Bethpage Black this Sunday

[Jmikecpa]

So my wife thinks that I am a lunatic.  As I mentioned in another post I played golf with author Tom Coyne last Sunday to help him with research on his new book.  He had asked me a few months ago if I have the ability to get him on Bethpage Black.  I am a NY resident and never had an issue with getting times.  Except for this time....they are not taking tee times, walk up only.  Well then the plan was hatched to camp out.  So for the first time in my life I will be sleeping overnight in the parking lot to get a shot at the Black the first day that it is open to the public after the PGA.  A few have asked to share my experience of playing the Black in major championship shape so I will use this thread to not only comment on my playing experience but also the experience at the Bethpage Inn.  Any questions that you guys may have fire away and let me know if there are any spots you want pictures of and I will do my best to get them.

[Golfspy_CG2]

Very cool.  This should be fun to follow.   

I've read Tom's A Course Called Ireland, tell him it was one of the most fascinating golf books I've ever read---I"m sure he'll be impressed---HA.   But it really did feel like I was with him every step of the journey. 

As for pictures, any picture that can show the difference between the Championship tees and regular tees would be neat, I know I took one like that on Whistling Straits Straits course on the Par 4 8th hole that was like a 120 yard difference. 

Have a blast

[Jmikecpa]

Very cool.  This should be fun to follow.   
I've read Tom's A Course Called Ireland, tell him it was one of the most fascinating golf books I've ever read---I"m sure he'll be impressed---HA.   But it really did feel like I was with him every step of the journey. 
As for pictures, any picture that can show the difference between the Championship tees and regular tees would be neat, I know I took one like that on Whistling Straits Straits course on the Par 4 8th hole that was like a 120 yard difference. 
Have a blast

I will take a few pictures from the back tees as that is what I am playing from. Will also be sure to let Tom know you enjoyed the book. You should give Paper Tiger a read, very enjoyable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Golfspy_CG2]

2 minutes ago, Jmikecpa said:

 

I will take a few pictures from the back tees as that is what I am playing from. Will also be sure to let Tom know you enjoyed the book. You should give Paper Tiger a read, very enjoyable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll pick it up. 

Also I'd be curious to know exactly how far one must carry some of those tee shots from the Championship tees.  I had heard in the past there were some 250 plus.   But also it appeared they may have "shortened" a few of them for the PGA

[THEZIPR23]

Which tees are you planning on playing? (you just answered this) I don't know if it is possible but I would be curious about the different tees they used for each day of the tourney. IE: difference between Thursday and Sunday. Some of that gets lost in translation on the broadcast, unless it changes to reachable par 4, would be interesting to see what affect that has on sight lines and/or carries etc. 

[perseveringgolfer]

This should be a fun thread to follow- good luck on Sunday- not jealous at all, not one bit

I'd be interested in pics of the actual rough, how deep is it really in the second cut? Also any pics to show the size and undulations on some of the greens which look flat-ish on tv.

Good luck

[Jmikecpa]

Which tees are you planning on playing? (you just answered this) I don't know if it is possible but I would be curious about the different tees they used for each day of the tourney. IE: difference between Thursday and Sunday. Some of that gets lost in translation on the broadcast, unless it changes to reachable par 4, would be interesting to see what affect that has on sight lines and/or carries etc. 

I am playing the back of the championship box on every hole. Will try and see if I can figure out which tees where used each day and get some pictures. And you are correct, the greens are fairly flat there with mostly subtle breaks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[revkev]

I have played there, a long, long time ago before many on this forum could walk - 1978 - drove to the Island and sat in the parking lot with my college who was from Huntington, sat around and played poker all night.

It was way before the redo. I had to pay the non-resident rate - around $25.

Pebble was under 100 at that point, too to put things in perspective.

I’d like to hear about your wait.

At thezipr23 - I’ve been to enough tournaments on multiple days to see that they move the tees around allot at Tour events and even more so at majors.

Whistling Straits never plays close to its yardage - the yardage is there to afford the additional locations and angles as well as to allow for different weather conditions in an event.

With 280 yard carries over fescue on a couple of holes they aren’t going to eliminate guys on the field by playing it all the way back into a 20 mph wind coming off Lake Michigan.


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[MattF]

18 hours ago, Jmikecpa said:

So my wife thinks that I am a lunatic.

She's not the only one!! 

Good luck and I hope #1, you get on and #2, you have a good round.

[Jmikecpa]

So my night at the Bethpage Inn won’t happen and we actually have an approximation of a tee time. Will still take pics of the course and give you my round in detail. If you guys really want my night before it will involve a dinner with the family and a few too many beers when I get home. Not sure pics will do me justice on that front.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[revkev]

So my night at the Bethpage Inn won’t happen and we actually have an approximation of a tee time. Will still take pics of the course and give you my round in detail. If you guys really want my night before it will involve a dinner with the family and a few too many beers when I get home. Not sure pics will do me justice on that front.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

:)

In that case I hope you’re time is later.


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Jmikecpa]

:)

In that case I hope you’re time is later.


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

9:30am. I am a seasoned vet and will be ready to go.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cksurfdude]

Maybe try to get a few perspective pics showing the SCALE of some of the bunkers and elevation changes to some of the greens?

(make Tom walk ahead of you to a good photo op spot, ha ha)

Give everyone a better sense of what some of the holes on that course are really like!

[Jmikecpa]

Only one slight change for tomorrow. Going to play the blue tees due to the condition of the greens. Apparently they were punched this week and a bit slow. No sense is 7600 yards with punched greens.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jmikecpa]

Maybe try to get a few perspective pics showing the SCALE of some of the bunkers and elevation changes to some of the greens?
(make Tom walk ahead of you to a good photo op spot, ha ha)
Give everyone a better sense of what some of the holes on that course are really like!

#4 and #15 are two great examples.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jmikecpa]

I have arrived at the Black and trying to loosen up a bit. Range is packed so doubt I will hit any balls before I play just going to roll a few putts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cksurfdude]

15 hours ago, Jmikecpa said:

 

#4 and #15 are two great examples.
 

 

Might be #15 I was thinking of as one good example? The hole is towards the NE corner of the park, after a Par 3, and is a looooong dogleg left, where the fairway towards the green is higher than the fairway from the tee; a huge, tall, wide, gaping chasm of a bunker is on the inside corner of the dogleg.

[Jmikecpa]

Might be #15 I was thinking of as one good example? The hole is towards the NE corner of the park, after a Par 3, and is a looooong dogleg left, where the fairway towards the green is higher than the fairway from the tee; a huge, tall, wide, gaping chasm of a bunker is on the inside corner of the dogleg.

I actually made a two putt par on 15 and felt like I won the lottery. You get a great visual of the elevation when you are standing on the 14th green.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jmikecpa]

Well, I survived. Will post some pics and discuss the round tonight after I get done with a soak in the hot tub. My dogs are barking.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wedgie]

Looking forward to hearing about your round. It’s a tough course to walk let alone play golf so I’ll bet those dogs are barking.


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[Jmikecpa]

Guys,

Haven’t forgotten about this and I will get pics and a recap up in a day or so. I had a tournament today at my club and was beat after the round yesterday.

On a personal note I posted a bit about this but this weekend was a huge milestone for me. A year and a half ago I was pretty much physically unable to walk Bethpage Black, let alone play both days before my round there and then play the next day. I took it easy today and jumped in a cart but three of the last four rounds I have played I walked and just walking 18 was a pipe dream at one point.

Above all my round at Bethpage Black was a validation of a personal journey that I started almost two years ago to lose weight and live life. This weekend of golf has proved that I have done that and I could not be happier. Yes I am still a lot over my ideal weight but I am physically a hell of a lot better off than i was a few years ago. Amazing how this crazy game weaves its way into your life.

My son kept checking in on me yesterday on how I was playing. When I got home he asked me how I felt after the round? I told him tired but not sore and where is dinner? He gave me the biggest hug and told me he was proud of me and well for a big ol boy I may have shed a tear. He didn’t care what I shot but was proud of the fact that I took on the challenge physically and did it. Best way to end the round.

Well, that and the birdie on 18 that I signed my ball and gave to a nice young lady in the bleachers behind the 18th green.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[revkev]

Guys,

Haven’t forgotten about this and I will get pics and a recap up in a day or so. I had a tournament today at my club and was beat after the round yesterday.

On a personal note I posted a bit about this but this weekend was a huge milestone for me. A year and a half ago I was pretty much physically unable to walk Bethpage Black, let alone play both days before my round there and then play the next day. I took it easy today and jumped in a cart but three of the last four rounds I have played I walked and just walking 18 was a pipe dream at one point.

Above all my round at Bethpage Black was a validation of a personal journey that I started almost two years ago to lose weight and live life. This weekend of golf has proved that I have done that and I could not be happier. Yes I am still a lot over my ideal weight but I am physically a hell of a lot better off than i was a few years ago. Amazing how this crazy game weaves its way into your life.

My son kept checking in on me yesterday on how I was playing. When I got home he asked me how I felt after the round? I told him tired but not sore and where is dinner? He gave me the biggest hug and told me he was proud of me and well for a big ol boy I may have shed a tear. He didn’t care what I shot but was proud of the fact that I took on the challenge physically and did it. Best way to end the round.

Well, that and the birdie on 18 that I signed my ball and gave to a nice young lady in the bleachers behind the 18th green.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is great news.


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[cksurfdude]

11 hours ago, Jmikecpa said:

On a personal note I posted a bit about this but this weekend was a huge milestone for me.

Congrats!

 

[Mmdanz]

Congratulations on surviving the round and achieving your goal! Very much looking forward to the pictures!

[Golfspy_CG2]

12 hours ago, Jmikecpa said:

Guys,

Haven’t forgotten about this and I will get pics and a recap up in a day or so. I had a tournament today at my club and was beat after the round yesterday.

On a personal note I posted a bit about this but this weekend was a huge milestone for me. A year and a half ago I was pretty much physically unable to walk Bethpage Black, let alone play both days before my round there and then play the next day. I took it easy today and jumped in a cart but three of the last four rounds I have played I walked and just walking 18 was a pipe dream at one point.

Above all my round at Bethpage Black was a validation of a personal journey that I started almost two years ago to lose weight and live life. This weekend of golf has proved that I have done that and I could not be happier. Yes I am still a lot over my ideal weight but I am physically a hell of a lot better off than i was a few years ago. Amazing how this crazy game weaves its way into your life.

My son kept checking in on me yesterday on how I was playing. When I got home he asked me how I felt after the round? I told him tired but not sore and where is dinner? He gave me the biggest hug and told me he was proud of me and well for a big ol boy I may have shed a tear. He didn’t care what I shot but was proud of the fact that I took on the challenge physically and did it. Best way to end the round.

Well, that and the birdie on 18 that I signed my ball and gave to a nice young lady in the bleachers behind the 18th green.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats on that achievement and your personal success over the past two years.   With your job and the excessive travel, I know it can't be easy to eat well and get exercise in.   Well except for walking those mile long hallways of the hotels being built     

I know when I was a an area GM for a hotel company and I was the project manager on an opening, by the time it opened, I was usualy in the best shape I had been in the past 12 months..

[tommc23]

I'm glad you survived the round and had fun while doing so.

[Rchang]

Congrats on getting in enough shape to enjoy being beat up. 

[Jmikecpa]

Finally able to get back to this thread. First off the course was just brutal and the hardest that I have ever played it. We arrived and knew the greens were punched but they still rolled great. After paying our fees we rolled a few putts and we were off. The starter even treated my out of town friends to some good old NY attitude by telling them to get their bags off the tee. I had a good laugh and should have warned them but it was worth it.


View from the 1st tee


White tees on the 2nd hole


Championship tees are at the post


3rd hole from the white tees. Post is 109 yards behind the white tees


3rd green looking at the 4th tee


4th tee


7th tee


8th tee


14th tee


Green side rough...brutal


15th tee


18th tee

The day was a lot of fun and we played a hybrid of blue and white tees which I would guess would be around 6,800 yards. The rough was just penal and most shots were a punch out. I drew a marginal lie on 5 in the left rough and hit a 9 iron from 135 that may have been the shot of my life and it just got in the front of the green. The course was a lot tighter than normal and it was better to miss really big than to just miss. Getting into the trampled down fescue was a lot better than a foot off the fairway.

Drive of the day was on 6 all the way down to the bottom of the hill leaving me 53 yards. Hit a nice wedge and pulled the birdie putt. From the 14th green all the way to the 18th tee is the hardest walk in golf and by the time I hit 18 I was gassed. Mediocre drive up the right side just into the heavy stuff. Miserable lie that I muscled out a wedge to the back left of the green. Rolled a 25 footer down and in to the applause of the few people sitting in the grandstand on 18.

As I had said earlier this was a personal goal of mine to be able to play here and walk the course without any physical issues. Managed to do that and then play a tournament the next day so mission accomplished. Hope you guys enjoy the pics and let me know if you have any questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[golfertrb]

Thanks for sharing your pics and allowing us to enjoy the Black vicariously through you! And a huge congrats on your journey - I'm always tremendously impressed when someone has the intestinal fortitude to make such big life changes. Way to go!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Golfspy_CG2]

Really nice pics.   It just looks like a brute of a golf course.  

Will they keep the rough up like that, or will they cut it down now that the PGA has passed.