Bethpage Black vs. GolfWRXers

[ProBowler]

[quote name='Swingthoughts' timestamp='1344099935' post='5406414']
I begin my golfwrx forums experience with this post. I am James, one of the four who played in the group from story starting this thread. I first have to thank Vince for getting the foursome arranged and Chris (probowler) for inviting me. It was a sensational day of golf and the fact it really was with strangers from the internet it is more amazing. Meeting strangers on the internet can result in meeting a "girl" with an adams apple the size of a Taylor Made Penta (so I hear) so connecting with high quality guys like this was certainly a pleasant surprise. Carlo is a solid player and real interesting guy who has a wealth of golf knowledge I hope to tap into in the future.

This day reminded me of the kind of people and kind of sportsmen the great sport of golf can produce. I also soon learned the power and reach of this website/forum when I popped into my local driving range the following day and got talking to a good local golfer that I had not seen in a while. When he asked what is new I obviously had to mention having played BPB the day before. After a minute or two of my describing the day he put 2 and 2 together and realized I was playing in the group from the above story he had been reading earlier that day. Amazing coincidence if you ask me.

It was a wonderful day, even with some sloppy shots. The course was amazing and it was a treat to play a renowned course that the PGA's best have played and will be playing again next week. the physical toll it takes on an out of shape person like me is pretty profound! I think the story about my push card rolling down a hill underestimates how disasterous that COULD have been. If that cart had not hit that tree I am almost certain it would have lost it or ended up with broken clubs given how much further it would have rolled down a ravine. I started the day fighting my swing with issues with rhythm and the transition from back to downswing. I was able to trick it around the course some and finish the day with some dignity. I look forward to communicating here with great golfing minds as I get back into this great sport on a more serious level!
[/quote]

James,

Welcome to the insanity that is GolfWRX !!!
I was glad that James was able to join us after I asked him on such a short notice.
When James was a younger stud he was one of the top amatuer bowlers in the world and a scratch golfer !!!
Then he got married, got a job and had kids which cut into his time to bowl and play golf.
He still has a sweet swing and a great passion for both sports and is fun to be with and I love to hang out with him !!!

I look forward to another great outing with these four guys !!

[Swisstrader98]

Low 80's for all of you at Black is no BS. Every time I play there I should about 7-10 shots worse than my handi. For those who have never played, the rough is just brutal. A buddy of mine is scratch and he would take his medicine and just pitching out with a wedge from 180 or so just to get the ball back in play. Trying to muscle it out from that rough is suicidal

[One_Putt_Blunder]

What a great write up of what sounded like an awesome day. Thanks for sharing.

[gopherguts]

[quote name='drpino' timestamp='1344107378' post='5406762']
[quote name='gopherguts' timestamp='1344100455' post='5406424']
[quote name='J LO ' timestamp='1344088955' post='5405926']
Awesome report. Played BPB in 2009 including the sleep over experience in the parking lot and all including getting linked up with 3 guys from Canada. Great course and experience that i hope to do again soon. Still $100 for out of towners?
[/quote]

$130.
[/quote]

Pretty sure it's $140 (m-f) and $160 (wknd) for non-NYers now. Double the NYer rate. Still one of the best values in greens fees IMO.
[/quote]

You may be right. I didn't look it up.

This is what I was told when I considered being the 4th in that group,,,,,,,

Oops, just looked at the PM again - I was told $135,,,,,

[drpino]

[quote name='gopherguts' timestamp='1344118161' post='5407298']

You may be right. I didn't look it up.

This is what I was told when I considered being the 4th in that group,,,,,,,

Oops, just looked at the PM again - I was told $135,,,,,
[/quote]

Yup, $65 M-F + $5 reservation fee (for $70 total) and $75+$5 reservation fee ($80) on weekends for NYers. Double that for non-residents and subtract the $5 if you just walk in without a reservation.

James, thanks for joining and welcome to GolfWRX / "the rabbit hole" !

[Swingthoughts]

[quote name='ProBowler' timestamp='1344111088' post='5406944']
[quote name='Swingthoughts' timestamp='1344099935' post='5406414']
I begin my golfwrx forums experience with this post. I am James, one of the four who played in the group from story starting this thread. I first have to thank Vince for getting the foursome arranged and Chris (probowler) for inviting me. It was a sensational day of golf and the fact it really was with strangers from the internet it is more amazing. Meeting strangers on the internet can result in meeting a "girl" with an adams apple the size of a Taylor Made Penta (so I hear) so connecting with high quality guys like this was certainly a pleasant surprise. Carlo is a solid player and real interesting guy who has a wealth of golf knowledge I hope to tap into in the future.

This day reminded me of the kind of people and kind of sportsmen the great sport of golf can produce. I also soon learned the power and reach of this website/forum when I popped into my local driving range the following day and got talking to a good local golfer that I had not seen in a while. When he asked what is new I obviously had to mention having played BPB the day before. After a minute or two of my describing the day he put 2 and 2 together and realized I was playing in the group from the above story he had been reading earlier that day. Amazing coincidence if you ask me.

It was a wonderful day, even with some sloppy shots. The course was amazing and it was a treat to play a renowned course that the PGA's best have played and will be playing again next week. the physical toll it takes on an out of shape person like me is pretty profound! I think the story about my push card rolling down a hill underestimates how disasterous that COULD have been. If that cart had not hit that tree I am almost certain it would have lost it or ended up with broken clubs given how much further it would have rolled down a ravine. I started the day fighting my swing with issues with rhythm and the transition from back to downswing. I was able to trick it around the course some and finish the day with some dignity. I look forward to communicating here with great golfing minds as I get back into this great sport on a more serious level!
[/quote]

James,

Welcome to the insanity that is GolfWRX !!!
I was glad that James was able to join us after I asked him on such a short notice.
When James was a younger stud he was one of the top amatuer bowlers in the world and a scratch golfer !!!
Then he got married, got a job and had kids which cut into his time to bowl and play golf.
He still has a sweet swing and a great passion for both sports and is fun to be with and I love to hang out with him !!!

I look forward to another great outing with these four guys !!
[/quote]

Chris,

Thanks for the invite... both to Bethpage and Golfwrx. I have been clicking around this site and am blown away by how out of touch I have been with the golf world. I am thinking you may be very responsible for me getting back into this game! Looks like a great social community here among people with the common thread of loving this game. Thanks for the clubs too! I hope to spend the next month and a half tightening up my game for the Lehigh Valley Am! Hope to see you there and maybe we can play a time or two before then.

[Swingthoughts]

[quote name='Swisstrader98' timestamp='1344113710' post='5407066']
Low 80's for all of you at Black is no BS. Every time I play there I should about 7-10 shots worse than my handi. For those who have never played, the rough is just brutal. A buddy of mine is scratch and he would take his medicine and just pitching out with a wedge from 180 or so just to get the ball back in play. Trying to muscle it out from that rough is suicidal
[/quote]

Swiss,

Your post reminds me of how the sport of golf produces better sportsman than the sport of bowling (where I came from). The higher level golfer welcomes the challenges that a tough golf course can provide. You are so right about the rough there. I hit one in the junk on 16 and instead of wedging it back to the fairway (I was too lazy to walk the 50 yards to my bag to get the wedge), I tried to muscle a hybrid up the fairway and advanced the ball about 10 feet. This swing lead to a triple bogey that took my back nine from going great to not so great! The rough is penal!

[harbor17]

When does BPB close to the public for the Barclays?

[italianstallion]

Yesterday. Closed from now until September 1

[Imp]

I'm happy I didn't take you up on the offer! 80s from the tips, I woulda been in the high 90 if not 100s!

Great writeup!

--kC

[squall1478]

The other courses should be open before the Barclay's right? Looking to play the Red next week.

[gopherguts]

[quote name='squall1478' timestamp='1344524760' post='5436864']
The other courses should be open before the Barclay's right? Looking to play the Red next week.
[/quote]

You should check with the course. I believe, during the Opens (on the Black of course) the first hole on the [color=#ff0000]Red[/color] was being used for temporary structures. I *think* the [color=#ff0000]Red[/color] was closed during that time.

The first hole of the [color=#008000]Green[/color] is right next to the first on the Black as well but i don't remember whether there were any structures there.

[color=#ffff00]Yellow[/color] and [color=#0000cd]Blue[/color] are a bit further away from the Black and I'm pretty sure they would be open.

[italianstallion]

All other courses are closing after August 17. Everything reopens on September 1

[gopherguts]

[quote name='italianstallion' timestamp='1344553165' post='5440112']
All other courses are closing after August 17. Everything reopens on September 1
[/quote]

Interesting.

Why so long to re-open ???

[italianstallion]

[quote name='gopherguts' timestamp='1344562278' post='5441130']
[quote name='italianstallion' timestamp='1344553165' post='5440112']
All other courses are closing after August 17. Everything reopens on September 1
[/quote]

Interesting.

Why so long to re-open ???
[/quote]

Its only a week, I was actually thinking that's pretty good. There's alot of infratructure they need to remove (even from the other courses) and I'm sure there's plenty of cleanup elsewhere involved.

[mmack067]

That's a great post. Thanks for sharing. It'd be great to organize a GolfWRX day at a Bethpage Black. Get a few groups together and toss in a skins game to keep it honest.