The new Monster Golf Club routing takes land from two previous courses at Resorts World Catskills in New York.
The Rees Jones-renovated Monster Golf Club in Monticello, New York, has reopened with a new routing that incorporates parts of the old Concord Monster Course and the property’s Old International Course. The new layout took nearly five years to reach completion and is part of a $40-million investment by Resorts World Catskills.
The previous Monster layout, originally designed by Joe Finger and opened in 1963, had been closed since 2015. Jones used holes and corridors from the two former courses to create a 7,650-yard, par-72 new Monster Golf Club in the Catskill Mountains about a two-hour drive from Manhattan. The public-access course will be managed by Arizona-based Troon Golf.
“The opening of any golf course is a special time, but to do it in the picturesque Catskills and to be able to combine the elements of two celebrated golf courses makes this a truly remarkable occasion,” Monster Golf Club director of golf Uri Jimenez said in a media release announcing the news. “The magic of Rees Jones is omnipresent throughout the course’s 18 holes and the hospitality excellence of Troon Golf and Resorts World Catskills will offer golfers an unrivaled experience at the Monster Golf Club.”
The course features six sets of tees to accommodate any player. The club has a new fleet of carts and a golf shop located in The Alder, Resorts World Catskills’ newest boutique lifestyle hotel adjacent to the property’s casino and resort.
“The grand reopening of the Monster Golf Club is a milestone moment for Resorts World Catskills as it completes the vision we had for this amazing property,” Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in the media release. “We are proud to deliver on the commitment we made to the Catskills community to reimagine and reinvigorate this storied golf course in partnership with the legendary Rees Jones. We can’t wait to welcome golfers from around the world to face the Monster.”
Tackling a strenuous hike takes skill and dedication. It takes even more dedication to hike up a mountain that rises to an elevation of over 3,800 feet. In New York’s Adirondack Mountains, the glorious spots that tower above this elevation are known as the 46 High Peaks.
What does it take to climb the High Peaks? According to 46ers, a group of climbers who have scaled all 46 peaks, a passion for hiking helps fuel their ascents.
“Why do you hike? This is a question that we must all ask ourselves at a certain point of our hiking adventures, whether at the beginning of a quest to become a 46er,” Siobhan Carney Nesbitt, an Adirondack 46ers member, wrote. “I hike because I love to hike. While spending time outdoors with my family and friends, I love to hear babbling brooks, rustling leaves, twittering birds, chattering chipmunks, and sometimes in the dead of winter, the snow muffled silence.”
While not everyone can climb all 46 High Peaks, hiking enthusiasts can sample the region’s best sights. Get a taste of these majestic mountains at the five best peaks in the Adirondack Mountains.
According to a story from our USA Today Network partners The Journal News, Poughkeepsie Journal and Times Herald-Record of Middletown, the incident took place near the 14th hole of the Putnam County Golf Course in Mahopac, which sits about an hour north of Manhattan.
The Putnam County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) responded to Putnam County Golf Course in New York after environmental officials received a report of a man beating a goose, the county SPCA said in a statement on Facebook Monday.
The Putnam County SPCA charged the man with a misdemeanor, accusing him of one count of animal cruelty, and the state Department of Environmental Conservation police issued him a summons, the statement said.
A Sept. 12 arraignment is scheduled in Town of Carmel Court.
On Friday, Putnam SPCA officers responded to a call from state DEC Police, who were in route to the course for a complaint of a golfer beating a goose to death, the statement said. SPCA detectives met with DEC police and interviewed staff and witnesses.
According to the statement, witnesses claimed a Canada Goose was struck by a golf ball and dazed. A golfer on the 14th hole then allegedly struck the goose several times with his club, walked away, but noticed the goose was still moving and came back and struck the goose again.
In 2022, over 8 million people visited Gateway National Recreation Area. That year, this special National Park Service (NPS) site also celebrated its 50th anniversary. Established in 1972, Gateway still draws in tons of visitors seeking an outdoor escape.
What keeps people coming back to Gateway? For some New York and New Jersey locals, the recreation area is the ideal place to go for a daily walk. For others, it’s a region perfect for beach days, kayaking trips, and birdwatching. From Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge to Fort Hancock, Gateway has a lot to offer. Discover eight of Gateway National Recreation Area’s best sights and things to do in the list below. Check out even more park guides here.
Another fishing tournament is in the spotlight because of a cheating scandal – this time involving Lake Erie walleye that had allegedly been stuffed with smaller fish to make them appear heavier.
Another fishing tournament is in the spotlight because of a cheating scandal – this time involving Lake Erie walleyes that had allegedly been stuffed with smaller fish to make them heavier.
Peter Smith, 57, a competitor at the Bart’s Cove Walleye Duel July 29-30 in Dunkirk, N.Y., was disqualified after director Mark Mohr discovered that two of Smith’s walleyes appeared to have been stuffed with smaller fish.
One contained a 12-inch walleye with its tail portion removed. Another contained a fully intact white perch. Both smaller fish had lip holes, indicating that they had recently been caught.
Mohr told Outdoor Life: “The 12-inch walleye, it looked to me like they tried to stuff it and it wouldn’t go down, so they cut the last three inches off. It was suspicious because the fish was still really bright, and then I picked it up and could see a hook mark in its lip.”
Smaller fish that were found stuffed inside tournament walleyes. Photo: Mark Mohr/Facebook
Grand prize for the event, which boasted a field of more than 30 teams, was an all-inclusive Panama fishing trip valued at $14,500.
The incident is under investigation, at the request of tournament organizers, by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Folks might recall that two men were sentenced to 10 days in jail in May after being found guilty of felony charges stemming from their actions during a walleye tournament on Lake Erie in October 2022.
The men were found to have stuffed lead weights into fish they had caught.
Niagara Falls attracts tourists from all over the world. Everyone from honeymooners to daredevils to families flock to this powerful natural wonder. Like the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls is so popular that some people may start to consider the attraction overrated. However, this incredible sight is still worth visiting. Here’s why.
The Niagara Falls National Heritage Museum says that this iconic destination has been a tourism hotspot for 200 years. Curious visitors just can’t get enough of this gorgeous waterfall. When visiting Niagara from the New York/United States side, guests can explore the falls from several unique angles. Learn about them here, and get a preview of the sights you can look forward to seeing.
YORKTOWN, N.Y. – The overwhelming Lower Hudson Valley floods brought tragedy and destruction, but for plain old frustration look to this town.
On July 8, golfers, families and officials reveled at the grand opening of a town-owned, par-3 golf course with a DJ and ribbon-cutting. Returning a course to the property had been eyed for more than a decade.
By evening of July 9, the course was submerged in the deluge.
“The golf course was completely flooded with water,” Town Supervisor Tom Diana said.
The 9-hole Links at Valley Fields course in the Shrub Oak hamlet, in the town’s north end, shut down that Monday. Diana said on Tuesday that a good amount of water had receded from the course.
On Thursday, the course reopened.
The clubhouse was spared flooding or damage. But the pro shop did get some flooding and various equipment such as golf carts and grounds-keeping equipment were affected.
Chris Munoz, a partner in the team that operates the facility, said on Tuesday that a lot of manpower was working at the site, “trying to save everything as much as possible.” He said the crew was doing everything to clear out the water. He expressed hope the course could open by the weekend, which it did.
“Even if we open, still we’re still going to have repairs going on, but we’d like to get the public back on our course as soon as possible,” Munoz said.
A September 2018 article on the United States Golf Association website said one key is to get excessive water out, quickly.
“When submersed for long periods, grass is deprived of oxygen and begins to die,” the article said, adding that the situations can be worse if it’s salt water – not the situation in well-inland Yorktown. “Beyond the damage caused by floodwater, deposits of silt, rock and debris can prevent routine maintenance and can take weeks or even months to clear.”
A view of the newly opened The Links at Valley Fields in Shrub Oak, July 8, 2023. Town officials celebrated Yorktown’s golf course grand reopening with an all day event after being closed for years. Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News
Yorktown and a host of other localities in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, and Orange counties, as well as their residents, may well apply for disaster relief to help offset some of the repair costs. The governor declared states of emergency in those counties, a step toward seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency help or reimbursement. Towns and residents must assess what’s damaged and its value. For towns, experts need to assess structural integrity of things such as bridges and roads.
Diana said the town has a number of things along those lines to consider seeking assistance for, such as badly-damaged culverts.
Financial costs the flooding may have foisted on the golf course weren’t known. Munoz said “we really don’t know at this point” and “we’re just assessing at this point as well.”
On July 8, roughly 24 hours before record rains fell in some places, Diana used a giant pair of scissors to cut the red ribbon at the grand opening. Adults and children stood to either side as he proclaimed, “open for business.”
“We are so excited that, after so many years, this group has opened this place in 14 weeks,” Diana said, asking for a round of applause. “Fourteen weeks, after waiting more than 10 years, to have this jewel in the town of Yorktown today.”
The golf course, off Taconic State Parkway and bordered by Route 6 and Lee Boulevard, has a restaurant/bar, an outside dining area with a pergola, and provides golf carts for mobility-impaired people. Part-way through the course, there’s a spot to get cold drinks and there’s a fire pit. Plans are for people to book tee times online. It’s nine holes for $40. People can also take golf lessons, with the website showing a half-hour session for $75, an hour for $100, and a package of five half-hour lessons for $350.
Under a five-year agreement, Yorktown Golf Group, which will operate the facility, will pay yearly to the town, starting at $78,000 and rising annually.
“It’s really a beautiful course; these guys did a wonderful job,” Diana said, adding that it’s perhaps one of only two such public 9-hole courses in Westchester.
But creating the golf course spanned years, on and off. And a legal battle launched last year over it continues in state court.
In 2014, the town and RC Recreation Development, a limited liability company, notched an agreement. RC Recreation Development would bring the course to life and operate it, the restaurant and clubhouse for 10 years, then turn it over to the town. The company’s operating license was extended to 2028.
But after what town officials asserted were delays in getting the project closer to a finish line, the Town Board last year voted to end the agreement. Later that year, the board asked for proposals from others and selected Yorktown Golf Group.
RC Recreation Development last year sued several town officials. RC Recreation Development has also filed a suit naming as defendants the company operating the course and its partners.
RC has said it put more than $8 million into development including renovating greens and code upgrades, the Journal News reported. RC has said delays were due to the pandemic, supply-chain issues and bug infestations.
On June 15, a state judge dismissed seven of the suit’s claims. The suit is moving forward on the remaining claims.
Michael McKinney covers growth and development for The Journal News/lohud.com and the USA Today Network.
Much has been made about the Notre Dame football team’s excursion to New York City. Of course, it being the summer, this is the perfect time to get out and explore all the Big Apple has to offer. That includes riding a carousel, which [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag], [autotag]Blake Fisher[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Alt[/autotag] did while a few others watched. Luckily, the Irish put out a video of the experience for the rest of us to see:
In between media appearances did we have some fun?
It’s rather interesting to see that while they all clearly are having fun, they’re a little freaked out by some aspects of the ride. Why would offensive linemen in particular be afraid of this when they have to protect their quarterback and running backs against fellow 300-pound men every Saturday? Basically, they’re doing a job nobody else would dare to do, and this is what causes them tension? The human experience really is something to behold.
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Hidden within New York’s Catskill Forest Preserve, a shimmering pool of cool water awaits hikers who trek through Sundown Wild Forest. This gorgeous spot is known as Peekamoose Blue Hole, and it might just be your new favorite swimming hole.
What can Blue Hole visitors expect from their trip? First, guests will have to keep their fingers crossed to find a parking spot. The nearby Peekamoose Mountain Trailhead parking area can only fit 10 cars. On hot summer days, the lot can fill up fast.
After parking, guests only need to tackle a short hike to reach the serene beauty of Peekamoose Blue Hole. Rondout Creek’s chilly waters power this swimming spot and make it especially refreshing during warm months.
Like many beloved outdoor destinations, Peekamoose Blue Hole has attracted numerous visitors seeking adventurous wilderness experiences. Over time, growing crowds began damaging the area through overuse and littering. Today, such issues are mitigated with help from New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Potential visitors can responsibly enjoy Peekamoose Blue Hole by getting a $10 permit through Reserve America. As always, outdoor adventurers are also highly encouraged to follow Leave No Trace principles. This means properly disposing of all waste and keeping to established trails. The DEC also prohibits alcohol, glass containers, and using audio devices like radios in the area.
Agree to those rules? Then you’re ready to enjoy a day at Peekamoose Blue Hole. Whether you plan to dive into the deep or lounge on the bank, expect to enjoy views of a glittering stream flanked by lush trees. Guests who don’t plan on swimming can also visit in the fall to see the surrounding Sundown Wild Forest’s colorful foliage reflected in the water.
Learn even more about this special location here. Discover more swimming holes in Outdoors Wire’s round-up of the best spots in all 50 states.
It’s summertime, and the thoughts of food industry professionals turn to the Fancy Food Show. It’s the largest specialty food industry event in the U.S., and is a great place to see what’s new in flavor, design, and product innovation. If you plan …
It’s summertime, and the thoughts of food industry professionals turn to the Fancy Food Show. It’s the largest specialty food industry event in the U.S., and is a great place to see what’s new in flavor, design, and product innovation.
If you plan to go, it’s at the Javits Center in NYC starting June 25 and running through June 27. Here are just a few features:
1) 2,200 domestic and international exhibitors, including 700+ with NEW products
2) Pavilions dedicated to hot product categories including plant-based; snacks and sweets; deli; and beverage
3) International Pavilions from 31 countries and regions
The Food Channel has covered the Fancy Food Show many years, and here is one of our favorite stories that gives you a little history, too. We especially enjoyed the year we served on one of the judging panels, too. See if these trends have held up!
