Long Island’s Bethpage State Park is the home of no fewer than five 18-hole courses.
In order of difficulty (from friendliest to toughest) is the Yellow Course, the Green Course, the Blue Course, the Red Course and the most famous of all, the Black Course.
The layout has acquired an almost mythical reputation for its difficulty, and not just because it is true, as many pros who have struggled during the high-profile events it has hosted through the years would attest.
It’s also because, for decades, a stark “warning” sign has greeted players as they make their way to the first tee (albeit not for the 2025 Ryder Cup as it was temporarily removed to accomodate the grandstand).
It reads: “WARNING – The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers.”
The origins of the sign are unclear, with some believing it was first affixed to an iron railing beside the course in the 1960s, and others dating its appearance to the 1980s.
A warning sign greets golfers at the first hole
(Image credit: Getty Images)
However, if the intention was to persuade recreational golfers to think twice before booking a round at Bethpage Black, it didn’t work.
In fact, it has likely only added to the layout’s allure, with golfers regularly prepared to queue overnight for the chance to test their skills on a course known for its brutal challenges, including plateaued greens, punishingly deep bunkers and penal rough.
The data backs up its reputation, too. The Slope Rating, which measures the relative playing difficulty of a course for non-scratch golfers compared to scratch golfers, is 155 – the maximum.
Along similar lines, Course Rating indicates the difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer under normal conditions, with Bethpage Black’s set at 78.
Bethpage Black is known for its difficulty
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Standout holes include the par-5 fourth, with an uphill approach and huge bunkers. At the other end of the scale, the par-3 eighth features water directly in front of the green, while the putting surface starts out wide before narrowing the further back you land.
Big events the course has hosted include two editions of the US Open. In the first of those, the 2002 edition, winner Tiger Woods was the only…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Latest from Golf Monthly…