Another Bethpage question. sorry :)

[gregkeller]

My brother and another buddy have this coming wednesday earmarked for our first trip to the black. We all live in Jersey and are kind of excited about experiencing the camp out.

I've looked around and know I'm not going to get a solid answer because every day is different, but I think the earliest we can get there is about 10 PM. What are the odds of a threesome getting out in one of the first hour of tee times on a wednesday with a decent forecast for weather? I've got to be back in Jersey by 6PM at the latest and have no idea what traffic back from bethpage to northern jersey is going to look like. I'd imagine that 11 PM would be the latest that we could tee off. I really would hate to spend the night out there and not get on. We potentially could send one of the guys out earlier to snag us a spot closer to 8 or so, but that means he's got to deal with rush hour to get there. Worst case is we play the Red which I've heard awesome things about, but really black is our preferred option by a long shot.

[chas521]

I would strongly suggest that you register in the reservation system . There's a link on here to do so is in one of the recent Bethpage threads. I'll look for it [so should you] and if I find it I'll make an edit. here. You can call in 5days in advance now - 1-516-249-0707.

 

You'll probably get on early by doing the camping out thing. Better than getting there early. However, like you said, not written in stone. I went to Rider University so I'm kinda familiar with NJ. Plus I went to a funeral not too long ago in NJ. I ran into tons of traffic on the Staten Island Expressway so if you're under pressure with time, I would try the reservation system first. Incidentally, The Red is pretty nice.

 

EDIT: https://parks.ny.gov/golf-courses/attachments/BethpageBethpageGolfReservationRegistrationInfo.pdf

[gregkeller]

Thanks, we are heading back to Bergen county so probably won't be on the state island expressway. We got a guy registered and that is going to be our first angle of attack starting tomorrow night but I'd love to get out in one of the first few walk on times. Something about being one of he first groups out there with the rising sun and dew and everything would be cool

[chas521]

Best of luck whatever you do Greg.

[aabcuue]

Good luck w/ the proposed timing.

A normal black round is 5+hrs and more like 5.5hrs playing. You'll also probably want to warm up @range onsite

and after the round hit the pro shop if not eat on the patio overlooking the 18th green.

 

Might want to tee off black by 10am.

Going to bethpage you are definitely going w/ traffic into manhattan. Probably will need a good 2hrs to get to Bethpage. Its all too easy to find an accident or traffic on GWB, Cross Bronx or LIE.

 

With no traffic, @overnight, return trip is 1h 15min and 55miles which rarer than a blue moon. Typical midday, non-rush hr trip should be 1h 30-45min if no Yankee game, gridlock day or if Trump is @tower.

 

Your return trip is going w/ traffic esp. when you leave manhattan to nj.

[ckay]

You're going on Wednesday? You don't need to show up until 4AM if you want one of the first tee times on Black. The Black fad died out years ago.

 

If you said Sunday then it is hit or miss but midweek is really easy.