My First Lesson Playing Bethpage Black
- Updated: May 13, 2019
@GOLFTV
We all remember our significant firsts in our life. The moments that we’ll take with us forever. Our first kiss, our first beer, our first birdie. Well, I’m here to tell you about my first time realizing the Bethpage Black is no joke.
I was about 21 at the time and coming off a solid 82 at my local muni. I had gone to the gym twice that month and was feeling in tip-top shape. With my game and body in form, I was ready to take on The Black Course.
As I walked up to the tee, I noticed the sizeable sign that sits perched atop the tee box. I glanced briefly at the first word, “WARNING,” and continued on my way like I was rolling through a stop sign. I got up there, stuck my peg in the ground, and tipped my cap to the gallery. After a quick survey of the situation, I determined that a nice solid fade was the play.
Despite the first tee jitters, I put a pretty good swing on it, but tugged it a bit and wound up a couple of feet into the rough on the left-hand side. No problem, I thought. Just making the dogleg right a little bit longer. Wouldn’t have been the first time and won’t be the last.
http://gty.im/82983625I got up to the ball and it looked like a pretty decent lie, about 175 in – a perfect 6 iron. I made a solid swing, but as soon as my clubface descended upon the ball I realized precisely why there was a cut of +10 in the ’02 Open.
The grass wrapped itself around my hosel like a python around its prey, and my ball went shooting to the left about 3 feet off the ground into more rough about 70 yards in front of me. Alright then, I thought.
Guess I should have taken 5. As it turns out, was able to get much more club on a similar lie with a sand wedge and stuck it to 3 feet for a working man’s par to open the round.
The lesson:
Middle and long irons out of the rough do not work at this course. There is a 95% chance you will hit it further if you pull a wedge. Easier said than done when you’re 26 over thru 9 and are trying to make something happen, but course management can be the difference between a 95 and a 115.
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