Bethpage golf courses: Everything you need to know

Bethpage Black is getting all the attention this week for the 101st PGA Championship, as it so rightfully deserves for being one of the most difficult and well-known public courses around.

But there’s more to Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y. than just the Black Course. In fact, there’s four other courses on the property.

The Black Course is the most arduous of the tracks, as it even has a sign to warn patrons before teeing off at the first hole. Before hosting the 2019 PGA Championship, the Black hosted the 2002 U.S. Open, 2009 U.S. Open, 2012 Barclays, and 2016 Barclays. Next up for the Black Course is the 2021 Northern Trust and, most notably, the 2024 Ryder Cup.

The Black Course, which is closed on Mondays, is geared for low-handicap golfers and is walking only. Tee times can be extremely hard to come by, as many will sleep overnight in their cars in the parking lot in order to get one.

But tee times aren’t expensive on the Black. It does, however, help to be a New York resident. While a non-New York resident can have to pay as much as $150 for a tee time on the Black, Empire State residents can pay as little as $39 to get on the course.

The Red Course is another classic at Bethpage that was designed by course architect A.W. Tillinghast. Like with playing the Black, it helps to be a New York resident if you want to play the Red Course. While residents can pay as little as $29 to get on the course, non-residents could have to cough up as much as $96 for a tee time.

The third of three Tillinghast-designed tracks at Bethpage is the Blue Course. The other two courses are the Green, which was the first to be built at Bethpage, and the Yellow, which was not built until 1958. The Green and Yellow courses are considered the two easiest tracks at Bethpage and best set up for the casual golfer.

Green fees for the Blue, Green, and Yellow courses range from $23-43, which is much cheaper than the park’s two premier tracks. But it’s the People’s Country Club for a reason, as anyone can come and play one of the five courses at Bethpage State Park.

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