The Monster golf course at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York, has reopened following an extensive redesign by Rees Jones and his design associate Bryce Swanson.

“Our vision for Resorts World Catskills always included the reinvigoration and restoration of this golf course, and we are proud to have delivered on this important commitment,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, the operator of the resort. “Most of all, we are extremely grateful for the unwavering support of so many who helped turn the dream of championship golf in the Catskills into a reality.”

The golf course project is part of a $40 million investment by the resort, located in New York’s Catskill region. It comes 60 years after Joe Finger originally designed the layout, which, for many years, was one of America’s longest at 7,650 yards.

Some of the original Monster’s front nine was lost when the Resorts World Casino opened in 2018, and other areas – within holes two to seven – were prone to flooding so have not been incorporated into the redesigned course.

For their redesign, Jones and Swanson have laid out holes one to three and ten to eighteen on land from the original Monster, while holes four to nine use land remaining from the club’s International course, which closed in 2009.

The new course takes some design cues from the old Monster, notably the bunkering and water hazards; Jones and Swanson have integrated the site’s five ponds and Kiamesha Creek into their layout. Several holes use the same corridors and green sites from the former courses.

The new Monster has six sets of tees, allowing it to be played from 5,250 to 7,325 yards, which is still shorter than Finger’s original.

The new Monster will be profiled in the October 2023 issue of Golf Course Architecture. For a printed subscription or free digital edition, please visit our subscriptions page.