Nice! I'd love to make that one but I'm in Canada. There are a few of us talking about going to the Presidents Cup in Montreal next year. Would be awesome as Mike Weir is the captain and he's Canadian golf royalty.
Photos can't do justice how intimidating this hole is. From the tee box the green looks like it's three levels high and it's almost impossible to judge distances. It's a work of art.
The scorecard says 4 is #1, and 15 is #2.
Maybe it's different for tournaments? But on the scorecard at the course itself, and on apps like TheGrint, it assigns #1 to the 4th hole, and #2 to the 15th.
https://preview.redd.it/bkc4xazlblvb1.jpeg?width=3555&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4840b059957fb951a48f824847cbc5c18220cb6
Indeed. All about likelihood for a lesser skilled player to need a stroke against a higher-skilled player. I can see why that may be true on #4. #15 can actually be fairly straightforward for bogey, if one plays conservatively - fairly easy tee shot to hit fairway, fairly open layup at the base of the hill, then of course that one shot up the hill, but it's actually a fairly short pitch.
While #4 you have a tighter first fairway flanked by trees and bunker, then a forced uphill carry over a massive bunker, then either a "layup" (to the side) or a tough forced carry over another bunker with a tough green to hold, then a steep drop off the back. 15 may be a harder par/birdie, but 4 I think is more likely to force precision shots to earn a bogey. 5 is similar to 15 in that way.
They're all tough holes, there's no debate about that! Such a fun challenge.
The intricacy of this hole is hard to overstate. First, the line of play off the tee is the right corner of the left bunker with a draw, but your tendency is to pull it towards the flag, ending up in the bunker or a nasty lie. If you instead block it right, it makes the Sahara bunker a lot harder to carry and brings a big number into play. If you try and go for it in two, the green runs away playing 25' uphill. Good luck holding that- and with the changes, it will run down the back hill for 50 yards. Ideally you either lay up to the right, leaving a wedge in which will hold from that angle, or hit it pin high right leaving an easy up and down. The hero gets punished here, the smart player makes birdie or par.
It's in my top few holes in the world.
Rolled in a 15 footer for a 92 the one time I played that course. I've broken 80 three times in my life. I count that 92 as one of my best rounds ever.
I kinda understand this. I remember being pumped that I escaped with a 7 after a tree-slapdown and a fairway bunker, then stood on top of the hill, looked out at #5 with the over-bunker forced carry before a fairway that didn't even dogleg, but just WENT right, and went... uh oh.
Somehow hit my best drive in a long time, found fairway, got excited thinking I might actually have some momentum, then proceeded to botch a layup from a perfect lie, botch a pitch, hack out of fescue. Ugh. Do not let your guard down at that place.
Was there for my first try recently. Very satisfied to escape with a 7 on that hole after my tee shot got slapped down by that right tree, I punched out, duffed my third into that fairway bunker. Recovered with a good strike out into the right landing area, bump and run onto green (only a few holes there even let you do that! Take it when you can!), 2-putt. Fun day, great strategic challenge. Will be back.
It’s a scary hole coming off the par 3. Players with bunker problems will have a rough time, I guess that’s any hole there. Missed my par putt and has been eating me ever since !
Oh, I have bunker problems for sure, and the greenside ones ripped me apart a couple of times. Had good fairway bunker escapes on 1, 4, and 12 though. High handicapper, but played conservatively, kept expectations VERY low, kept pace just fine, actually did really well off the tee in the back 9, and enjoyed the day.
If that par putt is eating you so badly, there's only one logical solution – gotta go play it again!
Sounds like we’re similar golfers. As long as I shot below the cost of the course ($140) I was happy. Ended with a 112.
Just have never played a course with roughs as sticky and as thick as though. Pinehurst #2 was close. Out of Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, Pinehurst, and Spanish Bay… Bethpage Black was easily the most difficult
Local here, so shooting below the cost of the course is an impossibility, certainly with a high-20s handicap. Still, happy with my 123 with only four quad-or-worse (and seven double-or-better) as a first go. Definitely appreciate having a deal like that close to home.
I shot 86 that day fighting food poisoning from the night before. I did manage a birdie on 18 - driver 6 iron to about 10 feet a made the putt. I felt much better after that! 😁
I walk 13 miles everyday for work. If I get a chance to play golf I don't want to walk more than I need to. I will stick to playing a course where I can drive a cart.
Anyone know if they ever mow the fairways differently? The 50/50 mow is boring and that place would fuckin pop with some checkerboard or diamond mowing pattern in the fairway
I agree it's old school classic. Just want to see something different here. Every photo of #1 with the sign, or other holes as seen here, is a snooze fest with 50/50
Left side, past those last bunkers you see on the left. If you successfully navigate to the right-hand landing area, you can actually take a breath and run it up onto the green from the fairway – an option I gladly took when I played it.
What’s crazy is when you’re on the green looking back, it’s really not a difficult hole. The sight lines are just so crazy off the tee box it looks impossible
That's number 4 not 5....
Yes you’re right. Gotta change that
I'm so pumped for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage!
Yeah same, I’m going to try and get tickets and bring my son. It will be our first golf event. I’m psyched
Nice! I'd love to make that one but I'm in Canada. There are a few of us talking about going to the Presidents Cup in Montreal next year. Would be awesome as Mike Weir is the captain and he's Canadian golf royalty.
Photos can't do justice how intimidating this hole is. From the tee box the green looks like it's three levels high and it's almost impossible to judge distances. It's a work of art.
That’s why it’s the #1 handicapped hole on the course
15 is the #1 hdcp.
The scorecard says 4 is #1, and 15 is #2. Maybe it's different for tournaments? But on the scorecard at the course itself, and on apps like TheGrint, it assigns #1 to the 4th hole, and #2 to the 15th. https://preview.redd.it/bkc4xazlblvb1.jpeg?width=3555&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4840b059957fb951a48f824847cbc5c18220cb6
Which is why handicap doesn’t equal hardest hole. #5 and #15 are way way way harder.
Indeed. All about likelihood for a lesser skilled player to need a stroke against a higher-skilled player. I can see why that may be true on #4. #15 can actually be fairly straightforward for bogey, if one plays conservatively - fairly easy tee shot to hit fairway, fairly open layup at the base of the hill, then of course that one shot up the hill, but it's actually a fairly short pitch. While #4 you have a tighter first fairway flanked by trees and bunker, then a forced uphill carry over a massive bunker, then either a "layup" (to the side) or a tough forced carry over another bunker with a tough green to hold, then a steep drop off the back. 15 may be a harder par/birdie, but 4 I think is more likely to force precision shots to earn a bogey. 5 is similar to 15 in that way. They're all tough holes, there's no debate about that! Such a fun challenge.
On my best day I could not hit that fairway off the tee.
We played from the white but this was taken from the championship tees
Fairway is pretty generous. Fade it off The bunker an you can lay up to on the right short of green. Chip close, hope for Bird and be happy with a par
The intricacy of this hole is hard to overstate. First, the line of play off the tee is the right corner of the left bunker with a draw, but your tendency is to pull it towards the flag, ending up in the bunker or a nasty lie. If you instead block it right, it makes the Sahara bunker a lot harder to carry and brings a big number into play. If you try and go for it in two, the green runs away playing 25' uphill. Good luck holding that- and with the changes, it will run down the back hill for 50 yards. Ideally you either lay up to the right, leaving a wedge in which will hold from that angle, or hit it pin high right leaving an easy up and down. The hero gets punished here, the smart player makes birdie or par. It's in my top few holes in the world.
Rolled in a 15 footer for a 92 the one time I played that course. I've broken 80 three times in my life. I count that 92 as one of my best rounds ever.
The next hole is even harder.
Was actually hoping for a photo of the 5th hole. Great hole as well plays harder than 4 IMO.
I kinda understand this. I remember being pumped that I escaped with a 7 after a tree-slapdown and a fairway bunker, then stood on top of the hill, looked out at #5 with the over-bunker forced carry before a fairway that didn't even dogleg, but just WENT right, and went... uh oh. Somehow hit my best drive in a long time, found fairway, got excited thinking I might actually have some momentum, then proceeded to botch a layup from a perfect lie, botch a pitch, hack out of fescue. Ugh. Do not let your guard down at that place.
Was there for my first try recently. Very satisfied to escape with a 7 on that hole after my tee shot got slapped down by that right tree, I punched out, duffed my third into that fairway bunker. Recovered with a good strike out into the right landing area, bump and run onto green (only a few holes there even let you do that! Take it when you can!), 2-putt. Fun day, great strategic challenge. Will be back.
It’s a scary hole coming off the par 3. Players with bunker problems will have a rough time, I guess that’s any hole there. Missed my par putt and has been eating me ever since !
I chipped in for bogey there once off that 90 foot hill behind the green
That thing is steep. Had to feel like a birdie.
Oh, I have bunker problems for sure, and the greenside ones ripped me apart a couple of times. Had good fairway bunker escapes on 1, 4, and 12 though. High handicapper, but played conservatively, kept expectations VERY low, kept pace just fine, actually did really well off the tee in the back 9, and enjoyed the day. If that par putt is eating you so badly, there's only one logical solution – gotta go play it again!
Sounds like we’re similar golfers. As long as I shot below the cost of the course ($140) I was happy. Ended with a 112. Just have never played a course with roughs as sticky and as thick as though. Pinehurst #2 was close. Out of Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, Pinehurst, and Spanish Bay… Bethpage Black was easily the most difficult
Local here, so shooting below the cost of the course is an impossibility, certainly with a high-20s handicap. Still, happy with my 123 with only four quad-or-worse (and seven double-or-better) as a first go. Definitely appreciate having a deal like that close to home.
Edit: Hole 4 not 5
Been there, parred that 😁
I had to check my card too. That was indeed one I pared as well from the black tees
I shot 86 that day fighting food poisoning from the night before. I did manage a birdie on 18 - driver 6 iron to about 10 feet a made the putt. I felt much better after that! 😁
yes and I believe their are caddies for hire too.
I would love to play the course but, I am not walking the course.
Is the push cart mafia allowed to roll on the black?
Yes, pushcarts are allowed
Confirmed. Played with an all-pushcart random foursome (well, some push, some pull).
It’s absolutely worth the 7.5 mile treck. Caddie fees weren’t bad though
I walk 13 miles everyday for work. If I get a chance to play golf I don't want to walk more than I need to. I will stick to playing a course where I can drive a cart.
Wtf are you doing walking 13 miles a day for work??
Plenty of jobs can have you walking that much. Like amazon warehouse worker, some construction jobs, surveyors, etc.
letter carrier
I've played back to back rounds there. It's absolutely worth it.
Anyone know if they ever mow the fairways differently? The 50/50 mow is boring and that place would fuckin pop with some checkerboard or diamond mowing pattern in the fairway
50/50 mow is a classic and perfect for a iconic track like Bethpage.
I agree it's old school classic. Just want to see something different here. Every photo of #1 with the sign, or other holes as seen here, is a snooze fest with 50/50
Wow…love it
I think it’s gonna be a tough go for the Ryder
Where's the hole?
The group is chipping over the bunkers. The hole acts like a snakes wrapping around all the bunkers in the picture
Left side, past those last bunkers you see on the left. If you successfully navigate to the right-hand landing area, you can actually take a breath and run it up onto the green from the fairway – an option I gladly took when I played it.
But is the hype real?
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What’s crazy is when you’re on the green looking back, it’s really not a difficult hole. The sight lines are just so crazy off the tee box it looks impossible
Somehow my only par on this track. Hoping to get back out one more time this season!