Tips for Bethpage Black

[ctsgolf]

Less than a week to prepare.  It will be my first time playing it.  Tipping it out.  I have played down to a 3, but currently playing to a 5.5 (it has been a rough season).  I've got plenty of distance, D ~285+, 3W ~260, 3i ~230.  I'd like to use driver as little as possible...  As much as I'm going to try to enjoy the experience, I'd like to try to break 85.

 

Anyone have tips for a first timer?  Strategies on certain holes?  I've watched a few fly overs/reviews so far to gather some data and now I'm scared ?

[chas521]

Hole #15 is a climb.  Suggest that you leave your cart/bag near #16 and carry driver and clubs you might use on/near 15 green.  You'll be fine! 

Edited August 24, 2020 by chas521

[nsxguy]

46 minutes ago, ctsgolf said:

Less than a week to prepare.  It will be my first time playing it.  Tipping it out.  I have played down to a 3, but currently playing to a 5.5 (it has been a rough season).  I've got plenty of distance, D ~285+, 3W ~260, 3i ~230.  I'd like to use driver as little as possible...  As much as I'm going to try to enjoy the experience, I'd like to try to break 85.

 

Anyone have tips for a first timer?  Strategies on certain holes?  I've watched a few fly overs/reviews so far to gather some data and now I'm scared ?

 

With that length you may only need your driver 6 or 7 times. A few fewer if you're really trying to "make a score" and are feeling a bit wild with the driver. But depending on the wind you may not need the driver until 7. Feel better now ?

 

The greens and the rough probably won't be US Open length. There isn't a lot of slope on most of the greens so you should be fine.

 

Par 3s are a pain - center of the green on 3, don't miss right on 8, bunkers on 14 and 17 are places you don't want to be. Otherwise the course is fairly straightforward. If you have a laser rangefinder scope out the carries and where the trees are on doglegs to get a feel for where to hit it you should be OK.

 

While most greens aren't treacherous, some even a bit flat, there are some you don't want to be above the hole if you can help it - front pin on 8, front pin on 11, 12, 14 and especially front pin on 15. Some of the other greens you'll need to be a bit careful if they're fast but as normal speeds, not too bad.

 

Don't overthink it. Enjoy !!!

[jvincent]

2 hours ago, ctsgolf said:

Less than a week to prepare.  It will be my first time playing it.  Tipping it out.  I have played down to a 3, but currently playing to a 5.5 (it has been a rough season).  I've got plenty of distance, D ~285+, 3W ~260, 3i ~230.  I'd like to use driver as little as possible...  As much as I'm going to try to enjoy the experience, I'd like to try to break 85.

 

Anyone have tips for a first timer?  Strategies on certain holes?  I've watched a few fly overs/reviews so far to gather some data and now I'm scared ?

 

The black is pretty straight forward. It's right there in front of you. That said, if you are tipping it out, it's a beast. You will be hitting a lot of long / mid irons even if you hit driver. And even though the rough won't be US Open level, it will be high and it's not easy to get out of. Hit it straight off the tee and you should do OK.

[Lark]

First, don't go for the glory. If you are 180+ out and in the rough, on most holes it isn't worth trying to hit the green. Take an iron and get it in the fairway to wedge distance. Other tips;

 

1- Driver down the middle. If you push right you can still get it over the trees unless you are pushed close to them.

2- No driver. Fairway wood to the fairway and wedge to the green. The green extends farther right than it looks from the fairway.

3- Depends on the pin placement. If back left, just play to the middle of the green.

4- Lay up with your second shot! And play your second shot well to the right. It is much easier to hold the green as it slopes front to back if you are coming straight on.

5- Take driver and don't go to far left on your line off the tee. Aim for the snack shop or just left of it.

6- The right bunker is in play off the tee. The safe play is fairway wood off the tee and then a mid-iron downhill shot to the green. If you are feeling good with driver, go for it and try to catch the ridge.

7- Pick your line toward the bunkers on the far side of the fairway. Don't aim too far left as you can easily drive it past the fairway.

8- Don't be short. And on the green, that slope won't take the ball as fast as you think.

9- Stay right of the bunker. Trying to carry that is a tough one.

10 and 11- just long slogs. Lay up if your drive goes in the rough.

12- The bunker can be carried easily, but don't cut the corner too far left. Over the middle of the bunker is good.

13- On your second shot, watch the fairway depression that feeds the bunker on the left. Also, the bunker in front of the green is farther away from the green than it looks.

14- It may just be me, but this hole seems to always play longer than the yardage.

15- The next three holes are beasts. Unless you crush your drive, lay up. And don't be right on your approach.

16- One of the few holes I feel comfortable trying to run up to the green from a long distance.

17- I've rarely seen anyone hold this green off the tee. There is a big ridge splitting the green in half, so go for whatever side the pin is, rather than the middle.

18- Pretty straightforward.

Edited August 25, 2020 by Lark

[nsxguy]

2 hours ago, Lark said:

First, don't go for the glory. If you are 180+ out and in the rough, on most holes it isn't worth trying to hit the green. Take an iron and get it in the fairway to wedge distance. Other tips;

 

1- Driver down the middle. If you push right you can still get it over the trees unless you are pushed close to them.

2- No driver. Fairway wood to the fairway and wedge to the green. The green extends farther right than it looks from the fairway.

3- Depends on the pin placement. If back left, just play to the middle of the green.

4- Lay up with your second shot! And play your second shot well to the right. It is much easier to hold the green as it slopes front to back if you are coming straight on.

5- Take driver and don't go to far left on your line off the tee. Aim for the snack shop or just left of it.

6- The right bunker is in play off the tee. The safe play is fairway wood off the tee and then a mid-iron downhill shot to the green. If you are feeling good with driver, go for it and try to catch the ridge.

7- Pick your line toward the bunkers on the far side of the fairway. Don't aim too far left as you can easily drive it past the fairway.

8- Don't be short. And on the green, that slope won't take the ball as fast as you think.

9- Stay right of the bunker. Trying to carry that is a tough one.

10 and 11- just long slogs. Lay up if your drive goes in the rough.

12- The bunker can be carried easily, but don't cut the corner too far left. Over the middle of the bunker is good.

13- On your second shot, watch the fairway depression that feeds the bunker on the left. Also, the bunker in front of the green is farther away than it looks.

14- It may just be me, but this hole seems to always play longer than the yardage.

15- The next three holes are beasts. Unless you crush your drive, lay up. And don't be right on your approach.

16- One of the few holes I feel comfortable trying to run up to the green from a long distance.

17- I've rarely seen anyone hold this green off the tee. There is a big ridge splitting the green in half, so go for whatever side the pin is, rather than the middle.

18- Pretty straightforward.

 

I won't go through the whole course but did you read what his length is 285+ with the driver. If he hits driver straight down the middle of 1 he'll be deep in the rough,,,,,,,, unless they moved the retaining wall back to the putting green.

 

@ctsgolf - They used to have yardage books in the Pro Shop - Get one.

[Lark]

10 minutes ago, nsxguy said:

 

I won't go through the whole course but did you read what his length is 285+ with the driver. If he hits driver straight down the middle of 1 he'll be deep in the rough,,,,,,,, unless they moved the retaining wall back to the putting green.

 

@ctsgolf - They used to have yardage books in the Pro Shop - Get one.

Agree on 1. Depends on the wind. Without wind you need a good 260 to completely clear the trees. First swing of the round and you can’t use driver on the range to warm up, so fairway wood for him is probably right. 

[jwellefson1]

Just enjoy it. No other course has beat me up as much as it has, and that rough is seriously no joke. Just take in the experience and focus on just hitting fairways and hitting greens. Like someone else mentioned, the course is all right in front of you, its just when you stray you're punished. Have a blast.

[Lark]

27 minutes ago, jwellefson1 said:

Just enjoy it. No other course has beat me up as much as it has, and that rough is seriously no joke. Just take in the experience and focus on just hitting fairways and hitting greens. Like someone else mentioned, the course is all right in front of you, its just when you stray you're punished. Have a blast.

I second this. Don't get caught up in trying to beat a score. The course will beat you up at some point. But it will be one of the most memorable courses you have ever played, with one hole after the next giving you a great journey.

[ctsgolf]

17 hours ago, Lark said:

First, don't go for the glory. If you are 180+ out and in the rough, on most holes it isn't worth trying to hit the green. Take an iron and get it in the fairway to wedge distance. Other tips;

 

15 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

I won't go through the whole course but did you read what his length is 285+ with the driver. If he hits driver straight down the middle of 1 he'll be deep in the rough,,,,,,,, unless they moved the retaining wall back to the putting green.

 

@ctsgolf - They used to have yardage books in the Pro Shop - Get one.

 

14 hours ago, Lark said:

Agree on 1. Depends on the wind. Without wind you need a good 260 to completely clear the trees. First swing of the round and you can’t use driver on the range to warm up, so fairway wood for him is probably right. 

 

Thank you for this.  I'm going to bring these notes with me and yes, I was going to try to buy a yardage book if they have them!  I'll probably just hit 3i off the first tee and a bogey should get me in the right state of mind.  Anything but hitting a worm burner from the tips in front of 40 people will be chalked up as a success. My goal for the day is to just play smart, which isn't necessarily my style, so it will be a grind and I'm looking forward to it. And have fun, of course.

[6irononly]

18 hours ago, Lark said:

First, don't go for the glory.

 

This is the best advice for Black. Also, second buying a yardage book, very helpful with all the elevation. 

[ButterCutter2]

havent played it in a few years now but the best advice to give on the black IMO is when you get in the rough, take your medicine. you wont make double bogeys if you do b/c the greens aren't too crazy. a drive in the rough followed by PW/PW or with your distance a pair of gap wedge shots will keep 6s off the card and breaking 85 is obtainable.

[2Down]

Energy bars and gator aid.  Stock up.  

[Lark]

42 minutes ago, 2Down said:

Energy bars and gator aid.  Stock up.  

And get a cheeseburger at the outside patio bar. Really good.

[hammergolf]

On 8/24/2020 at 1:06 PM, ctsgolf said:

Less than a week to prepare.  It will be my first time playing it.  Tipping it out.  I have played down to a 3, but currently playing to a 5.5 (it has been a rough season).  I've got plenty of distance, D ~285+, 3W ~260, 3i ~230.  I'd like to use driver as little as possible...  As much as I'm going to try to enjoy the experience, I'd like to try to break 85.

 

Anyone have tips for a first timer?  Strategies on certain holes?  I've watched a few fly overs/reviews so far to gather some data and now I'm scared ?

The best advice I got when I played it was to double your hdcp and that should be what you expect to shoot. It is tough, and I imagine the rough is up so driving will be at a premium. It is a long hard walk too. You will need to hit driver a lot if you are playing the tips. It's almost 7,500 yds from the tips and 6,700 from the middle tees. Work on your long/mid irons and driving. It's not super tight, but it plays longer than the card. Let us know how it goes. It's a beautiful piece of land and great course that is tough but fair.

[Lark]

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/bethpage-black-still-kicking-pros-asses-at-new-york-state-open?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=golfdigest

[landolakes]

Is a 5.5 really a 13 course handicap from the tips....or is my ghin  app broken?

[italianstallion]

9 hours ago, landolakes said:

Is a 5.5 really a 13 course handicap from the tips....or is my ghin  app broken?

I would say easily, especially the first time around. A 5.5 isn’t breaking 80 from the tips,  that’s for sure. 

[jvincent]

10 hours ago, landolakes said:

Is a 5.5 really a 13 course handicap from the tips....or is my ghin  app broken?

 

It's not broken. Rating is 77.5 and slope is 155  from the back.

[Asics10]

Please, I beg, for the sake of the rest of the players on the course, please don't play the tips.... The pace of play at the Black is so SLOW in large part because of too many guys thinking they can play7400yards to their normal handicap.... They made it 7400yards for guys that are so good they don't even have handicaps....shoot Tigers shot - 3 in 4 rounds there in 2002. 

Edited August 29, 2020 by Asics10

[Old Tom Morris]

It’s no fun from the back tees.  You would have to hit 14 spectacular straight drives.

[3PuttHero]

Don’t try to beat the course, play your game.  Swing smooth and find fairways and greens.  The more rough you avoid, the better you’ll score, that’s where you lose strokes.  It’s long, but so are you, it’s more mental and being able to stay within your game than anything else.

[ButterCutter2]

another thing: a typical day at bethpage, the back tees that are down are almost never all the way back. so theyre not giving you the 7400 set up, but certainly something in the 7k, at most 7200 yard variety.  examples include 3 normally playing 180 not 205, and 10/12 playing more in the 470 range than the 500 yard range. but if youre a good player play whatever tees youd like and just be mindful of the groups in front of and behind you.

[jimwgt26]

A few years ago we got paired w a guy in full matching tour outfit, his sunglasses even matched his shoes.  He told us he was going to play from the back of the tournament tee boxes.  I'll admit my first impression was D-bag.  68 shots later, the guy shook our hands and said have a nice day.  One of the best rounds I've ever seen up close, and the only person I've played with that really played the course without ever struggling or having a blow up or two.

 

My index is 6.5, and I've never broken 84 on the Black and I'm usually closer to 90.  

[nsxguy]

3 hours ago, jimwgt26 said:

A few years ago we got paired w a guy in full matching tour outfit, his sunglasses even matched his shoes.  He told us he was going to play from the back of the tournament tee boxes.  I'll admit my first impression was D-bag.  68 shots later, the guy shook our hands and said have a nice day.  One of the best rounds I've ever seen up close, and the only person I've played with that really played the course without ever struggling or having a blow up or two.

 

My index is 6.5, and I've never broken 84 on the Black and I'm usually closer to 90.  

 

Just curious. Why do you suppose that is ?

 

Given your post it sounds like you play the White tees and have played the Black with some regularity so you know the course. As a legitimate 6.5 I would think you'd have broken 80 somewhere along the line and would definitely have broken 84.

[hammergolf]

10 minutes ago, nsxguy said:

 

Just curious. Why do you suppose that is ?

 

Given your post it sounds like you play the White tees and have played the Black with some regularity so you know the course. As a legitimate 6.5 I would think you'd have broken 80 somewhere along the line and would definitely have broken 84.

Because it's a REALLY hard golf course......

[hammergolf]

On 8/24/2020 at 1:06 PM, ctsgolf said:

Less than a week to prepare.  It will be my first time playing it.  Tipping it out.  I have played down to a 3, but currently playing to a 5.5 (it has been a rough season).  I've got plenty of distance, D ~285+, 3W ~260, 3i ~230.  I'd like to use driver as little as possible...  As much as I'm going to try to enjoy the experience, I'd like to try to break 85.

 

Anyone have tips for a first timer?  Strategies on certain holes?  I've watched a few fly overs/reviews so far to gather some data and now I'm scared ?

How did it go?

[jimwgt26]

31 minutes ago, nsxguy said:

 

Just curious. Why do you suppose that is ?

 

Given your post it sounds like you play the White tees and have played the Black with some regularity so you know the course. As a legitimate 6.5 I would think you'd have broken 80 somewhere along the line and would definitely have broken 84.

Fair Question, I play the whites unless the rest of the group makes a big fuss: One) I only get out there once a year, so it's not a local I get really comfortable on.  Two) I'm not the longest player (ave off the tee 240-250) it just plays long for me.  If I miss a fairway, I have to lay up. IMO, to play well on the Black, you have to be able to hit a high 200 yard shot.  I don't have that.  Three) I never have decent looks at birdie, seem to have lots of 10-15 footers to save par.  Four) I always manage to lose a ball (usually on #5), those add up. I love the Black and always look forward to my opportunities to play it.  Some will jump on this, I've played Torrey South, which I also like, and have broken 80 there.  

[nsxguy]

1 minute ago, jimwgt26 said:

Fair Question, I play the whites unless the rest of the group makes a big fuss: One) I only get out there once a year, so it's not a local I get really comfortable on.  Two) I'm not the longest player (ave off the tee 240-250) it just plays long for me.  If I miss a fairway, I have to lay up. IMO, to play well on the Black, you have to be able to hit a high 200 yard shot.  I don't have that.  Three) I never have decent looks at birdie, seem to have lots of 10-15 footers to save par.  Four) I always manage to lose a ball (usually on #5), those add up. I love the Black and always look forward to my opportunities to play it.  Some will jump on this, I've played Torrey South, which I also like, and have broken 80 there.  

 

Ahhhhh, so you don't play it all that much. That's probably it.

 

The course ain't that long. 240-250 should suffice from the Whites. And the course is actually pretty straightforward, mostly right there in front of you. And familiarity helps on ANY course.

 

If the rough is UP you'd better be straight. But usually, at least when I played it a lot, they kept the rough "playable", and the greens relatively slow. If they regularly cut the greens really short, as in U.S. Open short, they'd lose 'em really quickly.

 

I used to hate #5, until I was able to regularly carry that bunker from roughly the middle to the right hand side of it. Definitely a (driver) tee shot that requires position.

 

[jimwgt26]

I also like the Red Course, but have only played it a few times.