Bethpage State Park: Black Course

Joseph Burbeck designed Bethpage Black in 1936 with assistance from A.W. Tillinghast, opening as the toughest of five courses at Bethpage State Park on Long Island. The famous warning sign at the first tee, 'The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers', has become as iconic as the course itself. Bethpage Black has hosted the 2002 U.S. Open (Tiger Woods, the only player to break par), the 2009 U.S. Open (Lucas Glover), the 2019 PGA Championship (Brooks Koepka), and the 2025 Ryder Cup. Golf Digest currently ranks it #38 on America's 100 Greatest Courses, and Golf Magazine has it #34 on Top 100 Courses in the U.S. As a true public muni at $ pricing for New York residents (and modest non-resident rates), it is the most consequential public-access course in American golf, the closest thing to a U.S. Open venue you can play for under $200.