Bethpage reservation system

[MaitriMike]

Bethpage Red is great.

 

Just played the Red last weekend. Great shape and the greens were like a country club.

 

To be honest, all courses are usually in great shape. Only issue I have with Beth is pace of play sometimes, but that's what you get for great deals at Bethpage.

[chas521]

Bethpage Red is great.

 

Just played the Red last weekend. Great shape and the greens were like a country club.

 

To be honest, all courses are usually in great shape. Only issue I have with Beth is pace of play sometimes, but that's what you get for great deals at Bethpage.

 

+1

[jwellefson1]

So I have a few questions on booking Bethpage Black. I'm from the DC suburbs in Virginia, and I want to head up to play the Black in the next few weeks, and I will probably head up alone. If the tee times online are pushing twilight, how late in the day would I be able to book a tee time and still get in all 18? Also, if I wanted to camp out/arrive at the park very early as a single, would there be spots open for a single earlier in the day? I understand the new online system I was just hoping someone would be able to help me figure out.

[chas521]

So I have a few questions on booking Bethpage Black. I'm from the DC suburbs in Virginia, and I want to head up to play the Black in the next few weeks, and I will probably head up alone. If the tee times online are pushing twilight, how late in the day would I be able to book a tee time and still get in all 18? Also, if I wanted to camp out/arrive at the park very early as a single, would there be spots open for a single earlier in the day? I understand the new online system I was just hoping someone would be able to help me figure out.

 

You should have no problem getting on any time as a single. No need to camp out as you say. Just get there in the AM. Worst thing possibly is that you'll need to kill some time waiting for your tee time.

[TeeAreNY]

Besides a tee time around the first hour, is there a chance to finish in around 4 hours at Bethpage (any course) on the weekends? How's the volume for a later twilight around 3 or 4pm? I was desperate to play yesterday and grabbed a cancellation for a 9:30am on Green while checking the system Saturday night and the round took 5.5 hours.

[tsecor]

So I have a few questions on booking Bethpage Black. I'm from the DC suburbs in Virginia, and I want to head up to play the Black in the next few weeks, and I will probably head up alone. If the tee times online are pushing twilight, how late in the day would I be able to book a tee time and still get in all 18? Also, if I wanted to camp out/arrive at the park very early as a single, would there be spots open for a single earlier in the day? I understand the new online system I was just hoping someone would be able to help me figure out.

camping out is risky. They may or may not have a spot for you but I will say they do a great job of finding open spots for singles. If you are even just the slightest bit late for a tee time, they give it away. they are strict but fair

[chas521]

I also played Green yesterday at 10:12. You're right! It was slow. You might have better luck after 3 PM.

[BRS2014]

Besides a tee time around the first hour, is there a chance to finish in around 4 hours at Bethpage (any course) on the weekends? How's the volume for a later twilight around 3 or 4pm? I was desperate to play yesterday and grabbed a cancellation for a 9:30am on Green while checking the system Saturday night and the round took 5.5 hours.

 

I played the black yesterday in about 5 hours teeing off at 12:30. Found the tee time for a foursome around 6PM the night before. Keep in mind, tee times can be cancelled up to 6 hours before tee time.

[msena88]

Besides a tee time around the first hour, is there a chance to finish in around 4 hours at Bethpage (any course) on the weekends? How's the volume for a later twilight around 3 or 4pm? I was desperate to play yesterday and grabbed a cancellation for a 9:30am on Green while checking the system Saturday night and the round took 5.5 hours.

 

IMO, the problem there isn't so much about overbooked tee sheets and more about just overall poor etiquette/pace by the groups on the courses. Excluding Black because everyone is walking and its extremely difficult but the other courses probably 75% of people out there on weekends are riding and they still move at a glacial pace. The reason I say this is because to your point, the volume is way lower during twilight but the pace can be just as bad.

 

I have no problem with guys who can barely hit the ball being out there, the problem is there are very few people who are awful but also understand pace/etiquette. A lot of people have the mindset of "I paid the same as you, I'm going to take my time" which turns into long pre shot routines, searching for lost balls, reading putts from every angle, not being ready to fire right after someone else in your group has played, etc...

[TeeAreNY]

Do rangers not exist at Bethpage? I've only relocated to the area in the last couple of years and have heard the comment "its public golf, it's to be expected that it's slow" but I don't necessarily believe that statement. I'm from New Jersey and many public tracks including local muni's I've played have rangers enforcing/maintaining pace of play. Does management just not care since it wont affect business? I guess that even with 5-6 hour rounds, people will still come regardless...

[oJAKo]

Do rangers not exist at Bethpage? I've only relocated to the area in the last couple of years and have heard the comment "its public golf, it's to be expected that it's slow" but I don't necessarily believe that statement. I'm from New Jersey and many public tracks including local muni's I've played have rangers enforcing/maintaining pace of play. Does management just not care since it wont affect business? I guess that even with 5-6 hour rounds, people will still come regardless...

 

In over 20 years and 100's of rounds there i think i can count on 1 hand the amount of times ive seen a "ranger" If someone is driving around they dont care about pace of play.

[msena88]

Do rangers not exist at Bethpage? I've only relocated to the area in the last couple of years and have heard the comment "its public golf, it's to be expected that it's slow" but I don't necessarily believe that statement. I'm from New Jersey and many public tracks including local muni's I've played have rangers enforcing/maintaining pace of play. Does management just not care since it wont affect business? I guess that even with 5-6 hour rounds, people will still come regardless...

 

Technically yes, but they're very few and far between. They'll only really say anything if there is a hole open ahead but things usually go so haywire, that everyone is backed up at every hole so theres nothing they can do. If they were out there more consistently they could do a better job keeping things moving but when half the tee sheet are "problematic groups" its a tough situation to fix, there is zero chance they will ever kick a group off the course either which doesn't help.

 

I play there roughly 2x/week and it's a combination of wrong course for skill level, wrong tee boxes for skill level, etc... coupled with a tee sheet that during peak times literally does not have a single slot unsold so there is never a natural gap to let things breathe a bit.

 

I played Red Friday night with two other guys who could not have been nicer but had no business being on Yellow, let alone Red and played from the tips the first few holes (while I played from the whites and was easily 150-200 yards longer off the tee and I only hit it 260) until I said something. Super nice guys, but a ranger system where they could follow a group for a bit and somehow take them off to one of the other courses would be great IMO. Will never happen though.

 

If you wana get around quickly over there, you have to be creative/get lucky. It sucks to say it just is what it is, but it's been this way for as long as I can remember so being realistic I just don't see much changing.

[PC51]

Do rangers not exist at Bethpage? I've only relocated to the area in the last couple of years and have heard the comment "its public golf, it's to be expected that it's slow" but I don't necessarily believe that statement. I'm from New Jersey and many public tracks including local muni's I've played have rangers enforcing/maintaining pace of play. Does management just not care since it wont affect business? I guess that even with 5-6 hour rounds, people will still come regardless...

 

From my experience here on the Island, everyone loves the idea of a ranger regulating pace of play -- as long as the ranger never accuses them of being among the slow players. Then they have no use for the ranger and tell him where to stick it.

 

I've seen the pros and the cons of having rangers out on local courses. On the plus side, we had a ranger at Mill Pond once warn us about a bunch of slow groups ahead of us, and rerouted us so that we could get a full 18 in before dark. On the negative side, after waiting all day behind a slow foursome, we once had a ranger drive out from the clubhouse to the middle of the 18th fairway at Tallgrass as we were about to hit our approaches to scream at us for taking too long to finish and return our carts, as they were overbooked and couldn't get carts out to the groups going off on 1.

 

All in all, as long as the mentality is "I paid $80 and will play the way I want," play will trend slow no matter what.

[chas521]

<p>I really think that everyone should have to take a course on etiquette and get a license to play golf. I know, kinda extreme but hey! Just kidding.

[mci711]

How early does the train from Manhattan start running out there?

[msena88]

<p>I really think that everyone should have to take a course on etiquette and get a license to play golf. I know, kinda extreme but hey! Just kidding.

 

Not that crazy! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_license

 

There is a train that gets out there at 4AM, next one gets there at 6 on weekdays.

[msena88]

Do rangers not exist at Bethpage? I've only relocated to the area in the last couple of years and have heard the comment "its public golf, it's to be expected that it's slow" but I don't necessarily believe that statement. I'm from New Jersey and many public tracks including local muni's I've played have rangers enforcing/maintaining pace of play. Does management just not care since it wont affect business? I guess that even with 5-6 hour rounds, people will still come regardless...

 

From my experience here on the Island, everyone loves the idea of a ranger regulating pace of play -- as long as the ranger never accuses them of being among the slow players. Then they have no use for the ranger and tell him where to stick it.

 

I've seen the pros and the cons of having rangers out on local courses. On the plus side, we had a ranger at Mill Pond once warn us about a bunch of slow groups ahead of us, and rerouted us so that we could get a full 18 in before dark. On the negative side, after waiting all day behind a slow foursome, we once had a ranger drive out from the clubhouse to the middle of the 18th fairway at Tallgrass as we were about to hit our approaches to scream at us for taking too long to finish and return our carts, as they were overbooked and couldn't get carts out to the groups going off on 1.

 

All in all, as long as the mentality is "I paid $80 and will play the way I want," play will trend slow no matter what.

 

This, they could do more with rangers but ultimately blame falls on the players.

[tsecor]

Gotta get to this place this year.... lived in upstate NY for 3 years now and still haven't made it to Bethpage.... :censored2:

where abouts?

[Ty_Webb]

I had an opportunity to play this Sunday, but it had to be very early. I was on my phone continually hitting refresh until it popped up. I went for Red. Hit 6:15 and book as fast as I could and it was gone. Came back to the booking page and the first time available was 10:15. Out of curiosity I went to book that, but that was gone too. Then it was 1:30. I don't know how I could have gone any faster and still wound up with nothing and it was afternoon only by 7:00:45. 6:15 was gone by 7:00:01. Ugh.

[chas521]

I had an opportunity to play this Sunday, but it had to be very early. I was on my phone continually hitting refresh until it popped up. I went for Red. Hit 6:15 and book as fast as I could and it was gone. Came back to the booking page and the first time available was 10:15. Out of curiosity I went to book that, but that was gone too. Then it was 1:30. I don't know how I could have gone any faster and still wound up with nothing and it was afternoon only by 7:00:45. 6:15 was gone by 7:00:01. Ugh.

 

Makes you wonder and scratch your head, doesn't it?

[TeeAreNY]

I had an opportunity to play this Sunday, but it had to be very early. I was on my phone continually hitting refresh until it popped up. I went for Red. Hit 6:15 and book as fast as I could and it was gone. Came back to the booking page and the first time available was 10:15. Out of curiosity I went to book that, but that was gone too. Then it was 1:30. I don't know how I could have gone any faster and still wound up with nothing and it was afternoon only by 7:00:45. 6:15 was gone by 7:00:01. Ugh.

 

Makes you wonder and scratch your head, doesn't it?

 

I know the feeling. I've been somewhat successful in grabbing tee times after the first available. It seems everyone is going in order starting from the earliest and grabbing the same one. I've been able to secure a tee time around 6:30-6:40 on the first try.

[DRotella93]

got in yesterday right at 7 looking for a tee time saturday, got one at 350, excited to go back

[jwellefson1]

For anyone wondering I got up there yesterday, it was an awesome course! I definitely wish I had played better but I really enjoyed it. Also I finished the round in less than 5 hours, and the group behind us was really slow so it really felt like we had the course to ourselves. Great experience and thanks to everyone that gave me advice!

[DRotella93]

got in yesterday right at 7 looking for a tee time saturday, got one at 350, excited to go back

 

unfortunately, I got a massive blister on my left thumb while at the range the day before my tee time on the black. Was able to gut it out until 15, then I just walked the remaining holes with my group, still had a blast and the course was in incredible shape. Wish I could've played it at 100%, but oh well, there's always next year.

[mci711]

the system is flawed big time. The tee times sell out in minutes for the weekend for New Yorkers. Yesterday there wasn't a single opening for today, woke up this morning and there were 15 open tee times. There needs to be a bigger penalty for no-showing and cancelation should be 48 hours. People book it "just in case" and if they don't end up playing it doesn't matter.

 

I also broke the rules, and created a resident account and booked my tee time a week out. Canceled it 5 days out then used my actual account to immediately rebook it. The system needs to be looked at a little better...

 

That being said, I had a great time playing there today. Terrific course, not as hard as I expected, but conditions were quite tame.

[chas521]

This is first year. I'm sure they will learn things

[PThomas]

Has anyone successfully booked a round on the Black via online, then booked over the phone within 1 month?

[Lefty_13]

Quick question for those more knowledgeable. Coming up from Texas this weekend for a wedding on LI and am wanting to play Black as a single. Didn't have any luck booking online so looks like I am going to be in a walk up situation. As a single, do I need to camp out overnight or if I get to the course around 5:30 or 6 am, will I have issues getting on? Looking to play on Friday. Thanks!

[PC51]

Quick question for those more knowledgeable. Coming up from Texas this weekend for a wedding on LI and am wanting to play Black as a single. Didn't have any luck booking online so looks like I am going to be in a walk up situation. As a single, do I need to camp out overnight or if I get to the course around 5:30 or 6 am, will I have issues getting on? Looking to play on Friday. Thanks!

 

Show up in the morning ... you won't have issues getting on.

[mci711]

Quick question for those more knowledgeable. Coming up from Texas this weekend for a wedding on LI and am wanting to play Black as a single. Didn't have any luck booking online so looks like I am going to be in a walk up situation. As a single, do I need to camp out overnight or if I get to the course around 5:30 or 6 am, will I have issues getting on? Looking to play on Friday. Thanks!

 

Also, keep checking. The night before especially. A lot of cancelations.