It is not often that an existing golf course can almost double the size of one of their fairways but Twin Village Golf & Winter Park Golf Course Superintendent, Gregory  Feeney Jr., has almost accomplished that with the addition of approximately a 40-yard wide by 60-yard in length new fairway on the 133-yard par-3 fourth hole.

The famous par-3 fourth hole  is  133 yards in length from the tee to the elevated green and it’s all up hill from the tee to the green. Golfers enjoy their opportunity to score a hole-in-one and this hole has rewarded many.

Previously before the construction of the additional fairway errant drives that went right off the tee landed in land covered by briar bushes, rocks, small trees and high grass which in most cases resulted in lost golf balls and bogey’s on the scorecard.

Now all of this area is open fairway and adds a beautiful addition to this nine-hole par-32 Executive style  golf course which was officially purchased in January 2020 by Phil and Donna Vallone.

Improvements made by Feeney and his staff since the takeover of the course by the well-known Roscoe Vallone family include improvements to all the greens that includes aeration and top dressing which now has allowed them to be cut lower resulting in much faster greens when putting.

Major improvements have been made to the cart paths with new cart paths on hole number four, entrance to the fifth tee and new cart paths from the fifth tee to the fifth fairway. The cart path to the ninth green also has seen a smoother riding surface.

Greg noted that a major project in the fall is the removal of all the cattails, trees and brush that have grown up in the large pond separating the first and ninth fairways.

“We will clean everything out in the pond and hope to reshape it so that they can use the pond for ice skating as part of the Winter Park operations which will include other winter park activities,” Feeney said.

Several weeks ago the traveling Community Golf League  played one of their matches at Twin Village Golf & Winter Park, and Feeney noted that he got many complimentary remarks from golfers with some  asking about memberships.

While touring Twin Village we also witnessed the new  sheds providing housing for the golf carts.

Ed’s Outlook

The third annual Charity Golf Tournament benefiting the Ellenville Regional Hospital will take place at the Stoeckeler Memorial Park on Saturday, July 24 with tee time at noon.

The tournament will be a 4-person team scramble.

The fee per team is $400 ($100 per golfer.)

The entry fee includes cart and green fees, lunch, dinner and refreshments. There will be opportunities to win raffles, prizes and gifts.

New this year is a hole in one contest with a prize of $30,000.

Entry deadline is July 16.

Questions? Contact Alan Coombe at EHRGOLF@ gmail.com or call (845) 820-3382.

Golf Tip

By Robert Menges

It never hurts to try something new.

We all have different ways of doing thing things on the golf course, which is why one technique or strategy might work for one person but not another.

For example, some of us will visualize the shot we want to hit in our mind, because it helps us execute the shot. For others, they have to experience the shot.

With that said (or written in this case) it never hurts to try something new.

So here are several “pep talks” you can create to help build your confidence for the next round.

After each round of golf, take 60 seconds to sit quietly and replay three best shots of the round. Visualize them in slow motion and lock every detail into your memory. They’ll come back to cheer you on in the future.

Tell someone about your best shot of the day, but never talk about your worst shots. Professionals can usually remember every shot during a tournament, but there is one shot they “just don’t recall”…it’s their worst shot. Let the bad shots go, and never ever talk about them.

After every shot, remember to say, “great shot” and mean it when you say it…the results may not be exactly what you wanted, but the ball went where you hit it. So go do it again.

Breathe before every shot or putt, remember to breathe deeply and softly. It will relax your body and allow you to focus on the task at hand.

Make it a part of your pre-shot routine to consciously expect a great shot. As you pull the club from your bag, smile. As you look down the fairway or line up your putt, smile. As you stand over the ball, smile. Expect the best.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, have fun out there. Golf is a game. Yes, it can be very challenging and frustrating at times, but it is intended to be a form of enjoyment. Enjoy the day, the weather and the time with friends. Chances are, you’ll enjoy the wonderful game of golf as well.

Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323 or via email at bobmenges22@gmail.com. 

The Putting Tip

By Geoff Walsh

Waiting for that one-putt opportunity?

Meanwhile, stay calm and patient, be reasonable, steady, conservative, get your solid 2 putts, and then when the time is right, the distance, the undulation manageable, you feel comfortable and most positive.

Then you strike, like a cat on the prowl, stalking her prey while lurking in the shadows for that opportunity.

For that opportunity that you knew was coming and you begin sinking those one putt shots.

Geoff Walsh is a Class A PGA Professional at the Tarry Brae Golf Course and is available for private lessons at 387 Pleasant Valley Road, South Fallsburg. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-434-2620.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the Sport of Golf and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, score a hole-in-one or score your age, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to bghtnews@aol.com. View this column and Ed’s photos at http://bght.blogspot.com  We are also on Facebook and Twitter.

Twin Village

Monday Mens

1. Husson & Husson 104.5

2. Brock & Brock 95.0

3. Reed & Odell 91.0

4. Templin & Lee 87.5

5. Thomas & Hendrickson 86.0

6. Rampe & Clancy 83.0

7. Tallman & Ackerly 82.5

8. Green & Glantzis 81.0

9. Harris & Spalding 78.0

9. Darbee & France 78.0

11. Haas & France 77.0

11. Clark & Mooney 77.0

11. Madera & Diaz 77.0

14. Bennett & Rowan 75.0

15. Ryder & Ryder 74.0

16. Tucker & Smith 73.0

17. Murphy & Townsend 69.5

18. Wood & Bro­sius 60.0

Tuesday Ladies

1. A. Husson & B. Ackerly 73.0

2. Y. Rowan & T. Stark 69.0

3. L. Hendrickson & M. Ross 61.0

4. E. Casey & E. Carlson 54.5

5. D. Tallman & C. Routledge 51.5

6. C. Bowers & S. Feeney 48.5

7. S. Ferber & J. Husson 43.0

8. S. Clark & K. Ahart 30.5

9. K. Harris & S. Green 29.0

SWAN LAKE

Tuesday Night Birdie Division

1. P. Clifford & A. Hauser 80.5

2. D. Luczynski & M. Garigliano 74.0

3. M. Welsh & S. Duquette 72.0

4. T. Ditmar & N. Rusin 71.0

5. Todd & Taylor VanKeuren 67.5

6. H. Keherley & J. Rhupert 62.0

6. D. Byrne & T. Byrne 62.0

7. J. Merklin & W. Huebner 61.5

8. N. Bell & M. Freaney 60.5

9. K. Torrens & M. Lagatutta 60.0

10. N. Huggler & M. Murphy 59.5

11. C. Hicks & B. Garber 55.5

12. A. Atkins & R. Festa 42.5

13. T. Osterhout & B. Meyer 39.5

14. M. Williams & D. Divita 39.0

15. T. Merklin & S. Austin 38.0

Tuesday Night Par Division

1. C. Roth & C. Roth 70.5

2. E. O’Malley & T. Ellison 68.0

3. C. Schadt & W. Mall 67.5

4. T. Gallo & C. Roth 65.5

5. J. Finn & J. Russell 65.0

6. K. Wheeler & S. Hamlin 64.5

7. J. J. Van Keuren & T. Nieman 62.5

8. J. Rusin & R. Ellison 59.0

9. J. Sazoff & S. Ottino 56.0

10. Walter & Quintin Herzog 54.5

11. J. Frankie & R. Frankie 47.0

12. K. Clifford & B. Menges 45.0

13. J. Tanous & J. Wilhelm 44.0

14. P. Fanning & A. Marciano 41.5

15. M. Diehl & A. Bradley 40.0

16. P. Donovan & K. Scheibe 31.5

Wednesday Night

1. R. Schmidt & B. Russell 70.0

2. E. Stratton & M. Brand 69.5

3. F. Barrett & D. Hendrickson 65.0

4. W. Mall & F. Stabbert 63.0

5. T. Martin & T. Martin Jr. 58.5

6. D. Kuebler & R. O’Mara 54.5

7. R. Meihoffer & T. Doughty 49.5

8. J. Hinkley & P. Alden 48.5

9. R. Heyman & J. Weinstein 48.0

10. P. Wegman & R. Lennon 47.0

11. D. Immoor & H. Tighe 46.5

12. J. Fink & J. Graham 40.0

13. G. Ziegler & J. Wunder 33.5

14. R. Esposito & D. Hoskings 33.0

Thursday Travel League

1. Thomas & Husson 116.5

2. Schmidt & Ackerly 107.5

3. Kuhn & Martin 99.5

4. Stevens & Holmquest 98.5

5. Benstein & Lubniewski 97.0

6. Gilmore & Gilmore 95.0

7. Benzenberg & Benzenberg 93.0

7. Collura & Fisher 93.0

9. Hutchins & Mack 89.5

10. Jardine & Stanley 88.0

11. Coney & Martinez 86.5

12. Winters & Petraglia 83.0

13. Cawley & Todora 79.5

14. Cunningham & Poli 56.5

Villa Roma

Villa division

1. Meyer & Meyer 134.5

2. Molusky & Ward 124.0

3. Schmidt & Drobysh 121.0

4. Fenton & Nearing 112.5

5. Calkin & Calkin 112.0

6. Johnston & Clark 107.5

7. Russell & Dubois 106.5

8. Brockner & Marston 95.5

9. Feeney & Marin 95.0

10. O’Brien & Walsh 92.0

11. Hendrickson & Hendrickson 86.5

12. Buddenhagen & Bonnaci 80.0

Roma division

1. Willi & Stubits 136.5

2. Starr & J. Nober 120.0

3. Backlund & Smith 117.0

4. Spagnoli & Bauer 115.0

5. Schumacher & Allen 114.0

6. Esselman & Pierce 112.5

7. Selthafner & Greenwald 110.0

8. VonAhnan & Dannic 109.5

9. Phillips & Phillips 109.0

10. Kubenik & Leroy 99.0

11. Maas & Pierce 92.0

12. Borowski & Borowski 90.5