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4.8
60 Reviews (60)
5 Stars
54
4 Stars
3
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.2
Layout
4.6
Friendliness
3.4
Pace
3.0
Amenities
3.9
70.4%
Recommend this course
57 out of 60 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
5.0
1 Reviews (1)
5 Stars
1
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.0
Value
3.0
Layout
3.0
Pace
1.0
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
2.0
0%
Recommend this course
1 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.8
4 Reviews (4)
5 Stars
3
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.7
Layout
4.3
Pace
2.0
Amenities
3.3
StaffFriendliness
3.0
50.0%
Recommend this course
2 out of 4 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Municipal
Par 71
Length 7465 yards
Slope 155
Rating 77.5

Course Details

Year Built 1936
Fairways Poa Annua Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round. Weather permitting
Architect Rees Jones (2008) Greg Muirhead (2008) A. W. Tillinghast (1936) Rees Jones (1998)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - $30 - $40
Clubs Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Golf Simulator Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Indoor Practice Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Snacks, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Lounge, Showers, Lockers

Accolades

Reviews

4.8
60 Reviews (60)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Patio Dining 8
Drinks 7
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 12
Elevation Changes 11
Thick Rough 11
This course/club is great for:
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 13
Advanced Golfers 10
Walkers 10
This Course's Location is:
In the 'Burbs 12
Worth the Drive 11

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 55
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

Hardest Course I Played. When can I go back?

Played here 10 years ago. Still ranks as hardest I have ever played. We took caddies. they were very helpful. It was 90 degrees and 90 % humidity. Made for a long day 5 hr 15min. Paid for a locker and shower afterwards and there were no towels. Not often you get your butt kicked and want to go back.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Special Course

One of the most well designed courses I have ever played.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 77
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 500 Contributor

The people’s country club

What a tough test of golf. Over 6600 from the whites isn’t overall challenging, but when you throw in brutal rough, sometimes tight fairways and blind shots you have a recipe for a triple digit score. This course really knows how to humble a golfer. Played it today in near 100 degree heat so that wasn’t pleasant. The greens were in great shape and fast, the rough was super thick and the fairways were in great shape. This course truly is a gem and worth the NYS price to get your behind kicked. My only issue is not with the course, but Bethpage State Park itself. It was almost 100 degrees today and we shouldn’t have played, but it’s so hard to get a foursome at a decent time so we kept the tee time. The course has a ton of water jugs out there which was amazing, but we didn’t see the cart girl once! There’s one for all 5 courses and that’s ridiculous. I’ve said this before and it goes upon deaf ears over there. Today was super dangerous not to have someone around with Gatorade if needed. Lastly, in case you don’t know the “halfway” house on Black is on hole 6 and then you have to run from 12 to get something on the way back towards the clubhouse. With groups behind you that doesn’t always work well

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 39
Handicap 15-19
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Walked
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Hardest I've Ever Played

I have never felt so defeated, mentally and physically, after a round of golf. That being said I loved it. The course is renowned for being difficult, so I decided that I was going to let it kick my butt and just take it all in. The course condition was honestly incredible, especially considering it's public. Not tons of divots, not tons of pitch marks, overall perfect condition. Only thing I wasn't a fan of were the bunkers. I really struggled to figure out why I couldn't hit out of them even though I'm usually good out of the sand. The design is incredible and the bunkering is beautiful. This is in my top 2 courses played and I will be back again for another whooping!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 77
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
North Carolina Advisor
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played

Best Public Golf in the Northeast

Bethpage is fantastic. Enough said. Fun and challenging layout and picture perfect conditions. You must be able to find the fairway to score well here. It’s a physical and mental challenge but even at $150 for non-state residents, it’s well worth the money. Only thing not to like is the pace of play (expect AT LEAST a 5 hour round to walk here). But enjoy the nostalgia and challenge of the US Opens and the PGA and Ryder Cup to come. Can’t wait to see the pros play here next May!

OVERALL: 9.2/10

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 71
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Five Stars, As Always

Fairways were perfect, greens were perfect. Rough was very thick and the fescue was terrible; I wish they'd cut the rough lower and eliminate the high grasses. It also appears they changed the sand type in the bunkers since I last played, it was very thick, especially up in the flashed faces; I was not a fan of the new bunker sand. There was a bit of construction on 18, they're adding new bunkers, as if they need more of those.

Minor critiques. The course is five stars, it'll always be five stars. Extremely difficult. Pace of play is always an issue, we played in about 5:15, that's reasonably fast for the Black. If you're out on the weekend, bring a magazine. You know what you're getting here...go with proper expectations, expect to take 6 hours, expect to have your golf game made to look like a beginner's, and expect to feel beat up when you leave. There's no better golf course for the price in America.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Easy
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Awesome!

Was in NY for a company trip and had to get out. It’s ridiculous to try and book a tee time through the reservation system, unless you want to play late afternoon. But had my pro from my home club call and we got set up. The course was absolutely amazing and couldn’t have asked for better weather. My first time and would recommend a caddy as they know the layout of the course. The greens were slower than expected but rolled very true. A little steep in price, but seeing as how they’re having the 2019 PGA Championship there, guess it’s understandable. Would highly recommend and most definitely a bucket list course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/29/2018

dmack
did your local pro have to play with you? and was he able to book a decent time? I am from Chicago and registered to book online but seems like all the Friday and Sat tee times are taking up early from locals.
Thanks

Played On
Reviews 47
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Mississippi Advisor
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Walked

A Masterpiece

At the end of a physically and mentally draining round, I turned to my playing partners and reached out for a handshake. "Guys, this was fun," I said. They laughed. One asked, "Was it?"

But it was! Yes, it's a kick in the pants. But the Black course is the most architecturally sound course I've ever played. The layout is spectacular, the bunkering is breathtaking, and the greens are fair. The fairways aren't the biggest in the world, but they're big enough to get around on.

Everyone is familiar with the fact that this isn't the easiest course in the world to get on, but it's worth the headache. You will be talking about Bethpage Black for a long time. Make it happen.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 71
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Best Municipal Course Anywhere

Really incredible public golf course. The rate for New York residents makes this the best golf course for the money by a huge margin and even for out of state, the relative cost is excellent. The strength of this course is in the routing and flow of the design. The greens are very simple, without bold contouring. However, the strength of the rest of the course more than makes up for this. Holes 4, 5, and 12 are the best on the course. The 18th is often criticized because of the way tour professionals play the hole, but for the vast majority of golfers, it is a very strategic hole that will test a player right up to the final shot.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

The People's Course

For all the golf courses on this rock in the Atlantic Ocean called Long Island, this is the best course anyone can play. Is Shinnecock Hills on LI? Yes. Can you play it? Good Luck. If you are lucky enough to know a member who will invite you, awesome. For the rest of us without $100k, the Southampton Police will be called if we go thru the gates. But not at BP Black. Bethpage is a state park in the NYS park system. Residents will pay anywhere from $39 to $75. Non-residents, and they are strict about proof of residency, will pay $78-$150. That's the bargain of the highest magnitude in terms of greens fees for a course that the PGA frequents every few years. They played the US Open on Black in 2002 and 2009, the Barclays in 2012 and 2016, will play the PGA Championship in 2019 and the Ryder Cup in 2024. Good luck trying to play Copperhead or TPC Sawgrass (yes I have played them) for less than $250 at any time of the year. If you are looking for the greatest challenge at a reasonable price, it doesn't get much better than this. And when you do, get your "money's worth"...play from the tips, that's the real challenge. That is the secret about BP Black. While other courses you can get on will let you ride in a cart, "The People's Country Club" is walking only all the time.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Just awesome!

I showed up as a single at 8:30 am, teed off at 9:45 am. The course was in absolutely perfect condition! About 4.5 hours to play 18 holes, reasonable time considering the challenging walk.
An unforgettable experience, worth the extra money paid because I'm out of state.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Walked

Full Tee Sheet Service

Our foursome made the trek from Baltimore to Long Island to play the Black Course this past Friday. Two of the members of our foursome have single digit handicaps and have been playing golf for more than 25 years. We have never experienced the level of indifference, rudeness and overall absence of professional customer service. The course was hit with severe thunderstorms throughout our round which forced us (and other golfers) to take cover in course gazebos for safety and cover. We stayed in one for approximately 35 minutes and another for almost an hour waiting for the storms to pass. When the storms finally passed we attempted to continue playing. At that time a gentlemen came out in a cart to inform us the course was closed and we had to vacate and drove off (not offering a ride or even directions to the clubhouse). Of course we were at the farthest point from the clubhouse you could possibly be and being unfamiliar with the course we walked a serpentine path back which took us another 30 minutes. Finally when we asked for a rain check they told us we were "out there long enough to reach the 5th hole" which of course is the hole they use to decide if a rain check will be issued. As a native of Long Island I warned my group on the long walk in that we would likely receive the treatment we did. It is important to note that we would have finished out our round in the terrible conditions as we would likely not be back for a while but we were kicked off the course. The course is beautiful and would be an excellent experience on a nice day (maybe even a bad day) but you should know you will get treated commensurate to a place that has a full tee sheet every day and is getting $135 per round from out of state players.

Conditions Excellent
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 77
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
North Carolina Advisor
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Exceptional Conditions

Bethpage Black lives up to its warning sign on the first tee; it is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. Need to keep the ball in the fairway to make par or better. Conditions are absolutely perfect and live up to their US Open reputation. Only problem was the pace of play (5 and a half hours) but then again, is it really awful to spend a long day at Bethpage?

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Conditions

Course was immaculate greens rolling true and fast
Fairways are perfect and rough is thick
Take a caddie and truly enjoy the experience

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Must play if you get the chance

If you are an out of state resident, it's not that easy to get a tee time at Bethpage Black. However, if you call enough times you will eventually get one. That said, the black course is a must play for anyone in the Northeast. For the price, you can't beat playing this major champion venue.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Hartford Advisor
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Walked

Hard...

Going into, I knew it would be tough. I've heard all the stories and watched all the professional tournaments, specifically the two Opens played here, but actually walking the grounds and playing the holes, you don't really understand how difficult it can play until you experience it.

The first challenge is the walk. The undulations and elevation changes, specifically getting to/from the tee boxes was surprising. With the exception of hole #9 however, I wasn't faced with too many awkward lies.

I played really well, and was fortunate that I drove the ball well. I played from the white tees, which still measure at 6700 yards, but was fortunate to keep the ball in the fairway on most holes. The approach shots are intimidating and tough. There is no room for error. Hole #16 may be the only hole I can remember where you can run the ball on the green, but event that is a narrow gap. Most greens are elevated and guarded by massive and deep bunkers. Hole #16 and #18 are really the only holes where you can stand on the tee box and see the entire hole. If you miss a fairway, you have an extremely tough time holding a green. If you miss a green, you have an extremely tough time getting up/down. The only fair element of the course were the greens. Although they were small and tough to hold, there wasn't much slope or speed issues. A few holes have challenging pin placements, but they were not the most difficult element of the course.

All in all it's a great experience. It needs to be on every serious golfers' must play list. I was fortunate to play extremely well, and I look forward to getting a chance to play it again and moving back a tee box.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 93
Skill Intermediate
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 100 Contributor
N Y N J Advisor
First Time Playing

A Beast of a Course! Public Golf Royalty

This is one of the most memorable rounds you will ever play. Long holes, wide fairways, and monster bunker complexes around the greens. You start out with three good holes, then you step on the 4th tee and monster starts. Heroic design on lots of holes; long carry or layup decisions abound. Not difficult greens. Just a great course. I'll love watching the Ryder Cup played here.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Walked

The best condition on the best course in the east USA

My first time playing this course and it felt like I had played it a thousand times; my playing partner had actually played this course a thousand times. If this course is not already frustrating, imagine having the guy who just set the course record from the tips breathing down your neck. This guys frustrated with pars on par 3's and I'm glad when I get the same score. I had the most unique experience playing this courses or well, getting on it. The day before I was playing another fantastic course, Pound Ridge, when I began to talk to my playing partners about further into my vacation. They told me that sense the Barclas was going to start in a few weeks, tomorrow was th LAST DAY to play the black! My dad and I realized that there was no way to get on the course the last day to play it and plus we were from out of state. But then I remembered, all of the articles about sleeping in your car. Well that's what we did. Got there at about 10:00 and we were 7th in line looking to get a Sunday tee time. This is an ALL DAY AFFAIR to play this course. But anyway the 6th guy in line was who we ended up playing with. He told us that he does this 4 times a week. He walked us through the whole process, very un- New York like. The staff was very chipper for 4:30 am when you had to get your ticket for your tee time. Once we got to the desk we realized the we were definitely getting a tee time. We ended up getting a 8:45 time, a dream come true. We ate at a dinner just down the street from the park. Got back at 7:45. YOU MUST BE BACK AT THE LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE YOU TIME and even more if you need to get a caddie. The practice facilities are ok; the pull carts are good and worth the money. When walking up to the first tee you can feel the history of the course on you shoulders. You see that sign and you know your in for a heck of a round. The fence that the sign sits on is called the line of death by the black and green course starters. The first tee is pretty simple shot, but the small gallery that always gathers behind the tee makes the shot harder. I bombed one right down the middle leaving myself 142. But just when I thought I hit a great shot my playing partner absolutely smashed a ball over the trees on the right about 345. The seventeenth is a great par three and I hit my six iron about 180 just short of the green but just short of the green is a five foot deep bunker couldn't get up and down but saved a four. Number 18 is a pretty simple hole: just don't, no matter what, hit it in the BUNKERS. Well, that's exactly what I did. This course was so cool with all of the grand stands up. But anyway I hit my shot after a hack that played with us as well had already hit. I took my six iron again and hit it pure, I followed that ball with my squinting eyes just to hear a noise. BANG! My ball had flown directly over the green and under neath the grand stands after hitting them. I played my ball and ended up with a terrible double bogey. This course all around is one of the best in the world. Play it even if your visiting Pennsylvania it's worth the drive.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Golf in its Purest Form!

I grew up on Long Island, but haven't lived there since HS, so I've only played the Black Course a handful of times since the remodel. But every time is a special experience. I just played last week during their preparation for the Barclays PGA event, and I've never seen the course in such great shape! Everything was in perfect condition.

This course should really be on the "must play" list for any serious golfer. It's easily in my personal top 3 that I've played - right next to Pebble Beach and Shinnecock Hills. Every hole/shot here is memorable. I can recall every shot I've ever hit here - every hole has its own personality. Even the different parts of the course have their own feel. Holes 10-12, 15/16 have somewhat of a links feel, while others are a more traditional parkland American golf feel. Every hole gives you options which is my #1 requirement for a great course. Granted it's VERY difficult and if you're a beginner, you should aspire to play here eventually. The minimum yardage is about 6300 from the forward tees, with some challenging forced carries, so it's a very hard course for juniors/ladies/seniors. But the way the course is laid out, you probably won't lose a ball unless you find one of the few water hazards or go REALLY far out of play on 4, 5, 6, 11 or 13.

The fact that everyone has to walk is really how golf was meant to be played, honestly and adds to the character. The only drawback is the long 5+ hour rounds, but it's a quick 5 hours because you're in golfing paradise! I played in 90+ degree heat, carried my own bag - even though I was exhausted by 14/15, I didn't mind. It's a real treat getting to play here. I could play here every day and never get tired of this course - it has that much character.

It's also not nearly as hard to get on as everyone thinks. If you walk up during the week, there's a very good chance you get on as a single. Anything more, you'll be playing late in the afternoon as a walk up, so make a tee time for sure. Maybe you'll get lucky and only pay the resident rate like I did as a former resident! But even for the $100-150 it's more than worth it to play this great track. Find a caddy if you can so that you can save some energy for those last few tough holes!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
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