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Bethpage Black


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Sure you had fun, I like playing 36 a day when I go on a golf trip. and you shot what?

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I loved playing this course. I moved away in '89. It is the one thing, besides real pizza and deli food, that I really miss. It taught me course management. That long fescue was so bad that it took us 5 minutes to find this guy's Sunday bag after he put it down looking for another guy's ball. It was $14 for greens fees and a buck and a half for a pull cart. My 5 wood was used a lot. Hell, I don't even carry one here.

My Uncle Fred used to say this about the Black, "You had to be half golfer and half mountain goat to play that thing." Now that you've played it, was he right?

TaylorMade r7 Quad Driver 9.5 Neutral Stiff
TaylorMade r5 Dual 3 Fairway Wood Neutral Stiff
TaylorMade RAC OS Graphite Stiff
TaylorMade RAC Black Wedges 52, 56, 60 degrees
TaylorMade TPA VII PutterMaxfli Black MaxHome Course

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What I was most amazed with was the quality of the bunkers. Now I understand why tour players "prefer to have a bunker shot rather than a chip from the rough" - I was 5 out of 6 in sand saves, which is normally more of a 25% affair for me. Every bunker was the same in constistency, amount of sand, hardness... amazing.

Almost the same amount of rocks, too. And not little rocks, either, but rather decent sized pebbles. I flew the green on the first hole because two rocks were under my ball. I had another rock under my ball on 15 but I played for it and did okay.

Raf, don't get me started on the bunkers. You remember my lie on that one hole. I blasted a drive probably 280 and almost all carry, uphill, and then had a fluffy lie. My PW went higher than expected and came down where a foot-tall sod wall met the bunker. My ball was thus UNDER the overhanging (angled) sod lip of the bunker. I could read the letters "Title" and a little space left of the capital "T" and that was about it. In other words, less than 15% of my ball was exposed. It was that buried. But when you did get a decent lie, yes, the bunkers were quite fair. I'll post more later after I've recovered. The conditions didn't wow me, but I did enjoy the test. Started out like crap, but quickly put things back in gear. Rafi and I finished our match there even. He holed a nice putt to win the last hole with a par and catch back up as my putt from the fringe lipped out.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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My Uncle Fred used to say this about the Black, "You had to be half golfer and half mountain goat to play that thing." Now that you've played it, was he right?

Most of that fescue is gone now, by the way. And I didn't find the Black that hard a walk at all. But I'm 28...

We played a few holes from the whites and a few from the blues. The difference was really not that much - and a few times, I'd have preferred to play the blues because it turns out our drivers carried a bit too far from some white tees and put us through fairways and into trouble we'd not have had to worry about from the blues. And here are some pictures of the trip. I didn't get the camera out very often, so this is almost EVERY picture I have of BPB.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Do you have to walk the black?

Yes, carts are not allowed on BpB. You can hire a caddy or bring a pull cart though. As Erik said - it's not that tough to walk. Two steepest inclines though are on 16 and 18th, which could be tough if you tired by that time. Unlike Erik I'm an old , fat fart, yet I was fine (we played 4 1/2 rounds in the next two days

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Maybe it's an easier walk now. Plus the weather isn't that warm this time of year. That helps.

TaylorMade r7 Quad Driver 9.5 Neutral Stiff
TaylorMade r5 Dual 3 Fairway Wood Neutral Stiff
TaylorMade RAC OS Graphite Stiff
TaylorMade RAC Black Wedges 52, 56, 60 degrees
TaylorMade TPA VII PutterMaxfli Black MaxHome Course

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nice to hear the reports.

glad to see you guys had fun.

bridgestone j33r 460 V2 75 Stiff
HiBore Fairway 15 V2 75 Stiff
hybrid HiBore19 S300
bridgestone j33b 3-PW S300
Vokey 52 GP Vokey 58 LWyes sophia Putter 33Titleist v1x - bridgestone B330Home Course: Bethpage

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You played 18 from the Whites?!

Dude, you've gotta play it from at least the blues to do it justice. And if you really want a great finishing hole experience, then play it from the Open tees.

The Whites are basically ladie's tees for the 18th.
My Bag:

Driver: Golfsmith Compressor 400, 9-deg., Aldila NV75-X
3 Wood: Golfsmith Viper 15-deg., Aldila NV85-X
Hybrid:(2) Golfsmith Quick Strike Tour, 21,18-deg., YS-9.1+Irons: Golfsmith 600-B Forged Blades, 2-PW, TT X-100, All Soft-stepped/Lofts 2-deg. upright.Wedges: Golfsmith 52, Cleveland 56,...
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The Whites are basically ladie's tees for the 18th.

If I had 2hcp - I'd have. Right now? I've my testasterone under control and don't need to compensate

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It's not about testosterone.

It's about having a finishing hole which actually complements the course as a whole. I remember back when I was playing an old TaylorMade Burner for a driver that I used to bomb it over the bunkers on 18 on a regular basis. In fact, many times I have actually placed a tee shot on the upslope of the green, for cryin' out loud!

Sorry, but I don't think that one should be able to almost reach the green from the tee on the finishing Par 4 of a top 100 course. At least the Blues bring the bunkers into play somewhat. But the real test is from the Open tees. For years we used to complain to anyone who'd listen that the Championship tees for the 18th ought to be behind the green of the 4th hole of the Red course, (which is where the Open tee is now).

Before they made that change, I used to see the 18th as the only "Mickey Mouse" hole left on the Black. Years earlier, the 9th hole was the #1 Mickey Mouse hole there, but they re-arranged the tees and made it play like a "real" par 4 should. (The tee for the 9th used to be in the woods way to the left of the 8th green, [looking at the green from the tee], and we used to tee-up a ball as high as we could and up-swing a three wood, hit it over the trees and land on the green).

The modern changes are great and the entire course now has an overall theme. Much better than it used to be "back-in-the-day", when the whole place was a dump that no one wanted to be bothered with.
My Bag:

Driver: Golfsmith Compressor 400, 9-deg., Aldila NV75-X
3 Wood: Golfsmith Viper 15-deg., Aldila NV85-X
Hybrid:(2) Golfsmith Quick Strike Tour, 21,18-deg., YS-9.1+Irons: Golfsmith 600-B Forged Blades, 2-PW, TT X-100, All Soft-stepped/Lofts 2-deg. upright.Wedges: Golfsmith 52, Cleveland 56,...
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It's not about testosterone.

Dude, what is your problem? Seriously.

It's about having a finishing hole which actually complements the course as a whole. I remember back when I was playing an old TaylorMade Burner for a driver that I used to bomb it over those bunkers on a regular basis. In fact, many times I have actually placed a tee shot on the

Into a 20 MPH headwind? No. And sorry to say this, but I don't give a flying **** what you used to do. The hole would have played

easier from further back. As it stands, from where we played, the bunkers were in play. From further back, they would not have been.
Sorry, but I don't think that one should be almost able to reach the green on a finishing Par 4 from the tee.

I don't think you can. But that's beside the point. For us, we weren't reaching the green. End of story. The hole played as it should - with the bunkers in play.

Who are you to tell us how to enjoy a round of golf? We're not idiots. We can see a hole, we know how far our drives go, and flap was a good guide. So chill out.
But the real test is from the Open tees. For years we used to complain to anyone who'd listen that the Championship tees for the 18th ought to be behind the green of the 4th hole of the Red course, (which is where the Open tee is now).

Yada yada yada... your concerns and opinions have been noted. Now drop it. Stop rainin' on the parade.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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I'd actually agree with mostly everything your saying, JP

As a relative black newbie, 18 is the easiest hole on the course from the whites. Its the only one that gives you chance to get a shot back (yes apart from 9). I can always fly the bunkers, but from the blues...mans its like 20 yards in there!

Man, a 20 mile per hour headwind is sorta par for the course at Bethpage! LOL.

Thats really experiencing Black for what it is!

Playing from the US Open Tees, Tiger hit 5 Iron to keep the traps out of play.

This convo illustrates one of the things I really love about playing golf on Long Island tho (so much different from my native Canada). Everyone has a colorful opinion and has no problems voicing it!

I personally love it and have learned so much about scoring (and how to play the game in general) from over hearing convos in the clubhouse on playing Black successfully (I was 82 in the same 20 MPH headwind, and it was my second round of the year)

Plus: where else in the world would the fans call our Sergio for taking too long!?! lol

Wagglepuss!!

"HIT THE BAAALL!"

LOL

Bethpages fans were actually the best thing that happened to Serio in someways.

Iacas, you just got yourself into the great "bethpage black" debate circle.

Enjoy it!

bridgestone j33r 460 V2 75 Stiff
HiBore Fairway 15 V2 75 Stiff
hybrid HiBore19 S300
bridgestone j33b 3-PW S300
Vokey 52 GP Vokey 58 LWyes sophia Putter 33Titleist v1x - bridgestone B330Home Course: Bethpage

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Iacas, you just got yourself into the great "bethpage black" debate circle. Enjoy it!

I enjoyed my round there, and the point is that I don't need someone else teling me how I

should have enjoyed it. Especially when he's flat out wrong on a few occasions. And I'm always up for a spirited debate, but I refrained from calling him names, he did not. The deletion of his comment is his first warning.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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well...i didnt see him saying anything tecnnically "wrong" to be honest and its my home course lol

in the end, hes just voiced an opinion, granted a rather vocal one lol

so like im saying, welcome to bethpage! its gets LOUD at the 19th hole! really LOUD lol


but again, glad you enjoyed your round for sure.

BPB is a specially place for golf.

bridgestone j33r 460 V2 75 Stiff
HiBore Fairway 15 V2 75 Stiff
hybrid HiBore19 S300
bridgestone j33b 3-PW S300
Vokey 52 GP Vokey 58 LWyes sophia Putter 33Titleist v1x - bridgestone B330Home Course: Bethpage

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...I have actually placed a tee shot on the

good for you. A lot of game in your words, how the hell I didn't hear about your success on the PGA Tour yet? At first I didn't think much of your comments, but now it got annoying. You are missing one HUGE point "dude".

As Erik said - this post was not about YOU and your wonderful game "dude". fyi - I was in the right bunker with a decent drive and I did enjoy my par save after that. I didn't think it was a Micky Mouse hole and I'll never will. Why ??? Because I (and I think Erik as well) was playing the game and I played the appropriate tees. You can do whatever you want and play whatever in your eyes is "the real hole". You've a serious problem "dude", believe or not - the entire world is not measured by you... surprised, aren't you? Maybe you should try switching to decaf. Might help.
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Gotta say I applaud you guys for playing the tees that properly corresponded to your ability. I wish more people would do that and stop thinking that they have to play from the tips to play "the real course." It's guys like that who create the 5 1/2 hour rounds for the rest of us.

Well played and I hope you guys took some pics at BPB, I'd love to see 'em.
In My Bag:
Driver: Titleist 983K 9.5°, Harmon HTD CB-65R
3-Wood: Mizuno MP-001, 13°, Harrison Striper Titanium
Hybrid 1: TaylorMade Rescue Mid TP, 16°
Hybrid 2: TaylorMade Rescue Mid TP, 19°Irons: Ping S59 Tour 4-PWWedges: Mizuno Black Nickel 51.06 / Cleveland Black Pearl 58.08Putter:...
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