The U.S. Open Preview I: the Bethpage Black
Contrary to what NBC’s commercials or other patriotic American golf writers have been saying, the United States Open is not the grandest championship of golf. The U.S. Open is undoubtedly prestigious, but the aforementioned title should belong to the Open Championship. Americans like to call it the British Open, so as not to confuse it with ‘their’ open, but as the oldest golf tournament, the Open Championship deserves ‘THE Open' status all to itself.
Having said all that, I still like the U.S. Open for its tough course setups that border on unfair at times. This particular major is a refreshing—or frustrating, depending on whom you ask—change of scenery for many fans who are used to seeing PGA Tour pros shoot double dights under pars week in and week out. Watching the top golfers struggle to break even at the U.S. Open is almost masochistic; more often than not, those who make a living playing golf are reduced to weekend hacks, just like most of us who follow U.S. Opens on television.
This year’s U.S. Open, beginning June 13, will be special to many Americans for several reasons. First, it’s the first major championship stop in New York area since September 11, 2001, and one can expect an outpouring of even more patriotism among New Yorkers next week. Second, this is the first U.S. Open to be held on a municipal, truly public course, the host being the Black Course at the Bathpage State Park. The opening round will be a watershed moment in the history of the United States Golf Association (USGA), an organization that runs U.S. Opens and considers itself the most powerful proponent of public golf in America.
In preparation for this U.S. Open, the Bethpage Black has limited public access by distributing tee times only to the first 24 golfers in line, with the remaining 24 tee times set aside for those who book through the phone reservation line a week in advance. Many have flocked to Farmingdale, N.Y., to get a glimpse of the course, and they would camp out in the parking lot starting, say, Wednesday, hoping to play the Black Course by Saturday. Still, the Black is a bargain at $31 (all figures U.S.) on weekdays and $39 on weekends.
Since 1996, the Black has undergone some significant overhaul with the help of “the U.S. Open Doctor” Rees Jones, a renowned golf course architect who has also worked on other U.S. Open hosts Brookline, Baltusrol, Congressional, Pinehurst No. 2 and Hazeltine. Overall, the USGA spent $3 million and the result is a course now listed at par-70, 7,214 yards featuring 77 bunkers along with customary narrow fairways, fast greens and thick rough.
Latest Articles