Bethpage State Park

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Bethpage State Park is a 1,476-acre New York state park in Nassau County (and partially in Suffolk County) on Long Island. While much of the park and its five golf courses are located within the hamlets of Bethpage and Old Bethpage, the offices are within the neighboring Farmingdale postal district.

The Long Island State Park Commission opened the park in the 1930s after the State of New York acquired the Benjamin F. Yoakum Estate. The park has picnic facilities, bridle paths, playing fields, a polo field, tennis courts, cross-country skiing trails, and hiking and biking trails including one leading south to Massapequa, but it is best known for its golf facilities.

1 Golf at Bethpage State Park
2 See also
3 External links

[edit] Golf at Bethpage State Park

The park has five eighteen-hole golf courses, named the Black, Red, Blue, Green and Yellow. In 2002 the Black Course became the first publicly owned and operated course to host the U.S. Open. The tournament was won by Tiger Woods, being the only golfer to score under par for the tournament. Prior to 2002, all U.S. Opens had been staged at private golf or country clubs or at privately owned resorts that, while open to the public, were very expensive for the public to play, with greens fees of several hundred dollars per round. The USGA's choice of Bethpage was seen as an egalitarian move; as of 2006, Bethpage Black's top price for 18 holes was $55 for New York State residents, and $106 for non-residents. The Tournament was seen as one of the most difficult and exciting US Opens in history.

Bethpage Black has been chosen to host the U.S. Open again in 2009.

[edit] Rankings

Golf Digest has ranked Bethpage Black #29 of America's Greatest golf courses ^[1], #6 in the state of New York ^[2], and #6 of America's 50 toughest courses. ^[3]

[edit] Golf Rates

	Weekdays	Weekends
Yellow/Blue/Green Course 18 holes	$31 ($35 with reservation)	$36 ($40 with reservation)
Yellow/Blue/Green Course senior 18 holes	$17 ($21 with reservation)	Not Available
9-Hole Course (Blue or Yellow)	$17 ($21 with reservation)	$19 ($23 with reservation)
Red Course 18 holes New York resident	$36 ($40 with reservation)	$41 ($45 with reservation)
Red Course 18 holes senior New York Resident	$22 ($26 with reservation)	Not Available
Red Course 18 holes non-resident	$72 ($76 with reservation)	$82 ($86 with reservation)
Black Course 18 holes New York resident	$41 ($45 with reservation)	$51 ($55 with reservation)
Black Course 18 holes senior New York resident	$27 ($31 with reservation)	Not Available
Black Course 18 holes non-resident	$82 ($86 with reservation)	$102 ($106 with reservation)

In order to get the resident rate or senior rate at Bethpage State Park, golfers must show a valid New York State Driver's license, Learner's Permit, or Non-Driver Identification Card.

[edit] Reservation System

Bethpage State Park uses an automated phone reservation system, for which golfers must be registered. New York residents can use the system to make reservations one week in advance starting at 7:00 PM for the Black Course, and 7:30 PM for all other courses. Non-residents can use the system to make reservations two days in advance starting at 7:00 PM for the Black Course, and 7:30 PM for all other courses. The automated system can be reached at (516)249-0707.

Registration for the system can be done by: phone at (516)249-0707 (registration via phone for NYS residents only with valid NYS Drivers License); fax at (516) 753-0413; or by coming to the park in person. To register by fax, New York residents can fax a photocopy of their license and write all the information on that license separately so that it can be read.