Bethpage Black Course

The Bethpage Black Course is a public golf course at Bethpage State Park on Long Island, New York. 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.[4] Brief consultation was also provided 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 "The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers."[5]

Bethpage Black Course
Club information
Coordinates40.742°N 73.455°W / 40.742; -73.455
LocationBethpage State Park
Farmingdale, New York, U.S.
Elevation125 feet (40 m)
Established1936 (1936)
TypePublic
Total holes18
Tournaments hostedPGA Championship (2019)
U.S. Open (2002, 2009)
The Barclays (2012, 2016)
GreensPoa annua
FairwaysRyegrass / Poa annua [1]
Websitewww.bethpagegolfcourse.com
Black Course
Designed byJoseph H. Burbeck & A.W. Tillinghast (1936), Rees Jones (2015)
Par71
Length7,468 yards (6,829 m)[2]
Course rating77.5
Slope rating155 [3]
Course record63 – Brooks Koepka (2019)

In 2002, the Black Course hosted the U.S. Open, which returned in 2009, as well as the 2019 PGA Championship.

Bethpage Black also hosted The Barclays, the event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs in late August, in 2012 and 2016, and is scheduled to host again in 2021 and 2027.[6] The course is also scheduled to host the Ryder Cup in 2025.

Rankings

In its July 2008 list of America's greatest golf courses Golf Digest ranked Bethpage Black #26 overall,[7] #6 in the state of New York,[7] #6 of America's 50 toughest courses,[8] and #5 of America's greatest public golf courses.[9] It is also the top-ranked course in the Golf Digest list that is operated by a governmental entity.[9] 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.[10]

Scorecard
Bethpage State Park - Black Course
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
2009 U.S. Open 4303892325174784085252104603649 50843550460515845949020741137777426
2002 U.S. Open 4303892055174514084892104183517 49243549955416145947920741136977214
Par U.S. Open[11] 44354443435 4445344343570
2012 Barclays 4303892305174784085532104603675 50243550160816147849020741137937468
Blue 77.5 / 155 4303892305174784085532104603675 50243550160816147849020741137937468
White 74.2 / 148 4293541584614233865021913853289 43442143248015243045719539433956684
Red 71.2 / 137 4263461284384013764891522933049 37741240347213941743117834531746223
Par 44354453436 4445344343571
Handicap 81618241061412 9117317151315
Source:[2][3][12][13][14][15]
  • Hole #7 was played as a par 4 in both U.S. Opens

Notable events
YearDateTournamentWinnerScoreTo parClassification
2002Jun 13–16U.S. Open Tiger Woods277−3Major championship
2009Jun 18–22U.S. Open Lucas Glover276−4Major championship
2012Aug 23–26The Barclays* Nick Watney274−10FedEx Cup playoffs
2016Aug 25–28The Barclays* Patrick Reed275−9FedEx Cup playoffs
2019May 16–19PGA Championship Brooks Koepka272−8Major championship

Note: The Barclays tournament is now known as The Northern Trust.[16]

2002 U.S. Open
Main article: 2002 U.S. Open (golf)

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, breaking attendance records and creating a more boisterous atmosphere for the championship. Its 17th hole rivaled the 16th at the Phoenix Open, 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. Bethpage being selected in 2002 as the first publicly owned and operated golf course to host the tournament[17] was seen as an egalitarian move by the USGA.

2009 U.S. Open
Main article: 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.[18] 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. 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."[19]

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. 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.[20][21]

2012 Barclays
Main article: 2012 FedEx Cup Playoffs

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.[22] 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 7,468 yards (6,829 m), identical to the course's blue tees.[12]

2016 Barclays
Main article: 2016 FedEx Cup Playoffs

The Barclays was played August 25–28. 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.[23]

Patrick Reed won by a stroke over Emiliano Grillo and Sean O'Hair, moving from seventh place to first in the standings.[24] 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.[25]

The tournament was the last qualifying event for the eight qualifying places for the American team in the 2016 Ryder Cup.

2019 PGA Championship
Main article: 2019 PGA Championship

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.

Future events
Year Tournament Type Times hosted
2021The Northern TrustFedEx Cup playoffs2012, 2016
2025Ryder CupInternational match playInaugural
2027The Northern TrustFedEx Cup playoffs2012, 2016, 2021

2021, 2027 Northern Trust

Bethpage will host the 2021 and 2027 Northern Trust tournament, formerly The Barclays,[16] and the first of PGA Tour FedEx Cup playoff events.[26]

2025 Ryder Cup

On September 17, 2013, the PGA and State of New York announced that the 2019 PGA Championship and 2025 Ryder Cup will be played at Bethpage Black.[27]

References
  1. "The Barclays" (PDF). GCSAA. Tournament fact sheets. September 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  2. "Bethpage Black scorecard" (PDF). Bethpage Pro Shop. July 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  3. "Course Rating and Slope Database: Bethpage State Park - Black Course". USGA. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  4. Whitten, Ron (May 9, 2019). "The Real Man Behind Bethpage Black". Golf Digest. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  5. "Bethpage Black sign: The mysterious history of the iconic 'Warning' sign". Golf. May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  6. "Bethpage State Park to host Barclays in 2021, 2027". PGA Tour. February 3, 2015.
  7. "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses 07/08" (PDF). Golf Digest. May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
  8. "America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses". Golf Digest. March 2007. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  9. "America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 07/08" (PDF). Golf Digest. May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 24, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
    In this context, "public" means a course that is open for the public to play, as opposed to a private club.
  10. "Top 50 toughest golf courses in the U.S." Golf Advisor. September 17, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  11. "2009 U.S. Open: Course". Majors Championships (PGA & PGA Tour). Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  12. "2012 Barclays - Course: Bethpage State Park - Black Course". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  13. "Inside the course: Bethpage State Park - Black Course". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on April 30, 2010. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  14. "2009 U.S. Open: course". ESPN. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  15. "Back to Black - 2009 U.S. Open course guide" (PDF). NBC Sports. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  16. Schonbrun, Zach. "Glen Oaks, Site of a FedEx Cup Tournament, Was Reborn After Hurricane Sandy". The New York Times. August 22, 2017.
  17. "Five Facts Friday: Bethpage Black". TruGolf. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  18. "Glover holds off Mickelson to win U.S. Open". CNN. June 22, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  19. Williams, Jeff (July 4, 2009). "Pros endorse Bethpage Black for Ryder Cup". Newsday. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  20. Gaudiosi, John (March 18, 2010). "GDC 2010: World Golf Tour Partners with USGA for Virtual Competition". GamerLive.TV. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  21. "Wayne Stopak Crowned 2009 Virtual U.S. Open Champion". USGA. June 2009. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  22. "The Barclays - Home". The Barclays. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  23. "PGA Tour unveils FedExCup Playoff points change". PGA Tour. December 11, 2014.
  24. "Patrick Reed wins Barclays, Rickie Fowler loses Ryder Cup auto bid". ESPN. Associated Press. August 28, 2016.
  25. Everill, Ben (August 28, 2016). "FedExCup update after The Barclays". PGA Tour.
  26. "Bethpage State Park to host Barclays in 2021, 2027". PGA Tour. February 3, 2015.
  27. Gray, Will (September 17, 2013). "It's Official Bethpage Black to Host '19 PGA, '24 Ryder Cup". Golf Channel. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
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