Black is back
Bethpage draws praise from players
It speaks volumes for a golf course when it is as much the draw for a big tournament as the world’s top players who are playing on it. Such is the case with Bethpage Black.
The Black Course at Bethpage State Park has always been best known for the ominous “warning’’ sign that hangs on the fence behind the first tee.
The words, and their presentation, say it all: “WARNING’’ is in all capital letters and painted in bright red, followed by this message: “The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Golf Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers.’’
It has the look of a warning sign at an expert ski area warning those who dare of the danger that lurks below once they point their ski tips downhill.
Having the best players in the world playing the public gem fascinates the fans to no end as they watch how the best of the best attempt to tackle the big, bad, brutal Black Course, which runs 7,468 yards from the tips.
Jordan Spieth, who has never competed at Bethpage, which played host to the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens and the 2012 Barclays, said jokingly the warning sign should be modified with even the best in the world playing it.
“It should say: ‘It’s a risk even for really good players,’ ’’ he said. “The course I’ve played the last two days is up there with the hardest probably top five courses I’ve ever played in my life, and it’s Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and it’s soft.
“Oakmont is obviously challenging, any time we play a U.S. Open, it’s tough,’’ he went on. “But as far as an everyday-type golf course, obviously they grow the rough up here more than unusual. It’s up there with the top couple. It’s good. It’s a fair test, though. You don’t have to do too much to it.
“You grow the rough up; you’ve got the fairway that bends this way or this way, and you hit into it and you’re fine. If you don’t, you’re penalized for it. You have to work the ball both ways here. You have to hit a variety of shots into the greens, different trajectories. It’s the all-around golfers’ golf course.’’
Asked if the course favors the longest hitters, such as Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson, Spieth said: “If the bombers are hitting it straight, obviously any course plays into their favor. The way the rough is, you need to hit it a certain length here because these par 4s are so challenging, so demanding. So you’ve got to be able to carry the ball, in my opinion, a good 275 or more off the tee. But again, premium on the fairways.’’
Rory McIlroy played Bethpage at the 2009 U.S. Open and in 2012 and said he has “good memories’’ from 2009 and he “played OK’’ in 2012.
“It’s a great golf course,’’ McIlroy said. “I feel like it’s a course that sets up well for me. You’ve got to drive it well, especially this week. The rough is pretty thick. It’s pretty soft still, so it’s playing quite long. So it should sort of be right up my alley.’’
British Open champion and Olympic silver medalist Henrik Stenson called Bethpage “a tough track.’’
“I think fits my game pretty well,” he said. “I think any tough golf course normally fits my game when I’m playing good, because it’s about hitting fairways, and after you put the ball on the fairway, you have to be pretty accurate with your mid to long iron shots into the greens.
“And, if I remember correctly, you’re going to have a few of those around here.’’
Tiger Woods won the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage at 3under. Lucas Glover won the rain-drenched 2009 U.S. Open at 4-under. Nick Watney won the Barclays in 2012 at 10-under.