My Bethpage experience

[CJ Hanson]

So, I finally got the chance to play at Bethpage this week. The weather forecast was a little sketchy, but it ended up being just fine. We got a light rain for a few holes on Tuesday, but not a drop on Wednesday.

 

Tuesday

Because we were staying by Rockefeller Center, my plan was to cab it to Penn Station and get on the 6:07 train to Farmingdale. I woke up at 4:00 to go to the bathroom and was so excited that I couldn't get back to sleep. As I laid there, I said to myself, "ok, I'll give it five minutes. If I can't go back to sleep, I'll get up and catch the earlier train." After about 15 seconds, I thought to myself, "who am I kidding? There is no chance I'm going back to sleep!!!" I ended up getting up, cabbing it to Penn Station, and got on the 5:11 train instead.

 

I caught a cab from the Farmingdale exit and was at the Bethpage Pro Shop by 6:15. There were only about 10 people in line ahead of me so I was pretty hopeful for a decent start time on the Black course. Sure enough, I was in the third group out at 8:39.

 

I'm a four handicap from Arizona, so I was hoping to post a decent score. My first tee shot sailed a little right, no more than 5 yards off the fairway and it's where I was introduced to Bethpage Black rough. Holy smokes.....we have nothing like that in Arizona. I had no chance to reach the green out of this stuff, so I hit a PW about 100 yards back into the fairway, leaving me about 40 yards short of the green. I pitched to about 10 feet but couldn't convert the putt for par. Pretty much repeat this sequence all day long. The Black course kicked my *ss.

 

If you do not hit the ball in the fairway, you pretty much have no shot at the green. TV does not do this course justice. Some of the elevation changes are ridiculous (not in a bad way). It is, by far, the most difficult test of golf I have ever encountered.

 

Even though I got destroyed by this course, it was a blast to play.

 

Wednesday

As was the case the previous day, arrived at the pro shop by 6:15. Got out on the Black course at 8:39. Unfortunately, it kicked my butt again. I was fighting my swing both days (not good on this course). I had a lot of trouble off the tee and that pretty much sealed my fate.

 

General Thoughts/Impressions

1) Cannot say enough about the staff at the course. Had a few great chats with the gentleman that worked the range as well as the guy in the pro shop. The starter on the Black course was a little fiesty (in fact, he threatened to throw a guy off the course in the group before mine because the guy took his bracelet off rather than have the starter cut it off), but all in all, a great staff.

2) Finding the fairway off the tee is a must, especially from the blue tees. The holes are so long, that if you don't find the fairway, you won't be able to hit long irons/hybrids out of the rough.

3) I was there two weeks after the greens were aerated. I could barely tell they were recently done. In AZ, the greens haven't recovered after four weeks. After two weeks, the greens were extremely playable. #2 was in bad shape, but that was pretty much the only one.

4) It is really easy to get to the courses from the city. Taking the LIRR was very easy.

5) The Black course is a brute to walk. My feet and legs were just killing me after each round.....and I'm in pretty good shape. If you're heading out here to play, I'd highly recommend you get your rear on a treadmill, set the machine on a high intensity/random incline cycle, and work hard.

 

Thanks to all those who responded to my earlier threads and helped out with the planning of my trip.

[cb24]

sounds like a sweet experience! awesome you got to experience what the pros play

[dporto]

Nice write up! Glad you enjoyed the "Beast of the East"...It seems like #2 and/or #3 greens are always in bad shape - of the 3 times I've played there #3 has been closed twice and the time it was open, it was in terrible shape (that was about 2 1/2 weeks before the Barclays - I had to putt across what seemed like a moonscape of diseased turf). #2 was marginal at best - certainly not what I would think the pro's expect.

[JLo_73]

Great recap. I had the chance to experience Bethpage Black a few years ago including sleeping in the car. Was able to get the first time out which was even sweeter. Reading your post brought me back to my round; driver with either 200+ in to tough greens or wedge/wedge and hope to 1 putt. Great course and would do it again in a heartbeat

[ukalum]

I hadn't considered taking the train to Bethpage. Great idea! Glad you were able to get on easy. Thanks for sharing.

[citizensdiscount]

Thanks for the great reviews. What did you end up shooting for both rounds?

[rony]

Nice review and glad you got to play the Black. I live 7 miles from the course and have played it many times. As you said, it is a "Brute." Everybody is always very honest when reporting their experience on the Black. I play from the whites now, and the best I ever shot was a 97!