LANESBOROUGH, Mass. - Baker's Golf in Lanesborough marks its 80th year in business this summer. 

“I've been here 40 years now, so I can't complain," owner Debbie Storie said. "I don't think I'd ever want to work inside again, but I enjoy it.”

What You Need To Know

  • Baker's Golf in Lanesborough was opened in 1943 by property owner Malcolm Baker and Ernie Volin who started the driving range

  • Current owner, Debbie Storie, took over in 2020 after Baker passed away

  • Storie began working in the office of Baker's Golf in 1983

  • Baker's Golf makes the claim as Berkshire County's only stand-alone driving range and miniature golf

Storie said with four decades of experience at Baker’s Golf, she always looks forward to cleaning up the 11-acre driving range at the end of the day.

“We do this on a nightly basis," Storie said. "Two of us do it. We have two machines working. One does the lower half and the other does the upper half. We usually start about two hours before we close. That's how I wind down during the day. I have a busy day working and come out here, put some headphones on and listen to music. I get to see the wildlife when I'm up here.”

Storie said while her time at Baker’s Golf started in the 1980’s, the driving range and miniature golf facility’s popularity seems to mirror the professional game.

“It's crazy, I mean, to think that golf has evolved to what it is today," Storie said. "There's time where years of been down and you wonder if you're going to make it through another five or ten years. Then it picks up. So, it goes up and down like everything else.”

Storie said things have changed a bit over the years, from the machine operated ball cleaner added in the mid-90s to the covered stalls on the driving range added last year, and now the newly installed carpets on all 18 mini golf holes for this summer.

Baker's Golf also now offers "glow ball mini golf" for part of their season.

“Just keeping it up to date, keeping people happy," Storie said. "That's what we want to do. We want people to come back. We wanted to enjoy their time here. You know, they may not spend a lot of time here, but we'd like it to be fun while they're here.”

Baker’s Golf is women-owned and operated. Storie became the owner in 2020 and her sister, Lisa Dean, is the manager. They said everyone on their team wears many hats, and it’s a family effort to continue to welcome people from the Berkshires and beyond for decades to come.

“It’s just my family," Storie said. "So, I mean, as we've all grown up, you know, they started helping me one by one, and you get the next generation help, and now they're adults. And their kids are starting to help us having fun here. And we’re just family. It's all about family.”

As summer comes to an end, Baker’s Golf will wrap up its 80th year on Sunday, Oct. 1.