BY: RORY SPEARS ASSISTANT EDITOR AND LEAD WRITER
WITH MAYBE THE MOST FAMOUS SIGN IN GOLF
(BETHPAGE NY)
It could be the most famous sign in golf, a warning sign it is behind the first tee of the black Course at the Bethpage Black course in Farmingdale/Bethpage New York on Long Island.
There are five courses at the famed state park in New York that held the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2009. While the USGA has moved on from Bethpage for the time being, the PGA of America has moved in. They will bring the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2024 Ryder Cup to Bethpage, where in 2024 it’s expected that Bethpage will be the place that the PGA will finally top Medinah’s money making record of the Ryder Cup from 2012.
BETHPAGE BLACK’S CLOSING HOLE, WITH THE DOWNHILL TEE SHOT AND UPHILL APPROACH SHOT.
In a column to be named later, I will break down what I see as the comparisons between Bethpage and Cog Hill. The two courses once were in a battle to be the first public course to host a U.S. Open.
As we know Bethpage won that battle, not only once but twice. Now Cog Hill is looking for tournaments to host since the BMW drove up north to Conway Farms.
When you look at the money that the USGA banked from the first open at Bethpage, over 50 million according to some folks who would know, you have to believe that had a lot to do with why they went back. But USGA Executive Director Mike Davis and his team at the USGA have moved on, so the PGA of America has moved in. It will be interesting if their events have the same impact at Bethpage as the U.S. Open did. I’m betting the Ryder Cup will anyway. The locals tell me that the Barclay’s there did not have the same impact with the fans.
But it does have some impact with golfers. Over 31,000 rounds got played on the Black Course last year, actually the least amount of rounds of any of the five courses at the park. Why you ask, well because this course is just plain hard and it’s not an easy walk. It’s very hilly and not always the easiest walk. Uphill-downhill and plenty of BIG Rees Jones bunkers to gobble up your golf ball. I got to visit 7 of these places yesterday. One bunker buried me so deep under the lip, it took 3 whacks with the 56 degree Bob Vokey Sand wedge to get it out and onto the green. I still broke 100 and I am proud of it, but had some birdie and par putts on the closing holes that I let get away. It would have been nice to break 90.
Locals pay $75 to play, and usually carry their own bag. The out of towners pay $155 and take caddies, that run about about $120 with fee and tip. I was warned how hard the walk was, multiple times. But since I played with three great local New York guys who knew the course and guided me around and carried or pushed their bags. I decided that carrying my bag was the way to go. When in Rome ? The walk is not easy but wasn’t as bad as I expected. In fact the walk at Erin Hills can be just as taxing.
The rest of the week here turns toward the private clubs, and what makes them so attractive to the tournament organizations.
I did not get to visit the new Ferry Point Golf Club on the East River that will open next year, that’s built on a landfill. But I could see it from the expressway as I drove into town, it looks neat and is bigger version of Harborside. It has more British Open looking mounds that we find in town. Mike Davis has been there a couple of times, and with architects like John Sanford and Jack Nicklaus involved a tournament could be coming along one day.
Oh yeah, Donald Trump is involved at Ferry Point too, so you will hear much more about it soon. When it opens next year and it’s open to the public, Trump and his people will love to see you, make sure you bring your wallet.
What you don’t need your wallet for, is to get a copy of the final issue of Chicagoland Golf for 2014. Thanks to publisher Val Russell for giving me double space in this issue, check out the story on the course of the month (Wilmette Park District) and my season wrap and look ahead column. It’s now in your local pro shop.
Onward through a week of Long Island Golf. Go Play, yes I am. RS