Nassau Players Club

Bethpage State Park

Home Of The Black Course

The test of driving accuracy over the last three holes is now extended to length and accuracy when the player reaches the 7th tee. In front lies a seemingly endless expanse of sand. Eventually, a sliver of green can be detected past the sand lying at almost a right angle to the tee - the fairway is in sight.

This par 5 is playing from the front tees as a par 4 for the Open; bunkers have been added behind the landing area to catch drives hit too far (as if the legendary Black Course Rough isn't enough here).

To drive over the middle of the bunker to the fairway requires a carry of 250 yards plus, and into the wind becomes impossible for most. Instead, the tee shot has to be threaded into a tiny landing area over the extreme left side of the bunker to the beginning of the fairway.

Once the tee shot has been conquered, the hole lies straight ahead, however the formerly open front of the green has now beenmostly closed off with a bunker across the front right, discouraging those inclined to try a run-it-up-in-two approach. A solid second shot avoids the trees on the right, which catch anything pushed, and leaves a short iron approach into the green to set up a birdie putt.

A tee shot hit into the sand necessitates a long and high recovery shot over the same trees to put the ball back in play, and prevent that ugliest of scores - a 6 on a par 5.

For a better look at this hole, take a look at the Tillinghast Association's web site, a section called "Painting Bethpage Black", which were done by Samuel Ingwersen.