No.
Before Whitten's article, no one, including Ron himself, gave consideration that anyone other than Tilly did the design. The simple fact that he has now come to this conclusion and that Golf Digest backs it seems to be the driving force behind a number of people who want to "compromise" in this issue and "give Burbeck his due."
That is why this question has two areas that need examination. The first is a standard one, who designed Bethpage Black and how can it be proved.
The second is how does one answer the questions and assertions that Ron & Golf Digest make as proof to support their position.
In addition to the tremendous amount of evidence shown that Tilly did the design, the arguments of rationalization in areas that are not evidentiary, and personal recollections by at least 3 people that I personally know of who were on-site during the construction, a specific area always refered to as "proof" that maybe Burbeck had a hand in the design or at least affected the construction adversely needs to be examined. This is the green complexes.
What I have been able to recently discover is that the greens on all the courses at Bethpage, but for purposes of discussion, on the Black course shrunk more than significantly from the late 30's to mid-50's. I now have photographs detailing a number of them. For example, a photo that the park has on the walls of the pro shop shows the green edge almost 15 feet from the crest of the hill that runs down into the pond in front of the green. It remained that way until the renovation in the 90's where they discovered that the green actually came much closer and now mow it to within about 6 feet of the crest and restored the back portion as well.
I have a photograph taken in 1938 from the FIRST Sam Snead exhibition match where he set the course record of 70 that shows the front edge of the putting surface coming to the very crest of the hill. In fact the crowds watching the match were allowed to stand on the front portion of the green while the players putted out. Standing 4+ deep the photograph shows them a good 4+ feet away from the front of the green and where it ends.
I have a number of other hpotographs that delineate much different borders to greens and, by extension, allows one to view the green complexes in a MUCH different light. I am of the opinion that the green surfaces were much like Winged Foot's and others of his designs in that they mostly ran all the way out and up the crests of the ridges that framed the holes and into which the bunkers were placed. In effect, the green surface ran along the ridge lines. All those who go to Winged Foot will clearly see many examples of this. If the green surfaces on the Black were taken out to these areas there would be good portion of the greens that would have good undulations in them, and in more than a few areas, ones that are very severe.
The original green surfaces were equal than to what most mistakenly think of as Tillinghast greens. I use the phrase "mistakenly" because Tilly did build many a green surface that were/are benign. Niot every course had greens that mimicked roller coasters.
What makes these greens true Tilly green complexes is the nature of their overall design. Tilly prided himself on, after doing preliminary routings with tee and hole locations, to first designing the "green entrances."
Tilly - "So our first step toward supplying our putting greens with character is the consideration of the type of shot which is to find that green and construct with that thought ever uppermost."
Tilly - "Construct your greens boldly and naturally, remembering at all times from which side of the fairway the approach is to come and the character of the club with which the approach is to be made."
Bold and natural did not always mean wildly undulating.
Tilly - "…and nothing can make a green more ridiculous-looking, than puny little kinks which some will insist are undulations. The long, gentle slopes make putting a fine art, and as the cups are changed from day-to-day, variety is introduced and the rounds are never monotonous."
and again, "... in introducing undulations the builder of courses must consider the shot which is to fit the green."
So, it is the green entrances that would most define a Tillinghast green.
Tilly - "…those greens which are to be gained by lofted shots from iron clubs should slope more into the shots than those which, under ordinary conditions, are reached by the finish of balls running from wood."
The shots that Tilly envisaged played into the Black's holes, especially the two-shotters would be mostly played by long iron or fairway wood, thereby necesitating LESS undulations at least in the centers of the putting surfaces with the outer edges being more bold. Don't these quotes make you picture the greens on the Black?
Again Tilly - "So our first step toward supplying our putting greens with character is the consideration of the type of shot which is to find that green and construct with that thought ever uppermost."
In every rating of great golf course, shot values and difficulty of play is factored in. This is most defined by shots intio well-designed greens rather than driving areas. The Black is continuously ranked among the top handful of courses in this category.
If one takes a careful and unbiased look at the green complexes at the Black they clearly shout out Tillinghast. I am very hopeful that Bethpage will consider restoring the greens on the Black, and the other courses as well, to their true original dimensions.
Now, to finish answering as to Mr. Burbeck and whether he was involved in the design and outcome of the Black and the other courses. In addition to everything else we have written about the time and his duties, there is this final bit of new information - he didn't only work at Bethpage during this time.
Mr. Burbeck did design one course that we know for a certainty on Long Island. This is the par-three course at Jones beach. My mentioning this now is not to downgrade him, but rather to illustrate that he was invovled in the Jones beach project at this time and spent time on sight there in a number of capacities.
When you add this to running a course, overseeing the road building, sewer installations, electrification programs, building of the park, playground, tennis courts, polo fields and a number of other areas, the building of the largest clubhouse in New York State at that time (according to the Times), creating, teaching and operating a caddy program that was recognized as the best in the country, playing in local tournaments himself, hiring and managing some 1,800 workers on a daily basis, in addition to his MANY other responsibilities, how can anyone reason that he designed and managed to to the details of construction on not one but three golf courses at one time?
So, all this writing, and as some who know will clearly agree when I say that there are many more points I haven't included, Joseph Burbeck did not design the Black, the Redor the Blue courses at Bethpage State Park.
What he did was manage the single largest golf course construction project in United States History up until that time and since!
He should be heralded and praised for this achievement and unfortunately it seems that I am the only person who seems to recognize the true scope of his accomplishment because so many are blinded by Mr. Whitten's ill-times, poorly-written and badly-researched article.
Of course Ron would probably tell you that I am at least half, if not totally, insane as well.
My goodness... after I looked back on this post I realize that it is so long that I must be the bastard offspring of an wholly unnatural mating of TEPaul and Pat Mucci!
