Trevor Ng
Bethpage State Park is located in New York and is known for its five world-class golf courses, including the world-renowned Black Course. The park offers a range of other facilities, such as picnic areas, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, and a polo field. The golf course was designed by Joseph H. Burbeck, the Bethpage State Park superintendent, and was opened in 1936. The Black Course is considered one of the most challenging courses and has hosted major championships, including the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2009, and the PGA Championship in 2019. The park is located in Old Bethpage, with close ties to Farmingdale, and continues to use its address.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Long Island, New York |
| Address | 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale, NY 11735 |
| Year opened | 1934 |
| Number of golf courses | 5 |
| Names of golf courses | Yellow, Green, Blue, Red, and Black Courses |
| Difficulty level of courses | Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, Red, and Black (most difficult) |
| Course designer(s) | Joseph H. Burbeck, A.W. Tillinghast, Alfred Tull |
| Major tournaments hosted | U.S. Open (2002, 2009), PGA Championship (2019), The Barclays (2012, 2016), Ryder Cup (2024, 2025) |
| Other facilities | Restaurant, catering facilities, Golf Pro Shop, driving range, tennis courts, bridle paths, hiking and biking trails, cross-country skiing trails, picnic facilities, playing fields, polo field |
| Pet policy | Pets allowed on a leash, proof of license, tags, and valid rabies vaccination required |
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What You'll Learn
Bethpage State Park is in Long Island, New York
The Green Course is the first of the five courses at Bethpage State Park, originally called the Lenox Hills Course. It is considered an excellent course for novice and casual golfers but can also be challenging when played from the regulation tees. The Yellow Course, which opened in 1958, is considered the easiest of the five courses but can still offer a test for skilled golfers when played from the Championship tees. The Blue Course, designed by Tillinghast, features challenging front nine holes and an easier back nine to finish the round.
The Red Course and the Black Course were also designed by Joseph H. Burbeck, the Bethpage State Park superintendent, with brief consultation from golf architect A.W. Tillinghast. The Black Course, in particular, is known for its difficulty and was ranked #1 in a list of the top 50 toughest golf courses in the United States by Golf Advisor in 2020.
Bethpage State Park offers a variety of other amenities besides its golf courses, including picnic facilities, playing fields, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, and a restaurant and catering services. The park also has two pavilions that can accommodate up to 250 people each and are available for reservations.
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The park has five golf courses
Bethpage State Park is home to five golf courses, including the world-renowned Black Course. The other four courses are the Red Course, the Blue Course, the Green Course, and the Yellow Course.
The Black Course is considered the most difficult of the five and is known for its narrow fairways, high roughs, well-placed bunkers, and small greens. It is recommended only for highly skilled, low-handicap golfers. The course has hosted several major championships, including the U.S. Open Championships in 2002 and 2009, the PGA Championship in 2019, and will host the Ryder Cup in 2024 and 2025.
The Red Course is another Tillinghast design, featuring long par 4s, dogleg holes, and one of the toughest starting holes in the country. The Blue Course, also designed by Tillinghast, has a challenging front nine and an easier back nine to finish the round. The Green Course, originally called the Lenox Hills Course, is considered an excellent course for novice and casual golfers, but can still be challenging when played from the regulation tees.
The Yellow Course, designed by Alfred Tull, was opened in 1958 to meet the increasing demand for golf. It is considered the easiest of the five courses but can still challenge even skilled golfers when played from the Championship tees.
Approximately 300,000 rounds are played annually across the five courses at Bethpage, all of which start from the Clubhouse area.
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The Black Course is world-renowned
Bethpage State Park, located in suburban Long Island, New York, is home to five championship golf courses, including the world-renowned Black Course. The Black Course is a challenging course designed for expert golfers and is known for its narrow fairways, high roughs, well-placed bunkers, and small greens. It is considered one of the most difficult golf courses in the United States and has been ranked as high as #1 in Golf Advisor's list of the top 50 toughest golf courses in the country.
The Black Course has hosted several major championships, including the US Open in 2002 and 2009, the PGA Championship in 2019, and The Barclays in 2012 and 2016. In 2002, Bethpage was selected as the first publicly owned and operated golf course to host the US Open, a move that was seen as egalitarian by the USGA. The 2002 US Open was won by Tiger Woods, who was the only player to break par for the tournament.
The Black Course is also known for its warning sign at the first tee, placed in the early 1980s, which reads, "WARNING: The Black Course is an Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only for Highly Skilled Golfers." This course was designed by Joseph H. Burbeck, with assistance from noted golf architect A.W. Tillinghast, and opened in 1936. It is considered by many to be Tillinghast's finest work.
In addition to its reputation as a challenging course, the Black Course is also known for its beautiful and unique features. The 17th hole at the 2002 US Open, for example, featured a giant horseshoe of spectators due to a pair of large grandstands and a natural hill. The Black Course will continue to host major championships, including the Ryder Cup in 2024 and 2025.
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The Green Course was the original golf course
Bethpage State Park Golf Course is located in suburban Long Island, New York, close to New York City. The park features five 18-hole regulation golf courses, including the world-renowned Bethpage Black Course.
The Lenox Hills Course was then redesigned by famed golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast, who was hired to design and oversee the construction of three new golf courses (the Black, Red, and Blue Courses) and modify the Lenox Hills Course, which became the Green Course. The Green Course is considered the first of the five courses at Bethpage.
The Green Course features gently sloped terrain with small greens. It is regarded as an excellent course for novice and casual golfers, although it can still offer a challenging experience when played from the regulation tees.
Overall, the Green Course, as the original golf course at Bethpage State Park, has played a significant role in establishing the park as a premier golf destination, alongside the other renowned courses that were subsequently developed.
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The park has other sports facilities and trails
Bethpage State Park is a 1,477-acre park in New York, on Long Island, bordering Nassau County and Suffolk County. While the park is best known for its five golf courses, it also offers other sports facilities and trails.
The park has tennis courts, a polo field, and picnic and recreational areas. The Polo Grounds at Bethpage State Park features a 900-by-400-foot field with bleacher seating. The field was built in 1934 and has hosted polo matches during the summer months. The Bethpage Park Tennis Center offers well-maintained courts that are available for public use, catering to players of all levels.
Bethpage State Park also offers scenic hiking trails, including the Red Trail, which starts from the main lot and heads toward the golf course, and the Pink Trail, which runs from the main parking area just off the Long Island Motor Parkway. The park's expansive trails, which are used for hiking and biking in warmer seasons, become snow-covered paths perfect for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling during winter. The Bethpage Bikeway is a 14.9-mile paved trail that runs through the park and connects to neighbouring areas, offering a multi-use trail for both leisurely rides and intense cycling workouts.
The park also has bridle paths, and playing fields, making it a diverse destination for various recreational activities.
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Frequently asked questions
Bethpage State Park is located in the hamlet of Old Bethpage, Long Island, New York.
Bethpage State Park Golf has five golf courses: the Green Course, the Yellow Course, the Blue Course, the Red Course, and the Black Course.
The Yellow Course is considered the easiest of the five courses, although it can still be challenging for novice golfers.
The Black Course is considered the most difficult of the five courses and is only recommended for highly skilled golfers.
