Bethpage as a single golfer?!

[Tom Kelly]

I'm making a little trip to the States in October and taking my sticks with me for the first time. I'm planning to try to play Bethpage Black and/or Red but would like some advice given I will be a single golfer on my own.


- As a single do I still need to book a tee time via their phone reservation system/are singles allowed to book a tee time?


- Would I be able to turn up on the day and be placed with a group with a spare slot? Do they do that at Bethpage?


Just wondering if I need to make the effort of staying up late one night over here to phone up and book!



Cheers.

[Mike Sweeney]

It all depends on timing, but now "out of staters" (overseas too) can make reservations, singles too. (516) 249-0707


https://www.facebook.com/BethpageStateParkGolf


You can walk up as a single for sure, but the Black gets closed often. Over the weekend, The Red had a college tournament, so the reservation will also tell you that they are in fact open. My updated list:

• Black
• Red
• Yellow - It may be the most fun, and it may be my personal #2
• Blue
• Green - still have not played

[Peter_Collins]

I had no problem getting on Black as a walk-up mid-week.  I did get to the course early (before 7:30), but was off by 10:00 am.

[Matt OBrien]

Played 36 there yesterday and was able to walk up and get the second tee time of the day. The golf course was in perfect condition!!!

[Andy Shulman]

I played the Black as a single a few years ago and was able to make a tee time - just for me - using the telephone reservation system.  I believe, however, that pre-registration is required to use the system.

[Ron Csigo]

Tom,


You shouldn't have a problem getting on Bethpage Black as a single in October.


Just show up as early as possible on the day you want to play and they will pair you up accordingly given the best available tee time.  You may have to wait a few hours before teeing off on the Black but it'll be worth the wait.  The Red Course should have more available tee times compared to the Black.


Check Bethpage's website also to confirm that there are no outings on the day you were looking to play.

[Amol Yajnik]

Tom, I was in your shoes back in August.  Went out to Bethpage as a single on a Wednesday morning, got there at 6:45 AM and went off on the Black course at 9:15 AM.  You can pre-register in the phone tee time system as described in this link (https://parks.ny.gov/golf-courses/attachments/BethpageBethpageGolfReservationRegistrationInfo.pdf) and then call ahead for a tee time as well.  I tried that, but could only get a time for a single at around noon on the day I wanted to play and I needed to go off earlier, so I just showed up and joined up with another single and a twosome. 


The Bethpage golf Twitter account (https://twitter.com/bethpagegolf?lang=en) will post availability of all of the courses for each month in the last week of the prior month.  So for October, look for a tweet in the last week of September with the entire calendar for October.


I hope you can hit your driver straight.  I was not able to do that well, and it made for a long day on the Black course.

[Benjamin Litman]

On the 30-odd occasions I've played Bethpage as a single over the last 15 years, I've never made a reservation, I've never had a problem getting on, and I've never waited more than an hour to do so. My trick: Arrive around 2pm. This way you don't have to wake up early, you can check course status in the morning by calling the automated system that updates every day, and you can play at the best time of the day, the late afternoon/early evening.


Good luck, and enjoy!

[Tom Kelly]

Thanks for all the responses, really appreciate the advice!


I've registered for the booking system now but as I'm planning to play on a Thursday in October which I'd guess would be fairly quiet I will probably just turn up early and see what happens, if it all works out may be able to get 36 in and take Benjamin's advice and try to sort the Black for the afternoon and get off the Red in the morning but will see how it pans out.


Booking the Black in advance has been thrown abit of a curve ball anyway as a friend is now going to join me to try to play on the Saturday too, so think I will save my one a month booking chance on the Black for the Saturday. That is if the course is free, thanks for the twitter advice about the monthly schedule Amol!


Are Saturdays alot busier/harder to get a tee time and/or walk up?


If I manage to sort the black for the Saturday, maybe Thursday can be a Red/Yellow day.


Thanks again!

[Brian Finn]

Don't hesitate to play the Green Course.  In my opinion (based on 100+ rounds on every course at Bethpage) it is the 3rd best course on the property, after Black and Red.  Green is a Devereux Emmet design, with some modifications by Tillinghast, that has tons of unique and quirky holes.  Yellow is also very fun, with several good holes (mostly from the original Blue course).  The Blue is the least interesting course there, in my opinion.  While it has a handful of strong holes, it has a few repetitive holes and a couple of downright terrible holes (added when the original Blue was split to make current Yellow and Blue).  Enjoy!  It is a great place.

[Amol Yajnik]

One more thing, aeration happens on 3 courses in October.
Black: October 10-12
Green: October 18-19
Red: October 24-26

[Peter Le]

Tom, if you're willing to be neurotic and persistent you can keep calling the automated tee time system (a few times over the course of a few hours) for your Saturday twosome. Knock on wood, I've always been successful getting a weekend reservation for a twosome doing this (I think shooting for a foursome is much harder). There is movement within the tee sheet for folks dropping out or downsizing their group, so keep at it and I think luck might get you that Saturday tee time. As for Thursday as a single, you shouldn't have a problem if you get there early. Enjoy it! PL

[Victor Donnay]

Thanks for starting this tread - it has inspired me to plan a trip to Bethpage Black from Philly for Wed Oct 18th. I will be playing as a single. Anyone want to join me?

[Tim Martin]

I recently played Montauk Downs and was pleasantly surprised that the twilight rate was in effect at 2:00 instead of 5:00. It cut the out of state rate in half which was a winner and I'm sure applies across the board to all NY State Park golf courses. Enjoy your day at Bethpage!

[Eric LeFante]

Thanks for starting this tread - it has inspired me to plan a trip to Bethpage Black from Philly for Wed Oct 18th. I will be playing as a single. Anyone want to join me?

Victor, FYI, they are aerating the greens (maybe fairways and tees too) on the Black on October 10-12