Played Bethpage Black today

[twhite747]

Black is an unbelievable course. Truly spectacular for $65. Tee time was no problem and the course was in great shape. Some spotty patches of rough where the ball would sit between clusters of grass, but i guess you shouldnt be there to begin with. Visually intimidating, have to be long off the tee. But, if you hit your shots, you can certainly score here. i see many people claiming to be 4-10 handicappers, saying they shot a 90+ on this course. There is no reason any decent golfer should shoot such a high number, unless you are out of shape and cant handle walking 18 over the hilly course. yes, you will shoot a higher number most likely, but keep calm and you should be fine. A must play. Very fair, Very difficult if you do not execute and very tiring if you are not used to walking. Glad i went

[bjdrivers]

Did you play the tips?

[jmorr81]

What was your score?

[kg92lefty]

how was your round?

[RRFireblade]

Wonderful course. Grew up not for from there , played it many times. Glad you enjoyed it.

What was the occasion?

[one9reasons]

kind of wondering what the OP scored also ... i know someone that played there last year and said it was also a beautiful course as well!

[twhite747]

yes...played the tips. Some of the tee boxes used for the US Open are way back there...definitely not used for regular rounds. i hit it fairly long too (290-300+ off the tee) and found myself using long irons into some par 4's.

[twhite747]

was 4 over through 14 and body just gave out...still finished the round, but walking in the heat and humidity took its toll....that back side is much longer than the front and my body couldnt get through those last few holes....started BSing around off tee, etc....lots of hills on the last 4 holes. You can definitely score on the course though. its by no means unfair, unless you have no length off the tee.

[twhite747]

[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1306975273' post='3278680']
Wonderful course. Grew up not for from there , played it many times. Glad you enjoyed it.

What was the occasion?
[/quote]

just wanted to play it and got a good tee time for me and my baby bro....930am. Was awesome way to spend a day with him!

[wrx_junki]

[quote name='twhite747' timestamp='1306980161' post='3278863']
yes...played the tips. Some of the tee boxes used for the US Open are way back there...definitely not used for regular rounds. i hit it fairly long too (290-300+ off the tee) and found myself using long irons into some par 4's.
[/quote]

what par 4's did you have long irons into? 10, 12?

[twhite747]

[quote name='wrx_junki' timestamp='1306980838' post='3278906']
[quote name='twhite747' timestamp='1306980161' post='3278863']
yes...played the tips. Some of the tee boxes used for the US Open are way back there...definitely not used for regular rounds. i hit it fairly long too (290-300+ off the tee) and found myself using long irons into some par 4's.
[/quote]

what par 4's did you have long irons into?
[/quote]

5 is a long hole, but i hit a bomb and had wedge. 7 plays a par 5, but was a par 4 for the tourny. Back side was into the wind on every hole. i was playing with someone that said its normally not like that, but had long irons on # 11(5 iron), 12(really into wind...hit bomb and still had knock down hybrid), 15 and 16 were very difficult. 15 is so deceptive...was really tough to judge club to hit on approach

[italianstallion]

[quote name='twhite747' timestamp='1306972520' post='3278555']
Black is an unbelievable course. Truly spectacular for $65. Tee time was no problem and the course was in great shape. Some spotty patches of rough where the ball would sit between clusters of grass, but i guess you shouldnt be there to begin with. Visually intimidating, have to be long off the tee.[b] But, if you hit your shots, you can certainly score here. i see many people claiming to be 4-10 handicappers, saying they shot a 90+ on this course. There is no reason any decent golfer should shoot such a high number, unless you are out of shape and cant handle walking 18 over the hilly course.[/b] yes, you will shoot a higher number most likely, but keep calm and you should be fine. A must play. Very fair, Very difficult if you do not execute and very tiring if you are not used to walking. Glad i went
[/quote]

Semi offended by that! I've played the Black 6 times and my best is 84...twice. I played it last week and shot 84, although i admit I scraped it around pretty good . I will tell you, I play it from the very very very back tees (some tees they didn't even touch during the US Open). The rough is NOWHERE near what it use to be. I played the week before it closed for the US Open in 2009, absolutely brutal. Getting a wedge on a ball out of the rough was a 50/50 chance. This year the rough was thick, but there was no fescue anywhere and lies were still playable from the rough. Glad you enjoyed the experience, but the course is nowhere near as brutal as it once was.

[twhite747]

[quote name='italianstallion' timestamp='1306981408' post='3278931']
[quote name='twhite747' timestamp='1306972520' post='3278555']
Black is an unbelievable course. Truly spectacular for $65. Tee time was no problem and the course was in great shape. Some spotty patches of rough where the ball would sit between clusters of grass, but i guess you shouldnt be there to begin with. Visually intimidating, have to be long off the tee.[b] But, if you hit your shots, you can certainly score here. i see many people claiming to be 4-10 handicappers, saying they shot a 90+ on this course. There is no reason any decent golfer should shoot such a high number, unless you are out of shape and cant handle walking 18 over the hilly course.[/b] yes, you will shoot a higher number most likely, but keep calm and you should be fine. A must play. Very fair, Very difficult if you do not execute and very tiring if you are not used to walking. Glad i went
[/quote]

Semi offended by that! I've played the Black 6 times and my best is 84...twice. I played it last week and shot 84, although i admit I scraped it around pretty good . I will tell you, I play it from the very very very back tees (some tees they didn't even touch during the US Open). The rough is NOWHERE near what it use to be. I played the week before it closed for the US Open in 2009, absolutely brutal. Getting a wedge on a ball out of the rough was a 50/50 chance. This year the rough was thick, but there was no fescue anywhere and lies were still playable from the rough. Glad you enjoyed the experience, but the course is nowhere near as brutal as it once was.
[/quote]

Rough was definitely a good 4-5 inches...definitely had some difficult lies where it was tough to advance the ball, but you have to take your medicine and realize you are playing for par/bogey at that point. the back 9 was into the wind on every hole except #10...that 600+ par 5 (i think 13) was into the wind....driver, 3 wood, 7 iron....and i hit them all well. if you are in fairway its possible to shoot a number there, but like you said, that rough can make or break you

[tembolo1284]

So did you hit the green in reg on 15? I think on that hole if you miss the fairway you are toast!

[twhite747]

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1307026179' post='3279861']
So did you hit the green in reg on 15? I think on that hole if you miss the fairway you are toast!
[/quote]


i did not...was playing into the wind and person i was playing with said i was 180 so i took a 5 iron out. hit it pure and was so far over the green (green is really tough on the back portion). i happened to only be 160 and was too tired to walk to the sprinkler head that was 10 yards in front of me...bad decision to listen to his yardage. The green doesnt look that elevated from the tee, but you realize how crazy it is when you start walking up those last 50 yards....craziness

[Pr3cision]

[quote name='twhite747' timestamp='1306972520' post='3278555']
Black is an unbelievable course. Truly spectacular for $65. Tee time was no problem and the course was in great shape. Some spotty patches of rough where the ball would sit between clusters of grass, but i guess you shouldnt be there to begin with. Visually intimidating, have to be long off the tee. But, if you hit your shots, you can certainly score here. i see many people claiming to be 4-10 handicappers, saying they shot a 90+ on this course. There is no reason any decent golfer should shoot such a high number, unless you are out of shape and cant handle walking 18 over the hilly course. yes, you will shoot a higher number most likely, but keep calm and you should be fine. A must play. Very fair, Very difficult if you do not execute and very tiring if you are not used to walking. Glad i went
[/quote]
That's all you paid? Woah, I figured it would be much more expensive than that. I am sure it was nice, like you said. How did you play?

[twhite747]

[quote name='Brendon1215' timestamp='1307031846' post='3280109']
[quote name='twhite747' timestamp='1306972520' post='3278555']
Black is an unbelievable course. Truly spectacular for $65. Tee time was no problem and the course was in great shape. Some spotty patches of rough where the ball would sit between clusters of grass, but i guess you shouldnt be there to begin with. Visually intimidating, have to be long off the tee. But, if you hit your shots, you can certainly score here. i see many people claiming to be 4-10 handicappers, saying they shot a 90+ on this course. There is no reason any decent golfer should shoot such a high number, unless you are out of shape and cant handle walking 18 over the hilly course. yes, you will shoot a higher number most likely, but keep calm and you should be fine. A must play. Very fair, Very difficult if you do not execute and very tiring if you are not used to walking. Glad i went
[/quote]
That's all you paid? Woah, I figured it would be much more expensive than that. I am sure it was nice, like you said. How did you play?
[/quote]


its a state park, so NYS residents pay instate fee...out of state is like $110ish. not sure of exact pricing. $75 on weekends...cant beat it

[RAM924]

very difficult course... LONGGG

[Marrrk]

i second what the OP said about the difficulty, especially from the white tees. once you've played it a few times and "get over it" (for lack of a better term), it's nowhere near as difficult as it once seemed. also, as another poster mentioned, the rough is way down compared to years past. i think the worst i've seen it was actually the week just before the NYS Open (in 2008 i think). 2009 US Open was bad too, but you can't get on the course within a few weeks of it. with the NYS Open you're on there a couple days before it. same with the greens, never really lightning.

 

i am a 10 handicap (play from the whites) and many of my better scores are on the Black (i play it a couple times a month). my only time breaking 80 all year last year was even on Black. shot a 79 (that will always be a 78 in my mind for reasons i'm keeping to myself ). and get this: I MISSED EVERY FAIRWAY. literally. and still threw up my best score of the year. so much for insane rough.

 

i think much of it has to do with just never really giving up when you're on a course that nice and with that much pedigree. sure, you want to put up a good total, but each hole presents such an individualized challenge that it's easy to forget the last and stay more focused on each hole rather than the total.

[twhite747]

i second what the OP said about the difficulty, especially from the white tees. once you've played it a few times and "get over it" (for lack of a better term), it's nowhere near as difficult as it once seemed. also, as another poster mentioned, the rough is way down compared to years past. i think the worst i've seen it was actually the week just before the NYS Open (in 2008 i think). 2009 US Open was bad too, but you can't get on the course within a few weeks of it. with the NYS Open you're on there a couple days before it. same with the greens, never really lightning.

 

i am a 10 handicap (play from the whites) and many of my better scores are on the Black (i play it a couple times a month). my only time breaking 80 all year last year was even on Black. shot a 79 (that will always be a 78 in my mind for reasons i'm keeping to myself ). and get this: I MISSED EVERY FAIRWAY. literally. and still threw up my best score of the year. so much for insane rough.

 

i think much of it has to do with just never really giving up when you're on a course that nice and with that much pedigree. sure, you want to put up a good total, but each hole presents such an individualized challenge that it's easy to forget the last and stay more focused on each hole rather than the total.

 

well said...if it wasnt in the upper 80's and 500percent humidity i know i could have stay focused throughout the round....definitely taking a pull cart next time. i think i might have burned 5000 calories over that round. very exhausting. cant wait to play it again. BTW...if anyone is wondering, the corner on the first hole is not that long...if you can carry it 265ish in addition to the elevated tee you will easily carry the dogleg and give yourself a relatively short iron approach

[tembolo1284]

i second what the OP said about the difficulty, especially from the white tees. once you've played it a few times and "get over it" (for lack of a better term), it's nowhere near as difficult as it once seemed. also, as another poster mentioned, the rough is way down compared to years past. i think the worst i've seen it was actually the week just before the NYS Open (in 2008 i think). 2009 US Open was bad too, but you can't get on the course within a few weeks of it. with the NYS Open you're on there a couple days before it. same with the greens, never really lightning.

 

i am a 10 handicap (play from the whites) and many of my better scores are on the Black (i play it a couple times a month). my only time breaking 80 all year last year was even on Black. shot a 79 (that will always be a 78 in my mind for reasons i'm keeping to myself ). and get this: I MISSED EVERY FAIRWAY. literally. and still threw up my best score of the year. so much for insane rough.

 

i think much of it has to do with just never really giving up when you're on a course that nice and with that much pedigree. sure, you want to put up a good total, but each hole presents such an individualized challenge that it's easy to forget the last and stay more focused on each hole rather than the total.

 

well said...if it wasnt in the upper 80's and 500percent humidity i know i could have stay focused throughout the round....definitely taking a pull cart next time. i think i might have burned 5000 calories over that round. very exhausting. cant wait to play it again. BTW...if anyone is wondering, the corner on the first hole is not that long...if you can carry it 265ish in addition to the elevated tee you will easily carry the dogleg and give yourself a relatively short iron approach

 

yap. Hard to make that carry though in cooler and heavier conditions. Especially right after you got yelled at by that indian starter dude for taking your bag on the tee! Strict fellow that one.