Article posted yesterday on one writer's opinion about why Bethpage is so successful. He quotes the park's director as to three reasons: "The first factor is the courses are magnificently designed," Catalano says, praising the courses' architects, A.W Tillinghast and Devereux Emmet. "No. 2 is we're centrally located. And No. 3 is our rates are extraordinarily reasonable."
Seems to me he missed one - being located in the most populous metro area in the country that is, as far as I know, greatly underserved in the affordable public golf sphere. Would Bethpage be as noteworthy or "successful" if it were located in, say, Indianapolis, Myrtle Beach, or Florida?
The article:
Dec 12, 2005
By: Larry Aylward
Golfdom Insider
What do you get when you combine black, red, blue, yellow and green? A whole lot of golf, as in Bethpage State Park located in Farmingdale, N.Y., on Long Island about 30 miles from Manhattan.
Bethpage State Park, including the Black Course, is a beehive of a golf activity.
If only the industry could clone Bethpage and its five municipal golf courses named after colors. Then golf would be a huge success story as far as rounds and revenue go.
Bethpage is a beehive for golfers, about 50,000 of them a year. It has been sold out since 1958. The only thing that puts a damper on rounds at Bethpage is Mother Nature.
There are three reasons for its astounding success, says David Catalano, director of Bethpage State Park.
"The first factor is the courses are magnificently designed," Catalano says, praising the courses' architects, A.W Tillinghast and Devereux Emmet. "No. 2 is we're centrally located. And No. 3 is our rates are extraordinarily reasonable."
No kidding. New York residents can play the Black Course, a U.S. Open venue, for $39 during the week and $49 on the weekend.
Bethpage and its bargain rates attract an array of golfers. "Kids, old people, men, women, black, white, Asian. You name it," Catalano says.
The courses combine for between 1,300 and 1,500 rounds a day. "Rounds were up this year where most of the competition around us was down," Catalano says.
Not to say that it doesn't have any problems and issues to deal with, but Bethpage defines a successful public golf operation.
"If anybody wanted a picture of what public golf is really all about, I think Bethpage would be the best place in the world to go to get that picture," Catalano says.