Bethpage Black Course

{{Infobox golf facility

| name = Bethpage Black Course

| caption =

| location = Bethpage State Park
Farmingdale, New York, U.S.

| coordinates = {{coord|40.742|N|73.455|W|display=inline,title}}

| establishment = {{Start date and age|1936}}

| type = Public

| owner =

| operator =

| elevation = {{convert|125|ft|round=5}}

| pushpin_map = USA#New York

| pushpin_relief= 1

| greens = Poa annua

| fairways = Ryegrass / Poa annua {{cite web|url=https://www.gcsaa.org/docs/default-source/tournament-fact-sheets/pga-tour/2016/thebarclays.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |publisher=GCSAA |agency=Tournament fact sheets |title=The Barclays |date=September 2016 |access-date=April 25, 2018}}

| holes = 18

| tournaments = PGA Championship (2019)
U.S. Open (2002, 2009)
The Barclays (2012, 2016)

| website = {{URL|https://www.bethpagegolfcourse.com/}}

| course1 = Black Course

| designer1 = Joseph H. Burbeck & A.W. Tillinghast (1936), Rees Jones (2015 renovation)

| par1 = 71

| length1 = {{convert|7468|yd}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bethpageproshop.com/photos/black.pdf |publisher=Bethpage Pro Shop |title=Bethpage Black scorecard |date=July 2010 |access-date=June 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015235047/https://www.bethpageproshop.com/photos/black.pdf |archive-date=October 15, 2013 |url-status=dead }}

| rating1 = 77.5

| slope1 = 155 {{cite web |url=http://ncrdb.usga.org/NCRDB/courseTeeInfo.aspx?CourseID=34251 |publisher=USGA |title=Course Rating and Slope Database: Bethpage State Park - Black Course |access-date=April 25, 2013}}

| record1 = 63 – Brooks Koepka (2019)

}}

The Bethpage Black Course is a public golf course at Bethpage State Park on Long Island, New York. The course was designed by Joseph H. Burbeck{{Cite magazine |last=Whitten |first=Ron |date=May 9, 2019 |title=The Real Man Behind Bethpage Black |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/who-designed-bethpage-black |magazine=Golf Digest |access-date=2019-05-16 |df=mdy-all}} and was assisted by noted golf architect A. W. Tillinghast. It is the most difficult of Bethpage's five courses, and is known for the warning sign at the first tee, placed in the early 1980s, which reads "WARNING The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers".{{Cite web |url=https://www.golf.com/news/features/2019/05/13/bethpage-black-sign-mysterious-history-iconic-warning-sign/ |title=Bethpage Black sign: The mysterious history of the iconic 'Warning' sign |last=Berhow |first=Josh |date=2019-05-13 |website=Golf |access-date=2019-05-16 |df=mdy-all}} The course has hosted a number of major championships in recent years, including the 2002 U.S. Open, 2009 U.S. Open, and 2019 PGA Championship.

Rankings

In its July 2008 list of America's greatest golf courses Golf Digest ranked Bethpage Black #26 overall,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/images/rankings/gd200705100greatest.pdf |title=America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses 07/08 |magazine=Golf Digest |date=May 2007 |access-date=July 20, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812061408/http://www.golfdigest.com/images/rankings/gd200705100greatest.pdf |archive-date=August 12, 2012 }} #6 in the state of New York, #6 of America's 50 toughest courses,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/rankings/courses/toughest/2007/gd50toughestcourses?currentPage=2 |title=America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses |date=March 2007 |magazine=Golf Digest |access-date=June 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621163459/http://www.golfdigest.com/rankings/courses/toughest/2007/gd50toughestcourses?currentPage=2 |archive-date=June 21, 2009 }} and #5 of America's greatest public golf courses.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/images/rankings/gd200705100greatestpublic.pdf |title=America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 07/08 |magazine=Golf Digest |date=May 2007 |access-date=July 20, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024222652/http://www.golfdigest.com/images/rankings/gd200705100greatestpublic.pdf |archive-date=October 24, 2007 }}
In this context, "public" means a course that is open for the public to play, as opposed to a private club. It is also the top-ranked course in the Golf Digest list that is operated by a governmental entity. In September 2020, Golf Advisor ranked Bethpage Black as #1 overall in a list of the top 50 toughest golf courses in the United States.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-17 |title=Top 50 toughest golf courses in the U.S. |url=https://www.golfadvisor.com/articles/top-50-toughest-golf-courses-us-2020 |access-date=2020-12-10 |website=Golf Advisor}}

Scorecard

{{Silver18|name=2019 PGA||430|389|230|517|478|408|524|210|460|3646|502|435|515|608|161|484|490|207|411|3813|7459}}

{{Gold18|name=2009 U.S. Open| |430|389|232|517|478|408|525|210|460|3649|508|435|504|605|158|459|490|207|411|3777|7426}}

{{Gold18|name=2002 U.S. Open| |430|389|205|517|451|408|489|210|418|3517|492|435|499|554|161|459|479|207|411|3697|7214}}

{{par18 |name=U.S. Open&PGA|4|4|3|5|4|4|4|3|4| 35 |4|4|4|5|3|4|4|3|4| 35 | 70}}

{{green18|name=The Barclays 2012&2016| |430|389|230|517|478|408|553|210|460|3675|502|435|501|608|161|478|490|207|411|3793|7468}}

{{blue18 |77.5 / 155|430|389|230|517|478|408|553|210|460|3675|502|435|501|608|161|478|490|207|411|3793|7468}}

{{white18 |74.2 / 148|429|354|158|461|423|386|502|191|385|3289|434|421|432|480|152|430|457|195|394|3395|6684}}

{{red18 |71.2 / 137|426|346|128|438|401|376|489|152|293|3049|377|412|403|472|139|417|431|178|345|3174|6223}}

:{{small|Source:}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/2009/r/06/14/inside.the.course/index.html |publisher=PGA Tour |title=Inside the course: Bethpage State Park - Black Course |access-date=June 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430175349/http://www.pgatour.com/2009/r/06/14/inside.the.course/index.html |archive-date=April 30, 2010 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/usopen09/news/story?id=4258290 |publisher=ESPN |title=2009 U.S. Open: course |date=June 14, 2009 |access-date=June 24, 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://media.msnbc.com/i/MSNBC/Components/ArtAndPhoto-Fronts/SPORTS/Projects/04_GOLF/USOpen/US_Open_09/GLF_US_OPEN_HOLES_2009.pdf |work=NBC Sports |title=Back to Black - 2009 U.S. Open course guide |access-date=June 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616185418/http://media.msnbc.com/i/MSNBC/Components/ArtAndPhoto-Fronts/SPORTS/Projects/04_GOLF/USOpen/US_Open_09/GLF_US_OPEN_HOLES_2009.pdf |archive-date=June 16, 2009 |url-status=dead }}

{{small|Hole #7 was played as a par 4 in both U.S. Opens}}

History

File:Bethpage at the 2019 PGA Championship.jpg

Opened in 1936, it was designed by Bethpage State Park superintendent Joseph H. Burbeck, who was also responsible for the park's Blue and Red Courses in the mid-1930s. Brief consultation was also provided by noted golf architect A. W. Tillinghast.

In 1972, the course record was set by Mel Galletta Jr. when he shot a 65. Club pro Rick Hartmann tied the record in 2001 during the second round of the Metropolitan Open.{{Cite web |title=The Journal News 23 Aug 2001, page Page 44 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/166164829/ |access-date=2022-11-23 |website=Newspapers.com}} The course record was finally broken in 2019 by Brooks Koepka who fired an opening round 63 during the PGA Championship.

=U.S. Opens=

The 2002 U.S. Open was won by Tiger Woods, the only player to break par for the tournament. It was seen as one of the most difficult and exciting U.S. Opens in history,{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} breaking attendance records and creating a more boisterous atmosphere for the championship.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} Its 17th hole rivaled the 16th at the Phoenix Open,{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} thanks to a pair of large grandstands that flanked the green and a natural hill behind it creating a giant horseshoe of spectators.

Prior to 2002, all U.S. Opens had been staged at private golf venues that, while nominally open to the public, had several hundred dollar greens fees per round.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} Bethpage being selected in 2002 as the first publicly owned and operated golf course to host the tournament{{cite web |url=https://trugolf.com/news/bethpage-black/ |title=Five Facts Friday: Bethpage Black |publisher=TruGolf |access-date=October 7, 2014}} was seen as an egalitarian move by the USGA.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}{{main|2009 U.S. Open (golf)}}

The 2009 U.S. Open was fraught by continuous rain that resulted in multiple suspensions of play. It was won by Lucas Glover.{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/06/22/golf.us.open.glover.mickelson.woods.duval/ |title=Glover holds off Mickelson to win U.S. Open |date=June 22, 2009 |work=CNN |access-date=June 22, 2009}} 2002 winner Tiger Woods was never a legitimate factor, and left the park within ten minutes of sinking his final putt. After completing his round Phil Mickelson declared that he would be taking significant time off to tend to his ailing wife, Amy, who had been recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

As in 2002, media coverage of the relationship between the New York gallery and Mickelson was one of the tournament's major headlines.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} The most memorable moment occurred following his tee shot on the short par-3 17th hole, where he was met by thunderous chants of "Let's Go!" as he approached the green. Though his birdie putt came up short, he later commended the New York golf fans and suggested a Ryder Cup played at Bethpage Black would give U.S. players "a big advantage."{{cite news |title=Pros endorse Bethpage Black for Ryder Cup |first=Jeff |last=Williams |url=http://www.newsday.com/services/pros-endorse-bethpage-black-for-ryder-cup-1.1258686 |newspaper=Newsday |date=July 4, 2009 |access-date=May 1, 2010}}

The USGA teamed up with World Golf Tour and co-hosted a 2009 Virtual US Open tournament to give fans a better experience of playing the difficult Black course.{{clarify|date=May 2019}} The winner earned a trip for two to the 2010 event in Pebble Beach. The Virtual U.S. Open attracted hundreds of thousands of players from more than 180 countries.

{{cite news |last = Gaudiosi |first = John |title = GDC 2010: World Golf Tour Partners with USGA for Virtual Competition |newspaper = GamerLive.TV |date = March 18, 2010 |url = http://www.gamerlive.tv/article/gdc-2010-world-golf-tour-partners-usga-virtual-competition |access-date = May 1, 2010}}{{cite news |title = Wayne Stopak Crowned 2009 Virtual U.S. Open Champion |publisher = USGA |date = June 2009 |url = http://www.usga.org/news/2009/June/Wayne-Stopak-Crowned-2009-Virtual-U-S--Open-Champion/ |access-date = May 1, 2010}}

=Recent tournaments=

The annual Barclays tournament, the first of FedEx Cup playoff events, continued its rotation around the New York metropolitan area and was played at Bethpage State Park in 2012 in late August.{{cite web |url=http://thebarclays.barclaysgolf.com/index.html |title=The Barclays - Home |publisher=The Barclays |access-date=January 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118014950/http://thebarclays.barclaysgolf.com/index.html |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |url-status=dead }} As with the previous two U.S. Opens, the 2012 Barclays was played on the difficult Black course. Differing from the U.S. Opens, the 7th hole was lengthened slightly and played as a par-5 to make the course a par-71 at {{convert|7468|yd}}, identical to the course's blue tees.{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r027/course.html |publisher=PGA Tour |title=2012 Barclays - Course: Bethpage State Park - Black Course |access-date=August 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021214430/http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r027/course.html |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{main|2016 FedEx Cup Playoffs}}

The Barclays returned for August 25–28, 2016. A total of 79 of its 120 entrants made the second-round cut at 145 (+3). Despite this total there was no secondary cut after the third round as in regular PGA Tour events, following a change made after the 2014 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/news/2014/12/11/fedexcup-playoff-point-distribution-changes.html |title=PGA Tour unveils FedExCup Playoff points change |publisher=PGA Tour |date=December 11, 2014}} Patrick Reed won by a stroke over Emiliano Grillo and Sean O'Hair, moving from seventh place to first in the standings.{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/17411327/patrick-reed-wins-barclays-rickie-fowler-loses-ryder-cup-spot |title=Patrick Reed wins Barclays, Rickie Fowler loses Ryder Cup auto bid |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=August 28, 2016}} The top 100 players in the points standings advanced to the Deutsche Bank Championship. This included five players who were outside the top 100 prior to the tournament. Five players also started within the top 100 but finished outside it, ending their playoff chances.{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/news/2016/08/28/fedexcup-update-after-the-barclays.html |title=FedExCup update after The Barclays |publisher=PGA Tour |first=Ben |last=Everill |date=August 28, 2016}} The tournament was the last qualifying event for the eight qualifying places for the American team in the 2016 Ryder Cup.File:Brooks Koepka, 2019 PGA Champion.jpg

The 2019 PGA Championship was played at the Bethpage Black Course from May 16 to May 19. Brooks Koepka won the tournament by two strokes at 8 under par.

Notable events

class="wikitable" !Year!!Date!!Tournament!!Winner!!Score!!To par!!Margin of victory!!Runner(s)-up!!Classification
2019	May 19	PGA Championship	{{flagicon\|USA}} Brooks Koepka	align=center \|272	align=center\|−8	2 strokes	{{flagicon\|USA}} Dustin Johnson	Major championship
2016	Aug 28	The Barclays*	{{flagicon\|USA}} Patrick Reed	align=center\|275	align=center\|−9	1 stroke	{{flagicon\|ARG}} Emiliano Grillo {{flagicon\|USA}} Sean O'Hair	FedEx Cup playoffs
2012	Aug 26	The Barclays*	{{flagicon\|USA}} Nick Watney	align=center\|274	align=center\|−10	3 strokes	{{flagicon\|USA}} Brandt Snedeker	FedEx Cup playoffs
2009	Jun 22	U.S. Open	{{flagicon\|USA}} Lucas Glover	align=center\|276	align=center\|−4	2 strokes	{{flagicon\|USA}} Ricky Barnes {{flagicon\|USA}} David Duval {{flagicon\|USA}} Phil Mickelson	Major championship
2002	Jun 16	U.S. Open	{{flagicon\|USA}} Tiger Woods	align=center\|277	align=center\|−3	3 strokes	{{flagicon\|USA}} Phil Mickelson	Major championship

* The Barclays is now known as the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Future events

class=wikitable style="text-align:center"

!Year

!Event

!Type

!Times hosted

align=center| 2025

Ryder Cup

International match play

Inaugural

=Ryder Cup=

On September 17, 2013, the PGA of America and State of New York announced that the 2019 PGA Championship and 2024 Ryder Cup would be played at Bethpage Black.{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Will |title=It's Official Bethpage Black to Host '19 PGA, '24 Ryder Cup |url=http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/its-official-bethpage-to-host-19-pga-24-ryder-cup/ |access-date=September 17, 2013 |work=Golf Channel |date=September 17, 2013}} The Ryder Cup was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to its original cycle of being played in odd years; it will be held at Bethpage Black in late September 2025.

References

External links

{{official website|https://www.bethpagegolfcourse.com/}}
[http://www.nysparks.com/golf-courses/11/details.aspx New York State Parks- Bethpage Golf Courses]
[http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/bethpage-black Golf Club Atlas Article]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090323065636/http://www.majorschampionships.com/usopen/2009/course/ 2009 U.S. Open Course Guide]
[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/usopen/5551164/US-Open-2009-hole-by-hole-guide-to-Bethpage-Black-golf-course.html Telegraph article on the Course]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090620054254/http://www.golfdigest.com/golfworld/special/usopen/2009/photos_bethpage_course Golf Digest Guide to the Course]
[http://www.sportlistings.com/Golf/North-America/USA/Golf-Courses/Bethpage-Black-Course/Bethpage-Black-Course-l5089.html Sportlistings World of Sport Directory]

Category:1936 establishments in New York (state)

Category:Golf clubs and courses designed by A. W. Tillinghast

Category:Golf clubs and courses in New York (state)

Category:Oyster Bay (town), New York

Category:Ryder Cup venues

Category:Sports venues completed in 1936

Category:Sports venues in Nassau County, New York

Category:State parks of New York (state)

Category:Works Progress Administration in New York (state)