Every hole was like a post card. Just beautiful. So much walking. Elevation changes are significant . We played black. Teed off at 2:40, played 17 in the dark. I'm still sore . A good caddie can make all the difference . We did not have a good one. For what you pay for a caddie you think they would be pretty good. Never cleaned the ball, never read a putt, bad shot lines , just all around bad. But despite the caddie , we had a great time. I highly recommend!!!! Definitely, a bucket list !! read more

Travel across the country to play a Bucket List course... check. Black is an immaculate and very challenging track with trouble lurking everywhere. The course tests all facets of your game as well as your mental toughness to quickly forget the punishment it just dished out on you. The driving range attendant, Starter, pro shop and other staff were very friendly and helpful explaining how the program works to a left coast newb. A memorable experience, made even better by the dudes from NY and Philly that I played with. I would highly recommend playing Black. read more

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YELLOW COURSE Slipped out for the first tee time the other day, yellow is the best kept secret these days. Only nine holes are open so great for an early weekday round. The holes that are opened are incredible! Great course for all skill levels. $28 for 9, and it's a free for all, e.g., feel free to skip around if the pace allows you, or replay a few. Bethpage is getting ready for PGA, the setup is incredible. read more

Bethpage Black Course - Look at the merch setup - Golf Near Me - Farmingdale, New York

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Memorable. Play the lottery, get your tee-time, play the iconic track. Worth it. Obviously, the course is challenging but it's also fair. Gorgeous sight lines, demanding shot shaping, beautifully maintained. Red is a great track too but if you go, go black. read more

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Bethpage State Park, the home of the most challenging test for a golf players to experience; "The Black Course". There is a warning sign which is attached to a fence behind the 1st tee that states "The Black Course is an Extremely Difficult Course Which We recommend Only for Highly Skilled Golfers." That was a message I must have just missed. That posted sign behind the 1st tee had gained national attention at the 2002 U.S. Open, when Bethpage Black became the first public course to play host to the US Open. After the US Open that year, many amateurs, such as myself, succumbed to the belief that we too can play this course successfully. I have seen warning signs for speed bumps, road work 1000ft, pavement ends, and others, but never I have seen a sign on the many golf courses I have played that was kind enough to warn me in particular that I should probably play elsewhere. The truth is that I do believe that inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing, as stated in the movie Bagger Vance. But it takes a very good golf player to authenticate that swing consistently. Once I am confident that I have found that consistent authentic swing again, then I will walk right by that Warning Sign at Bethpage Black. read more

Bethpage Black Course - 17th Hole Black Course! - Golf Near Me - Farmingdale, New York

Oh wowwwwww bethpage blackkkkkkkk amazing courseeeeeee no poopp no carts on the black courses

What many consider to be the little brother to The Black in terms of length and difficulty level is not how i see it, as there is a tremendous difficulty level disparity. The only similarity I see is the need to work the ball somewhat off the tee shot to fade or draw into sharp doglegs with that have some sloping fairways. The front nine plays more difficult than the front nine, which is not a typical Tillinghast design, so with some solid iron shots a few birdie opportunities are there for the taking. The first par five, number four is a dogleg right playing 520 from an elevated tee box which is the easiest par 5 on the course, so as I mentioned above, capitalize on those birdie opportunities early. At approximately 7200 yards from the championship tees, playing to a par 72 and a slope rating of 76.6 it is not unimaginably long. The greens are well bunkered and there are areas of fescue that can gobble your ball up so deeply that you are likely not going to find it within the allotted amount of time. read more

Bethpage Black Course - Golf Near Me - Farmingdale, New York

Was excited to visit here but highly disappointed with condition of the golf course. Poop everywhere! The worst customer service also. The old guys at proshop and cart rentals were very condescending to us. Would not come back.... read more

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Worth the gamble on the tee time. Long tough course but boatloads of fun! Lotta sand, deep rough, beautiful fairways. Greens were fast but played relatively straight. Only negative was a caddie was clearly helping novice golfers in front and it caused a long holdup the last four holes. Quite the experience. I would highly advise giving it a shot. read more

Great place to see The PGA championship golf tournament. I live 1/2 mile from there and had a blast. The staff were so courteous and informative. They had shuttle buses constantly from The Farmingdale train station where I live a block away to the Bethpage Black Course. How convenient. I went Tuesday Friday and Sunday for the championship. What a blast. Great job Bethpage State Park and Nassau county. read more

I finally got the chance to play the black course after it being on my list for 15 years and it didn't disappoint! The parking lot is enormous and the amount of walking and carry play is fantastic! I've played a lot of "tournament" courses and the feel here is totally muni, because it is! Don't let me calling it a muni confuse you, it's a public course in the state owned park, so it's inexpensive for the locals and they get the chance to walk and aren't forced into carts like so many other "tour stop" courses. The range is very disappointing however. Super soft and soggy mats with balls that fly nowhere, use the range literally for stretching as yardage practice is impossible. The practice putting greens have no holes which I also don't like but I can imagine the amount of play probably makes that decision for them, too much to maintain. Upon heading into the pro shop you definitely don't get a warm inviting feeling from the staff which stinks and the guy behind the counter looked at me oddly when I asked where the men's locker was (so I could put on my shoes) he didn't know that answer so I just asked for the restroom. I still don't know where the locker room is, never got the answer to that. On to the course, which is amazing. Tillinghast gem rolling through the land. Tees force you to pick a line and fire away. Don't miss by too much or the rough grabs you up and it's a challenge to get out of. When on the greens they aren't lightening (it is public after all) but they are immaculate. Fast where they are supposed to be and then breaks are true. Read the land to get the line on the putts or you'll be left dumbfounded all day. Bunkers were fluffy, they just did a reno on them and now they are filled with PGA tour sand just how the pros like it. I think they will be a little less fluffy after a year or so. The golf course is a perfect 5 star course, the range, a 2 star and the pro shop staff was a 2-3 star, that's why my review ends up landing at 4 stars, ultimately you only care for the course experience and that's a solid 5 stars right there! Enjoy the walk, take in your surroundings, you're not going to get the best of the black course on a windy day like we had but wandering through that beautiful piece of land was such a treat I can't wait to go back! read more

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REVIEW IS FOR THE BLACK COURSE. I must've played this track 100 times in the past 5 years, and in my opinion it has pretty much stayed the same, save for a few minor recent changes made for the upcoming barclays. This is one of the toughest courses out there, especially if you play the us open plaques; be at worst a 12 handicap and able to run two miles, otherwise you, my friend, are toast. I've played in great foursomes with close buddies from my college golf team where the worst score in the group was 84 from the tips, and I've walked up as a single and met people who are just plain overmatched. A father actually apologized to his son in a recent random group I played in as they were in town from St. Louis and just wanted to "check the place out". The son walked the last four holes without hitting a shot and the father actually apologized to him on 17 saying "Son, this is my fault, I didn't think it would be this intense." Heed my warning, if you are a single digit handicap at your own club but not in decent shape and always take a cart, you are in for one helluva day. Dragged my dads buddy out recently, he barely made it to 18 green, exclaiming, it's a lottttt of golf. I play here a lot, and enjoy the challenge and the exercise from the 8 mile walk up and down hills. Greens have been pristine thru spring 2016, and the fescue is up in preparation for the Barclays in August. You can carry your own bag here, take a pull cart, or grab a caddy from the pro shop (once you've made your tee time just call and they will assign one for you). But no motor carts. Also, I'll let the secret out. I'm a New York State resident, and I registered my license in the tee time system. Odds of getting a decent tee time when they are released the week before (if you want to play Saturday they are released the previous Saturday at 7 pm) are slim, so keep calling all week long to find a cancellation. Call 50 times a day if you have to, someone will cancel, and you'll get the 830-930 tee time you want. Range sucks, no drivers allowed, and is cash only. You can use a credit card for the greens fees, in the pro shop, and at the bar. Breakfast at taste 99 is cash only. Putting greens do not have holes, but the pro shop and 19th hole are great. This is my home track, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Play only black for a month, and everything else feels like a pitch and putt. There's a halfway house after the fifth hole (cash only for beers, waters, soft drinks, snacks, and sandwiches) that you'll go by again on 12, and the 9th tee box is actually the farthest point from the clubhouse. read more

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It lives up to the hype! This is a long, tough course. But it is beautiful and fun to play. Most holes have a lot of character and are very unique and memorable. There are massive bunkers all over the place and I play 5 times more bunker shots than I do on any other course. Lot of dog legs requiring more accuracy on the distance and location of the drive. And for me, who is not a very long hitter, I play some par 4's as par 5's. The rough is tough, check how the ball is sitting, and if it is sitting down you need to take your medicine and punch out (you will end up in a bunker otherwise). It is kept in excellent condition, especially for a state course. Overall a great experience and worth doing. I play there pretty often since it is a half hour from me, and am often paired up with others playing for the first time. I have yet to play with someone (either paired up with or a friend) who didn't come off the course saying it is an amazing course and they loved it (even if it did beat them up). Some notes on getting a tee time. I play on the weekends (only option for me) and I usually get there around 5am. As a single I can typically get a tee time around 7am give or take. But don't take that as a fact, it varies day to day. read more

Bethpage Black is one of the greatest golf courses in the world.. Lets get that straight.. Having played the "Black" since 1992 . Close to 100 plus rounds.. I have grown intimately close and developed a true love and respect for the track.. The Best Holes on the course based on a number of factors including memorability, Playability, reward for a well played shot, Penalty for a poorly played shot.. As well as the demand on every club in the bag.. Best holes are as follows: 1. 5th hole 2. 15th hole 3. 10th hole 4. 4th hole 5. 12th hole 6. 17th hole As far as a Parkland course not many rival the Layout.. It has some of most impressive group of par 4's in the US.. That rival Augusta , Winged Foot , Pine Valley, Shinnecock.. If there is a weak spot on the course it would be the rebuilt 14th hole/ short par 3. (Several changes for the last open in my opinion were not a value add..including the green on 14( the back shelf didn't work.. The huge fairway bunker to the left on 9 also made the hole easier strategy wise and reduced the options off the tee to simply aim rt center... 14 also Played 98 yards on Sundays us open- to a flat green.. Look it up:) sorry 14.. A small critique is of the flattish green complexes as well.. The shortish 18th Hole Ans the bland and 1st Hole.. However.. In regards to sheer ball striking and honest In front of you golf... This is as good as it gets.. Advice.. Play it like a target golf course Stay out of the bunkers! Especially front bunker on 15 and 17.. They ruin a good score .. Now if the rough is up!! All bets are off.. Just survive and keep your golf ball in play.. Its a Beast when the rough is up! Good luck and enjoy this public treasure of Golf.. Its a gem.. Played all the great ones.. This is just as good. Friars Head, Sebonack and many other new challengers are great and have amazing locations but, still lack the integrity, beautiful routing, and natural flow this course displays and owns with ease and awe. Last thought- May have the best family of bunkers in the world. I know I have been in almost everyone.. Best Play Well Hugh Callaghan read more

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This is a top 10 public golf course in the country and it's $80 for a NY resident. What more can you ask for? The course is kept in impeccable shape for a public course and the quality is of course US Open worth. The rough is kept very thick, so if you hit it in it off the tee, you have to layup to the green in most cases...don't get greedy! 2 ppl in my group had a caddy, I wouldn't recommend it he was pretty lazy and not too helpful. He refused to fore caddy! Course isn't marked too well in terms of yardage, I would recommend buying a range finder and bringing it. Reservation system is incredibly antiquated but that's the only flaw for this great course! read more

This is a wonderful course. This review is about more than that, it's about the starter, Marianna--she was unbelievable. She was most professional, very kind an most humorous--she Is a great representative for Bethpage. Bravo Marianna! read more

Best public access golf course I've ever played (including pebble beach). For very good golfers only and one must carry or pull cart. $80 round on this past Sunday was for New York State residents. The two others in our group just showed up and got on without reservation. I wish I had played here before. Go and challenge yourself on a US Open and PGA Championship course. read more

Have played Black close to ten times, and it is right up there with all your more well known courses here in the USA, and Scotland for that matter. I'm sure many other reviewers have played it closer to 100 times, but not being from Nassau County, I have to rely on others to drive me there and get a tee time. I won't go into details on each hole, other than the first hole is probably going to be your easiest hole of the day. Dogleg right, easy tee shot, and, even short hitters like me can get there in two. I have, and have pared the hole. Most of my rounds here have been in the dead heat and humidity of the summer, so you can imagine the feeling once you get to 15 and start that nutty stretch of 3 holes. 18 is actually not that bad, if your not collapsing by then of heat exhaustion from the brutal walk you just had. Yes, you can get a caddie, but the few times I did they were marginal at best. Nothing like the real caddies at St. Andrews. Cost is great. But, very hard to get on unless you want to sleep in your car the night before. If you do not know the rules of the game or are not a fast player, do not play the course. Go play Douglaston or Forest Park. Also, dress the part. No jeans guys, you are playing on a US Open track. In fact, all of the courses here should really enforce the dress code better. Nothing worse than a jeans tee shirt guy rolling up to the tee. Don't care if you got game, get golf pants and a collared shirt champ. read more

How to play Bethpage Black as a walk-on while staying in the city: I took the 3:15am train on a Friday from Penn Station. It's the Ronkonkoma train. Less than $10. Jumped in a taxi at 4:15 to the course. $5. Staff gave me a number behind the twenty some guys in the parking lot and I was in the third group out. All singles. $130 Taxi back to the station $5, Train back to Penn Station. $13.50. The course was in perfect condition and the greens true and fast. Very tough. A yardage book is money well spent. read more

This is a must-play course for any serious golfer. If you can deal with the challenging tee time reservation process and walking all 18 holes (no carts allowed), you will experience one of the greatest golfing challenges out there in the most immaculate conditions, especially for a municipal course. This is no regular municipal course though as it is definitely on par with the best private golf clubs out there period. That said, Bethpage Black is a daunting course that requires intense concentration, strategic course management, solid ball-striking and short game skills. Simply put, there is a reason why Bethpage Black has hosted 2 US Opens over the past decade, several FedEx Cup playoff events and the 2019 PGA Championship. One suggestion, however, is to bring along plenty of water, gatorade, energy bars and snacks to keep your energy and hydration up throughout the round. I would also recommend renting one of the pull-carts as well to conserve more energy. read more

Really is an amazing golf course. After playing a full round here I appreciate how hard it is for the pros to walk this4 -5 days in a row and maintaining focus. I usually play from the whites but my buddies and i decided to play from the tips to get the full experience. It is a different beast and was especially difficult since I didn't have my driver that day. On many holes you need to carry the ball 270+ just to have a proper angle. I repeat you need to CARRY it that far.....Holes 10,11,12 are absolutely brutal and can easily blow up your round. I've played tough courses before but this place just makes you think on every hole. Only course I will usually take my medicine instead of going for par most often. The rough can be brutal. If you are hitting anything more than a 7 iron going to be tough to get it out. If in fescue just take a penalty its the better play. Bunkers are always in play and many are deep. Will keep coming back. One day I'll put together a decent round here. read more

So what can I say .. all the courses at Bethpage are great! It doesn't doesn't matter which one you play , the experience is epic... so why the 2 stars?? First , their reservation system is by far the worst I have ever encountered. You log on at the time they say and you are never able to get what you are looking for .. yet when you go to the course , almost all the time slots are available! So if you want to walk up you can get a time! This sucks. Second , it may be better to go to the bathroom in the woods because the a bathroom at this course is disgusting! In Covid times , the soap dispenser is ripped off the wall , the floor is a mess and the bathroom is dirty! And they can say " well we are in the process of fixing it " but reality is I have been here a number of times in the past year and it's still the same! But if you are able to walk up and get a time , use the woods as your bathroom and leave .. you will have a great time read more

Tips for getting on the Black Course and playing the Black Course: Getting on the black course: 1) Camp out the night before with your pals . Drink lots of beer , tell lots of jokes, pass out, wake up to get ticket, play most grueling round of golf ever while hungover, shoot 110, be pissed you drank so much the night before. 2) Get a reservation ID and call 7 days in advance to schedule tee time only to find out that its virtually impossible to even get through to the reservation system because every other golfer in the Tri State area is doing the exact same thing as you. 3) Pay something like $400 per person to have a Luxury Service book you a tee time and escort you to and from the course. 4) Go up as a walk-on single the around 10-11am and get off around an hour to an hour and half later. 5) Do what I do. Which if i told you, would make it harder for me to keep doing it because you would start doing it. Playing the Black course; 1) Buy the yardage book. Its like $8. This will save you from hitting good shots and having them ending up short in a massive bunker or long in the wickedly thick fescue. 2) Bring lots of cliff bars. There is only one water cooler (8th hole) on the course which i find ridiculous considering the amount of walking you do. There is also a halfway house at 6 and 12. Always have water or gatorade on you. You will be exhausted by the time you get to 15 and then you will be forced to walk an uphill 450 yard par 4. It borders on torture. 3) Get better at golf. If you cannot break 90 at your local course do NOT bother playing the Black course. You will frustrate yourself, the people in your group and the people in the group behind you. The course is long even from the white tees, the fairways are narrow and the rough is as gnarly as it gets. This course is rated the 5th hardest in the country for a reason. 4) I would suggest renting a hand cart for your bag unless you are under 25 or in very good shape. I am always hungover when i play so throwing a bag full of clubs on my back is out of the question. if you can afford it get a caddy. i think its $75 plus tip That all being said, Black is almost always in great condition and even though its a 5 + hour round you dont wait on the tees because the tee times are spaced out. I find the Black course to be an awesome layout and a fair test of my golf game. I have shot 80,80, 85 and 81 from the back tees when ive played (4 Handicap) . The course always brings out the best in my game and i know a 79 is in my future. Best of luck to you read more

played 18 on the red course yesterday which was absolutely perfect. great conditions as well kept. played 9 on the blue afterwards which was much less well kept but still worth playing 9 to check it out. however, we ate at the clubhouse bar and i saw a giant mouse (probably an adolescent rat) crawl out from under a dish tub on the right side id the bar, then crawl under beer fridge cabinet on the right side of the bar. disgusting!!! how could this be the case at bethpage?!?!! read more

Bethpage Black is public golf at it's finest. Had the fortune of playing it earlier this fall. Military--we were able to pay the in-state rate!!! We played the white tees--very hilly (bring or rent a pull cart and plenty of water/snacks--your body will thank you!), very challenging, intimidating views from the tee with all the bunkers, and the course in amazing condition. Stay in the fairway as best as you can since the rough is long and thick. It settles in versus sitting up on it reminding me more of bermuda rough. The bunkers can also be pretty brutal. It's amazing to imagine how the pros are able to play this course during much more challenging conditions. If you're in the area, make sure you visit this very special course. read more

This is for the Blue, Red and Yellow Courses. Blue and Red are perfectly maintained. Red is the Step before Black. Someday :). Yellow is sort of rocky and not as well maintained. Definitely for beginners. Still, Bethpage is the best experience and can't beat the price for a NYS resident. 19 hole patio and food is just great. My happy place. read more

The best course that you can actually play anywhere in the NorthEast. Also, the most DIFFICULT course by far. If you're not a good golfer, take a try at any of the other 4 courses at Bethpage. There's a warning sign on the Black course for a reason! Course is always in perfect condition. Bunkers EVERYWHERE! Once you're on the green though, the greens roll very nice and aren't all too difficult compared to the rest of the course. The challenge here is definitely getting to the green. Oh yea, one very important tip if you are going to play here. STAY OUT OF THE ROUGH! It's like hitting your ball out of cabbage all day long. There's a reason they played the US Open here twice. If you are buried in the rough, just try to get back into the fairway and then work from there. Don't get stupid when your ball is buried in this thick rough, you'll be putting an 8 on your card for sure. Go play this course, even if you only do it once. It's a great challenge. Prepare to shoot at least 10 strokes higher than you would on any other course. read more

Hands down the best public course I've ever play on for every single reason you could imagine. Layout - Gorgeous, varying, challenging Conditions - Immaculate and they do everything they can to keep it that way Price - SOOOO worth it. To be able to play this place for 50 bucks (NY resident) is amazing, this place would still be worth it at double the price Pace of play - I've played here a number of times now and my rounds have varied in length from about 4:15 at the shortest to 5:15 at the longest. Even at the longest, that isn't bad considering carts aren't allowed and the course is hellishly difficult compared to most. You won't be waiting around much on the course unless you get unlucky. There's no protection from a randomly terrible group trying to play a course they can't handle. Getting a tee time on the other hand can be a terrible experience if you show up on a beautiful weekend day. My favorite course in the NYC area. read more

Been trying to get a tee time for years and finally got one on a spur of the moment. Great course that is in beautiful condition from tee to green. The course is extremely challenging and visually intimidating. If you've never played the course, I would highly recommend a caddie. If you don't play from the fairways, it's going to be a long day. The most challenging aspect of the course is getting 18 holes in before dark. We teed off at 2:30 and barely got the round in. My caddie told me the first group that went off in the morning took 5:45 for their round and set the pace for the entire day. People I had spoken with that had golfed there in the past told me about 6 hour rounds. It's no exaggeration. There is quite a difference between the blue and white tees (6684 vs 7468). The group in front of us was playing the tips and couldn't make the carries. Very frustrating. I'm glad I checked it off the bucket list, but probably will not return. read more

REVIEW FOR BETHPAGE RED COURSE I played the red course this week, and had high expectations being that I've heard so much about Bethpage. I assume the black course is much nicer, but must say the red course is just so-so. The staff is very unfriendly, the range is terrible (irons only, mats only), and no putting green. On the course, the fairways are fine, but anything outside of the fairway is like playing from a matted field, at best. The worst part of the course was the greens - they looked fantastic, but you may need your driver to get across them...they were the slowest greens I've ever played, and it took at least 15 holes for me to figure out just how slow they were. Finally, if you're looking to grab a shirt or some sort of swag from Bethpage after your round, expect to pay $100+ for a shirt, which is ridiculous. Would I go back? NO. There are so many other courses out there that are in much better condition and more enjoyable to play. read more

This is a very enjoyable place to spend an afternoon. For golfers and non golfers... who can find an enjoyable long walk around the state park and have lunch at the restaurant. There is a field where people fly small electric planes. read more

Great course, now checked off my bucket list. A must for any golfer that enjoys a challenge. Bogey is a good score. Do not try to advance the ball from the rough. Take your medicine and get it back in play. read more

Great course,only to be tackled by guys who are at the tip-top of their game!! Stay out of the rough is the best advise I can give!!! Only complaint I have is that after paying $135 for green fees and another $50 on water,soda and a few bits in the pro shop,to be asked for $5 to get into the locker room for a shower was ludicrous!!! Come on,walking such a long course let alone playing golf too anyone would need a shower and to be asked for $20 deposit (refundable) and $5 to get a key card to open the locker room door was nuts!!! To make it worse,no towels supplied!!! For a top notch course and clubhouse this is just crazy and it left a bad taste in what was a memorable day.... read more

DO NOT PLAY ON WEEKENDS! 6+ hour rounds. (And the + is more to a 7 hour round!) Waste of time. Shame its run so poorly.

Golf heaven on the East Coast. Though much has been written about the black course in this space, what many don't know is that there are 4 other courses here, all of which I have played and like. Due to the notoriety the black course has given Bethpage, the resources and know-how have also benefitted the other courses, especially the Red, which rival all but the finest private courses. Given the variety of courses, players tend to somewhat self-select to courses based on skill level, which is a nice thing for a muni. Here are my throughs on the courses I've played, each of which is a small step down in quality from that which precedes: THE BLACK - About 6700 yards from the regulation tees (nearly 7,500 if you dare the tips), this course may destroy your soul and your will to play golf. There's a reason this course has a warning label on it. Water only on one hole (a par 3) and you might not ever lose a ball, but there's nothing easy otherwise about it. You have to be long and accurate off the tee to give yourself a chance and need to be able to both fade and draw the ball as nearly all fairways are angled. There's sand everywhere and greens are challenging to hit. They roll fast with subtle breaks. For just $80, New York State residents can play a course which has hosted U.S. Opens, PGA tour events and a future PGA championship and Ryder Cup. Still, I wouldn't recommend anyone over a 20-handicap play this course. Even those in the single digits will get very frustrated at times by the sand and deep rough. It is surprisingly accessible if you're willing to play later than the early morning, especially on weekdays. It'll take you at least 4.5 hours to play and you must walk the course, which has a lot of hills. You'll be wiped by the end of your round. Consider the expense of a caddy ($80/bag plus $40 tip) if you're making it a special event. Red - Almost 7,000 yards from the tips and could be made even further with a couple tee boxes not used. If not for the black, this place would be a star and many tournaments are played here. Both the opening and closing holes are killer. You have to be long to be successful here, but the course is forgiving of misses. Greens are very large, fast and have a lot of subtle breaks so be prepared to hit a lot of putts. There are many long dogleg par 4's which can inflate scores of those who don't drive accurately, but you can score on the par 3's and 5's. Blue - The front 9 is absolutely killer on this course, but the back is much more forgiving. For this reason, they often flip the course for outings and tournaments. Unlike the Red, you have to be very precise or you will be punished, but still need to be a decent hitter at 6,500 yards. Be prepared to do a lot of walking up and down hills. Often the tee boxes and greens are elevated, but what's in the middle is not. I've found the longest rounds are here because of its low cost and high difficulty. Green - A short course with a few holes that I find boring (14 and 16), but the green complexes give this course its bite. You have to be thoughtful with your approach shots and prepared for some really hard putts. Like the black, the green course goes across the street and is by a gun range, which provides a unique distraction. The lack of length bails you out a lot, so this course is favored by senior players. There are many hills as well, but most often to climb up to the tee box. Most holes play downhill or flat and don't require long hitters to lay up. Take what the course gives you and stay out of trouble on the difficult holes (particularly 17 & 18) and you'll be fine. Yellow - Forgiving warn-up course in the morning, leisurely 9 hole course in the afternoon. Featuring light, rolling hills and wide open fairways, the Yellow course is fantastic for beginners. Unlike the Green and the Red however, if you miss too far off the fairway, you could easily lose your ball in high grass, woods or an adjoining hole. I find the greens to be second only to the Black in rolling true and fast. You'll feel good about your play here and rounds are among the quickest of the five because of the short length and relative ease. The range is a definite weak area as you can't hit woods and have spongy matts that give you a false sense of quality ball striking. There are a number of practice greens at Bethpage, but no chipping area. Wait until your first back-up (often on the second tee box) and you can hit a couple around the tee box. Most of the staff is very nice. The pro shop is always worth a visit and the food in the restaurant is always pretty good. A last note, you must walk the black course and Bethpage has a strong walking culture. It's a five minute walk to a second concession area to pay/pick-up carts. For this reason, unless you have a disability, I wouldn't recommend getting a cart in good weather as you'll probably end up waiting behind a walking group. read more

All the courses are great and in great condition. But the workers in the clubhouse at the desk are horrible! Each one is Less friendly than the next. Not accommodating at all and don't even greet you at the counter, one of the most miserable bunches I've ever seen, I guess state workers aren't held to any standard read more

This place used to be my home course since college up to when I moved out to the nether regions of NJ. The review should really be split out into two parts, one for the four main courses red, green, blue and yellow and two THE BLACK. First the main courses: Of the four main courses, red is the best kept and provides a pretty good challenge to the moderately skilled golfer, next is the green, then blue and then yellow. I would say Yellow is the worst kept and most of the hackers play on that. I would have given a five star review, but the total time per round is insane. If you don't tee off early in the morning, one round ends up being 5.5 to 6hrs. Which means that the rangers aren't doing a great job moving people along. Actually I hardly ever see a ranger. The Black: This course is clearly different than the other four. Maintenence is superb and even better than most of the private courses in the United States. The inexpensive greens fees and course conditions truly make this a bargain. There is a sign when you walk towards the first tee box which states that the black is extremely difficult and is for highly skilled golfers. I think most people do listen to this warning. This is definitely one of the courses an avid golfer needs to experience. The facilites are very well maintained as well, the clubhouse and the bathrooms are clean and the food and snacks pretty good. read more

I played the Black course with my brother on October 17, 2013 (Thursday) and it was the single most fun golfing experience I've ever had. This was our first time playing so before we went I did quite a bit of searching online to figure out when exactly we should arrive. Our plan was to sleep in the car the night before and hopefully be selected for one of the walk on tee times. We left NJ around midnight and arrived to an empty parking lot at about 1am. Once we figured out where the numbered parking spaces are (right below the giant instructions sign to the right of the entrance) we pulled into spot #1. Turns out that most people, at least on this particular night, didn't start filling out the rest of the numbered spaces until about 4:30am. From what I've been told - your best bet is to get here much earlier than this in the summer but during the fall, anywhere from midnight - 3am should put you in a position to certainly get a tee time. We wound up getting the first tee time - 8:31am - and got grouped with another twosome. This course is amazing. It was in perfect condition - the rough was not overly rough and the greens were perfectly smooth. It's pretty crazy how BIG the course feels. We played from the tips - 7400 yards I think - and it was great. I think more than the actual yardage is the overall feeling that this place is epic. Maybe it's the fact that you've seen it on TV as well. It's just so cool. Add to that - everyone who worked there seemed really nice and we got good weather, and it all adds up to without a doubt being the most fun day I have spent on a golf course. Anyone who has a chance to do this should give it a whirl. I will be back as soon as possible. read more

Located about 30 miles from Manhattan is Bethpage State Park and its 5 18-hole golf courses, all of which are public (the Black, Green, Red, Yellow, and Blue). That makes it a mecca for golfers from all over Long Island. If you're a serious golfer and can get out there, you should make every effort possible to try and play the Black Course. The gem of the park, the Black was home to the 2002 US Open and the 2009 Open. It's the first truly public course EVER to host the US Open ($54 weekday greens fees for NY residents). It measures 7200+ yards and is one of the tougest courses on the east coast, let alone the entire country. I've played it 4 times and its the most punishing test of golf I've ever experienced (im about a 15 handicap and have shot 100, 99, 90 and 98 there...and FELT LIKE I PLAYED WELL each time). Long, heavily bunkered, high rough, and did i mention long...most holes go like this: Hit a good drive, then have a long iron into a green defended by yawning bunkers. This isn't your local muni where you can spray the ball all over creation and just hit wedge recovery shots. The Black makes you pay for any errant shots. But its also an incredibly satisfying and beautiful course...beautiful in its simplicity and the challenge it presents. Because of its popularity, its obviously very hard to get a tee time. A lot of suckers sleep out in the parking lot the night before (youve probably heard of this), but theres an easier way around that. If you are a NY resident, you can register for a phone system that allows you to make a tee time a week before. You have to have a NY drivers license in order to register. Call (516)249-0707 or go to the park in-person. Then, at 7pm the week before you'd like to play, you can call in and secure a tee time. You won't get in every time, but its a heck of a lot easier than sleeping in your car all night. The other 4 courses allow carts, but you have to walk the Black. Its not only a punishing test on your game, but physically as well. Its the longest course ive ever walked, and hilly to boot. By the end of your round you are usually exhausted. Its a stern test that I would only recommend for golfers with a sub-18 handicap (ie if you dont normally break 90, then you arent going to enjoy yourself on the Black). If you don't believe me, check out the sign at the first tee. There's a reason that Tiger Woods was the ONLY golfer to finish under par during the '02 Open there. The Black is closed on Mondays. read more

Get ready for one of the toughest tests of your game. 250-yard carries over waste areas; hit driver high on 10, sting it low on 11; draw it left on 2, cut it right on 5. hit a high draw 190 to a left uphill green with bunkers short right and long left. Please explain the gravitational anomaly emanating from the tree on 8. This is my nightmare before every round. What follows is an inimitable 18-hole experience with perfect fairways unadulterated by carts, perfectly sanded bunkers (no hardpan underneath), and fast (~11), true greens beautifully guarded by bunkers. If you're going to play the Black Course: 1. Don't be a hack. Just b/c you CAN pay $75 ($150 out-of-state), doesn't mean you SHOULD pay it and see if your buddies taught you enough golf over the past week...You'll make your foursome miserable, and you will be forever shamed and emasculated. You will not want to take lessons. You will despise yourself and everyone around you. After a year, you might eventually pick up bowling to find an outlet, but ultimately, you will find this unfulfilling, and and you will still be 75 dollars poorer and have two dozen fewer Pro V1s. 2. Ok, so you're a single handicapper. Excellent. Don't take your buddy, who's a hack, onto the course. 3. Take heed of other reviewers' advice on getting tee times. OR just show up as a single and most likely you'll get on late morning or midday, due to no-shows. 4. If you''re not in shape, don't play and walk the Red or Blue course, and then play the Black in the afternoon. Just b/c you CAN get on the Black for a glorious second round after you've warmed up on a lesser course, doesn't mean you SHOULD. Trust me, I've paid the price. Twice. And I'll probably do it again. 5. Wear comfortable shoes. The walk is very hilly, especially on the last few holes when you're really tired. Sit on the benches at the tee boxes when you can. 6. Take some advil (with a meal, of course) before and after your round, and bring lots of snack to eat over the 5 or 5.5 hrs. 7. Freeze some gatorade bottles overnight. During the round they will thaw out into a delicious slushy texture. You will pass a snack bar on the 6th tee, and the 12th fairway, if you need drinks. No beverage carts on the course. 8. Practice hitting your driver at your home range. Apparently, some ppl have hit cars on the road opposite the range, so they don't allow driver at the range anymore (GRR!). So...good luck with that on the first tee. read more