anything that needs doing.  You may find him puttering around the grounds or equipment, or he may be chipping away in the kitchen.  Sorry, those are the only golf terms I know. LOL!

One of the things that impressed me most about R.J. was that he kept the entire staff from the previous owner. This is a testament to his commitment to CNY.  While the clientele changes from Summer to Winter, Tanner Valley caters to them all.  One thing everyone loves is the Friday night fish fry.

Next on his list is to remodel the banquet room and add an outdoor deck to expand the dining area.  He also wants to create a party deck out front and has already started to have live music on nice evenings.

Whether you golf or not, there’s a great time to be had at R.J. Graham’s Tanner Valley Golf Course.

Janet LaFrance