The PGA in May - No. 1: How is Bethpage faring in this "average" local winter?

[V. Kmetz]

I was delighted that the PGA was moved to May (and the Players back to March), but I do sincerely "hear" the cautionary groups of posters that worry about full diversity in future sites, because of capricious weather for a slate of "northern" venues. While the May move opens certain southern and western sites to better exposure, I imagine that a Midwest/Plains/Northwest/Great Lakes tournament would be sweating 100 days out.


With the traditional winter nearly 2/3rds over and my local reckoning that the region is thus experiencing a wet but generally average winter, I wonder how preparations for Bethpage are going? I've heard nothing adverse (mold, ice-cover, etc) from the handful of local supers I acquaintance about their own conditions; most of those have enjoyed conditions to do a bit of work on projects (drainage, structure repairs) moreso than most winters.


So I wonder if a discussion is worthy about that "subject" ?...not exclusively any news/knowledge of THIS PGA and Bethapge, but what are "disaster" scenarios plans for a future Northern PGA...is there an amount of money that could always be thrown at winter-posioned agronomy? Will they be forced to a backup plan/course? Will they have one bad turn at Oakland Hills or Medina or Hazeltine or Whistling Straits, and then abnandon northern sites? 


Or doesn't it matter, because even if any bad thing (a compromised tournament, a Chinese fire drill to another course, an absence of full venue diversity...) were to happen, everyone still gets paid, adverstisers are locked in, the media gets to hire two new people to provide full coverage of the disaster and we are going to let out geshries here anyway...?


I intend to provide/start other volumes of this thread to address other aspects of the move to May.


cheers   vk

[Tom_Doak]

VK:  The big question you have to ask yourself is, what does the PGA really want for its tournament?


When it has been run as a member-driven organization, site selection was heavy on politics among the officers and board of the PGA.


More recently, they have sometimes followed the money (Kohler for the Ryder Cup) and sometimes tradition (picking up famous courses spurned by the USGA partly to shore up the PGA Championship’s status as the fourth major.


I personally think they’re shifting back to the cycle of $ and insider politics, moving their base to Dallas and eyeing venues across the south which support many club professionals.  They’re not too worried about weather in the north because they’d be happy to have an excuse to avoid those sites.

[jeffwarne]

VK:  The big question you have to ask yourself is, what does the PGA really want for its tournament?


I personally think they’re shifting back to the cycle of $ and insider politics, moving their base to Dallas and eyeing venues across the south which support many club professionals.  They’re not too worried about weather in the north because they’d be happy to have an excuse to avoid those sites.

I don't disagree with the first premise, but I'm not sure what you mean by "eyeing southern venues which support many club professionals"
In my experience far more northeastern pros own their shops than down south-if that's what you mean-for many salaried host club pros it probably just means more work with minimal extra $$ for that week/year of prep.

[V. Kmetz]

VK:  The big question you have to ask yourself is, what does the PGA really want for its tournament?

When it has been run as a member-driven organization, site selection was heavy on politics among the officers and board of the PGA.

More recently, they have sometimes followed the money (Kohler for the Ryder Cup) and sometimes tradition (picking up famous courses spurned by the USGA partly to shore up the PGA Championship’s status as the fourth major.

I personally think they’re shifting back to the cycle of $ and insider politics, moving their base to Dallas and eyeing venues across the south which support many club professionals.  They’re not too worried about weather in the north because they’d be happy to have an excuse to avoid those sites.

Perhaps it ought to be its own thread (but rambles are part of Lifes Rich Pageant), but in terms of shoring up their status as a major, this move to May was brilliant... for them and the other three and the public interest in their sport's/ industry's doings.

[Mike Sweeney]

When I was out there in the late Fall, they were doing work on BB 18 to the point that it really was not playable, but it was technically open. Fairway width and bunker work in the landing area if I remember. Nothing that day was being done around the #18 green.

I always have mixed emotions with new-BB. It is a great course that is now in permanent Championship setup, so it is just too hard even from the up tees, for me. Rough is just brutal, and narrow fairways....

From before the Fall of '18:



Updated Bethpage "fun rankings":

• Yellow
• Red
• Green
• Black
• Blue

Bethpage has had some tough tournament rain weeks, so I hope they get a good weather week.

[Mark Fedeli]

Mike, regarding 18, they extended the right side fairway bunkers nearly all the way to where the fairways begins. And they removed the "pinch" where the right and left side bunkers came closest together. The fairway now has a more uniform width the whole way.


The point of this, I suppose, was to make the lay-up off the tee more difficult, by replacing the right side rough with the deep bunkers.


I'm not sure what to make of this new version, but then again, I also don't care about pro events being played here. I thought a better decision for the average players would've been a cross-bunker, but then all the pros would definitely lay up short of that.

[MCirba]

From before the Fall of '18:

That shrieking sound you're hearing is one Albert Warren Tillinghast.

[Mike Sweeney]

Report from Long Island looks good:


https://www.golfonlongisland.com/teebox/2019/04/bethpage-black-in-fine-shape-as-pga-championship-approaches-plus-aeration-and-non-black-updates.html

[Mike Sweeney]

I played The Green today, and there were players out on The Black. #1 is going to be a tough fairway to hit, so the question will be how deep can the rough grow in a month:




Lots of corporate tents:



The Bethpage Locals got a new barroom:

[Mark Fedeli]

Took 5:45 to get around Red the past two (relatively slow) Saturdays, and that’s with the long par-4 first cut down to a short par-3. But hey, at least their new carts have Bluetooth speakers and video screens. Good to see Bethpage has their priorities straight.


I’ll never not be thankful Bethpage exists, but holy hell they go in the wrong direction on some things.

[Mike Sweeney]

Took 5:45 to get around Red the past two (relatively slow) Saturdays, and that’s with the long par-4 first cut down to a short par-3. But hey, at least their new carts have Bluetooth speakers and video screens. Good to see Bethpage has their priorities straight.


I’ll never not be thankful Bethpage exists, but holy hell they go in the wrong direction on some things.

Mark,


The Starter at the Green mentioned that the Green does 10 minute tee times, and the Red does 8 minute tee times. I just confirmed this online at the reservation system. We got around as a 4 in just over 4 hours. With 6100 yards, no rough, a wide course, 2 riders and 2 walkers the 10 minute tee times work. 1 and 18 did play as Par 3's too.

[Brian Finn]

Took 5:45 to get around Red the past two (relatively slow) Saturdays, and that’s with the long par-4 first cut down to a short par-3. But hey, at least their new carts have Bluetooth speakers and video screens. Good to see Bethpage has their priorities straight.

I’ll never not be thankful Bethpage exists, but holy hell they go in the wrong direction on some things.

Mark,

The Starter at the Green mentioned that the Green does 10 minute tee times, and the Red does 8 minute tee times. I just confirmed this online at the reservation system. We got around as a 4 in just over 4 hours. With 6100 yards, no rough, a wide course, 2 riders and 2 walkers the 10 minute tee times work. 1 and 18 did play as Par 3's too.

I love the Green course.  Any time a gca fan is visiting for the first time, I encourage them to check out Green.  It's got plenty of interesting features on a pretty cool property, and is always a fun round.