Bethpage Black

[theweekendgolfer543]

Hi WRXers,

 

Quick question - I see some tee times post 3 pm for 18 holes at Bethpage Black. I can't imagine you get all 18 in before dark this time of year. What do you think is the latest tee time to get 18 in? I don't want to schedule something and just get 13 holes in as I am vacationing here for golf and would just rather play another course if I can't get it in. Any local advice would be awesome. Thanks in advance.

[nitram]

Depends on how many balls you lose and the pace of the folks in front of you. I've played it in 3-1/2 hours and I've played it in 6 (tournament). Totally depends on a few things you can control and several more you can't. Personally, I wouldn't tee off after 1:30. That'll give you roughly 4 hours before official sunset and you'll have enough daylight to play another hole, maybe two after that, if necessary.

Edited September 27, 2023 by nitram

[theweekendgolfer543]

17 minutes ago, nitram said:

Depends on how many balls you lose and the pace of the folks in front of you. I've played it in 3-1/2 hours and I've played it in 6 (tournament). Totally depends on a few things you can control and several more you can't. Personally, I wouldn't tee off after 1:30. That'll give you roughly 4 hours before official sunset and you'll have enough daylight to play another hole, maybe two after that, if necessary.

Thanks! One additional question - what's the etiquette for playing the championship tees? I'm a 7 handicap where putting seems to be where I lose strokes. Typically carry a drive (with no wind) about 300 but obviously have my misses (typically a block right). Moral of the story, I'd like to get as close to the "PGA" experience as possible because I think that's part of the allure but also want to respect the course, it's difficulty and the others playing with (likely being paired up) and behind me. 

[TBD203]

Unless you're a slow player in general I can't imagine that would slow down overall pace of play. As everyone has said it would be the groups in front of you that dictate play. We played in about 4h 40 minutes last month, and we waited on almost every tee.

[AlohaPineapple]

9 minutes ago, theweekendgolfer543 said:

Thanks! One additional question - what's the etiquette for playing the championship tees? I'm a 7 handicap where putting seems to be where I lose strokes. Typically carry a drive (with no wind) about 300 but obviously have my misses (typically a block right). Moral of the story, I'd like to get as close to the "PGA" experience as possible because I think that's part of the allure but also want to respect the course, it's difficulty and the others playing with (likely being paired up) and behind me. 

you're fine to play the tips!  i'd allocate ~5 hours to play the round, sunset is 6:30ish these days

[SaVo_]

34 minutes ago, theweekendgolfer543 said:

Thanks! One additional question - what's the etiquette for playing the championship tees? I'm a 7 handicap where putting seems to be where I lose strokes. Typically carry a drive (with no wind) about 300 but obviously have my misses (typically a block right). Moral of the story, I'd like to get as close to the "PGA" experience as possible because I think that's part of the allure but also want to respect the course, it's difficulty and the others playing with (likely being paired up) and behind me. 

I played it for the first time on Memorial Day this year. I was playing as around a 10-12 at the time, with two of my buddies who are scratch, and one single who was a single digit. We played tips. Like you I wanted the "Full experience" I shot 92 and had no issues playing the tips and no one else did either as long as you keep pace. My favorite round I've played to this day playing courses all up and down New England. The pace was a little slow that day, idk how it typically is.

[nitram]

1 hour ago, theweekendgolfer543 said:

Thanks! One additional question - what's the etiquette for playing the championship tees? I'm a 7 handicap where putting seems to be where I lose strokes. Typically carry a drive (with no wind) about 300 but obviously have my misses (typically a block right). Moral of the story, I'd like to get as close to the "PGA" experience as possible because I think that's part of the allure but also want to respect the course, it's difficulty and the others playing with (likely being paired up) and behind me. 

Knock yourself out brother. Just bring plenty of balls and lower expectations.

 

 

[LPSISCO]

I’ve never played it in less than 5 hours. 

[Marty86]

early in the day 4:10-4:30 is normal. As the day drags it starts stretching to 5 or more. It reall depends on who is before you.

[nutmegchoi]

I played Black 14 times and averaged 5 hours.

Fastest I’ve ever played was 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Safe to give yourself 5 hours before the sunset.

 

Black was beautiful yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by nutmegchoi

[Ironman_32]

On 9/27/2023 at 11:33 AM, theweekendgolfer543 said:

Thanks! One additional question - what's the etiquette for playing the championship tees? I'm a 7 handicap where putting seems to be where I lose strokes. Typically carry a drive (with no wind) about 300 but obviously have my misses (typically a block right). Moral of the story, I'd like to get as close to the "PGA" experience as possible because I think that's part of the allure but also want to respect the course, it's difficulty and the others playing with (likely being paired up) and behind me. 

Little late, but they have three sets up tees from which to choose. The true "championship" tees are further back from that, usually on a separate tee box; they are only designated by a post, with no tee markers. You might be able to get away with teeing it up there every hole, but its long and there are not tee markers. (side note: the most ironic thing about Bethpage is that its a public course that people treat like a public course, but it also hosts major championships. So you'll be standing where US Open shots where struck, but there will also be trash in the high grass in some places and sometimes hack play there. That said, if they actually put out championship tee markers than every 20 handicap would try to play from there.) 

 

[ralemb]

Hey all, I will be in NY for a week in October, I am German and I need to know if there is any chance to get a tee time with the 5-day system or if this is basically not possible and only with overnight stay locally at the club what I read about.

 

Is there ANY chance to get a tee time?

[tomba51]

39 minutes ago, ralemb said:

Hey all, I will be in NY for a week in October, I am German and I need to know if there is any chance to get a tee time with the 5-day system or if this is basically not possible and only with overnight stay locally at the club what I read about.

 

Is there ANY chance to get a tee time?

If you're a single, you can show up at Black early in the morning and you can usually get a time. You may have to wait a few hours, but you can have something to eat in the grill room and hit balls at the range while you wait. If you're trying to get a foursome at a reasonable time (that is, a time that will enable you to finish before dark), the odds are against you.

[The Milkman]

Be sure to be checking and refreshing the webpage the evening before you want to play. People have until 12 hours before to cancel times, so if they need to adjust the number of people in their group or cancel their tee time thats when they will start reappearing. 

[achun88]

On 9/27/2023 at 4:35 PM, LPSISCO said:

I’ve never played it in less than 5 hours. 

Agree with this. I used to live in nyc and play this course a few times a month and rarely played under 4.5hrs. 

[Marty86]

If you tee off before 10 a 4:30 round is definitely doable. I had a few this past year.

[callawayjay]

Website says Mid April open. Will be in NYC the weekend of the 13-14th and want to play as a single. Will it be open then? And if so I just show up early and wait? Or grab a time the night before??

[nutmegchoi]

18 hours ago, callawayjay said:

Website says Mid April open. Will be in NYC the weekend of the 13-14th and want to play as a single. Will it be open then? And if so I just show up early and wait? Or grab a time the night before??

 

Black normally opens around April 15th so you might luck out.

 

[nutmegchoi]

Seems like you got lucky this year.

Hope you can get a tee time.

 

https://www.golfonlongisland.com/teebox/bethpage/

[woofelfin]

Can you book as a out of state resident?

[SurfDuffer]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:05 PM, woofelfin said:

Can you book as a out of state resident?

 

Yes.  Last July, my son and I got the second tee time of the day.   We left our house at 4am to drive up from NJ.  Brutally hot and humid day and it had rained hard overnight so the course was really soft on the front nine.  Heat index was near 100 by noon.  We played the tips and I played well on the front nine with one birdie and a bunch of pars but the heat and the walk really got to me on the back and my game completely fell apart finishing with a 94 as a 53 year old 6 handicap and my son shot an 82.  That walk in the heat is no joke.

[callawayjay]

On 3/11/2024 at 11:37 AM, nutmegchoi said:

Seems like you got lucky this year.

Hope you can get a tee time.

 

https://www.golfonlongisland.com/teebox/bethpage/

I’m going to try to play Tuesday April 16th as a single. So yay me 

[Marty86]

Their bethpage red opening day is incorrect though. It's this friday on 3/29. I know because I got a morning tee time 🙂

[dbraunsdorf]

Yes, go to the website, there's a way to get 2-day access (e.g. Thursday night for Saturday).  You can pick up cancellations, etc and jump in to a tee time.  

 

I'd go during the week given the choice, slightly lighter crowds, if you can get a day off from work, you can find twosomes and threesome reservations and jump in with them. 

[nutmegchoi]

On 3/25/2024 at 6:58 PM, callawayjay said:

I’m going to try to play Tuesday April 16th as a single. So yay me 

 

Did you get to play?

[callawayjay]

9 hours ago, nutmegchoi said:

 

Did you get to play?

I did!!! I was able to get a 220 time Tuesday but got out there about 9-910 to see about going sooner. I paid my fee but the guy in ticket area said look at the board and see if anyone doesn’t pay or show up on time. He said and the board showed booked up until 1050. No problem. I’ll wait. 
 

put my bag down and strolled to the first tee area and by now it’s 925. See 3 guys on the tee….i ask if there’s 4?  He said no. 
 

may I join? Showed him my paid ticket…hurry up he says. Wow!!

 

no warm up. No stretch. Teed off at 930. And it was absolutely amazing 

 

perfect weather. The guys I played with were cool as hell. Could not have been a better day!!!

 

IMG_0216.heifersIMG_0200.heic IMG_0175.heic

[nutmegchoi]

8 hours ago, callawayjay said:

I did!!! I was able to get a 220 time Tuesday but got out there about 9-910 to see about going sooner. I paid my fee but the guy in ticket area said look at the board and see if anyone doesn’t pay or show up on time. He said and the board showed booked up until 1050. No problem. I’ll wait. 
 

put my bag down and strolled to the first tee area and by now it’s 925. See 3 guys on the tee….i ask if there’s 4?  He said no. 
 

may I join? Showed him my paid ticket…hurry up he says. Wow!!

 

no warm up. No stretch. Teed off at 930. And it was absolutely amazing 

 

perfect weather. The guys I played with were cool as hell. Could not have been a better day!!!

 

IMG_0216.heifers 1.8 MB · 1 download IMG_0200.heic 2.24 MB · 0 downloads   IMG_0175.heic 2.31 MB · 0 downloads

 

Happy to hear you got to play with some cool peeps.

Most people I played The Black were better than average players and better people.

Hope you get to come back soon!

[callawayjay]

It’s definitely going to warrant a return. The largeness and scale of the course is very impressive 

[Marty86]

On opening day if you teed off before 11 they had a surprise, they had the ryder cup on the 1st tee and allowed us to take pictures. Was a pretty dope experience.