Bethpage Black

Bethpage Black was built from 1934 to 1936 by the Long Island State Park Commission under Robert Moses, using Works Progress Administration relief labor. A.W. Tillinghast was hired as consulting architect for the Black, Red and Blue courses, while park superintendent Joseph H. Burbeck oversaw design and construction. Some historians, led by Golf Digest's Ron Whitten in 2002, argue Burbeck was the Black's real author; Tillinghast scholars counter that his hand is clear, so credit is still debated. Rees Jones restored the course with USGA funding, and in 2002 it became the first publicly owned and operated course to host the U.S. Open, won by Tiger Woods. It returned for the 2009 U.S. Open, the 2012 and 2016 Barclays, the 2019 PGA Championship and the 2025 Ryder Cup. A sign at the 1st tee warns it is a course "We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers." The Black is walking only, and golfers still sleep in their cars in the parking lot overnight to claim walk-up tee times.