Bethpage State Park (Black)

New York's state-run Black Course on Long Island: cheap for residents, very hard to play well, host of two U.S. Opens, the 2019 PGA and the 2025 Ryder Cup.

The Black Course opened in 1936 as a Depression-era public works project in Farmingdale, planned by park superintendent Joseph Burbeck with A.W. Tillinghast as consultant. A sign at the first tee warns that it is recommended only for highly skilled golfers, and it has earned that reputation. The Black is one of five courses at Bethpage State Park, which is run by New York State and open year-round to anyone with a reservation.

The course is long, with fairways framed by high rough and large, deep bunkers, and greens set on rises that demand carried approaches. There are no carts. As a state-owned public course it hosted the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2009, followed by the 2019 PGA Championship and the 2025 Ryder Cup, won by Europe. Greens fees remain modest for New York residents, who can book a week ahead; non-residents pay double and get a five-day window. Tee times on the Black go quickly once released.

Holes to know

4

Par 5 · 517 yd

A par 5 where, as Nick Faldo put it, players see little but a thin line of green; the putting surface slopes steeply from front to back.

17

Par 3 · 179 yd

A wide, shallow two-tier green behind imposing bunkers; about 21 percent of Ryder Cup matches there were decided on this hole.

14

Par 3 · 161 yd

The shortest hole on the course, with a big bunker short right of a triangular green; hole location sets the difficulty.

Championships

• U.S. Open 2002, 2009
• PGA Championship 2019
• Ryder Cup 2025
• The Barclays 2012, 2016
• Women's PGA Championship (scheduled) 2028
• PGA Championship (scheduled) 2033

Design history

• Rees Jones renovation for the 2002 U.S. Open, with later updates