last change at BB before 2009 US Open?

[Joe Bausch]

Took a bud of mine up to Bethpage yesterday.  Left Philly around 4 AM, arrived at 6:15 AM, and was one of the first walkups and got a ~11 AM tee time (red course was being aerated, hence the later time, I think).

Since I played there back in August I've noticed that the some fairways have been narrowed, with most right about 22 yards, I think.  I don't know if that is going to be the width's employed in 2009 or not.

As far as any other changes, there has been further work on what appears to be a new tee box on #13.  I took the time to snap some photos of it and they follow:

Here is a pic from standing on #12 green.  The current back tee box and the one under construction is visible:



Here is a shot from standing near the beginning of the under construction tee box, with my playing partners standing next to the current white tee box:



And here is a view from the current back tee:



Finally, a view from the current white tee box:



From the current back tee, the hole measures 554 yards.  My guess is the new back tee will be around 600, perhaps even more.  Yikes!

I also have made a QuickTime VR movie from standing on the #15 tee box.  A number of holes are visible in the panoramic movie.  Here is the file location:

http://darwin.chem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/bethpageQTVR.mov

P.S.  It was a nice day at BB for celebrity viewing.  Jerome Bettis played in the morning with the director of golf, then two groups in front of mine was a foursome including Jay Fiedler, another ex-NFLer that I didn't recognize, and Jean Bartholomew from the LPGA tour.  And, yes, she played from the tips!  I chatted with her for a few minutes about a couple of things (1.  Michelle Wie.  I won't go there; 2.  That the McDonald's LPGA Championship is looking to go to a course rotation after this next year at Bulle Rock).

[Mark_Fine]

You just have to love the precedent that the USGA establishes for their championship golf course setups    
I guess if I thought "really hard", I could think of something but can someone name one thing positive that this does for golf and golf courses in general?  

[Joe Bausch]

Mark, w/ respect to the changes at #13 at Bethpage, about the only positive thing I can think of is the chat that will result about how only Tiger or Ernie or JB Holmes or whatever big hitter is able to reach it in two.  From my first photo above, it seems that new tee box could easily be 60 yards farther than the current tournament tee.

But does this make the hole better?  I think not.  The angle now means the boys simply swing from their heels to hit a nearly dead straight drive.  The current tee box requires a straight drive over the trees on the right side, or a hard fade.  I like that.

Me, a decent amateur that hits a drive 275 when all is right, I've been down in the rough left off the tee as I'm not comfortable hitting a hard fade, but I'm so tempted to get there in two w/ a big hit.  I think some strategy is minimized, if not removed, with this new tee.  Just my four cents.  

[Phil_the_Author]

As one who was there two years ago when this change was discussed, I can certainly verify that more than usual consideration was given to adding the new tee.

At the time the idea was for a tee that would make the hole play in the 630-660 range depending on how far back the tee box might be put.

The reason for doing this is because of the distance gains due to equipment improvements then and since. Actually this brings in more strategy and choices.

Consider, even at 660, the biggest hitters can give the green a run intwo, especially because the cross-bunker is some 40 yards short of the green.

For those that aren't the longest, or those whose drives will find the rough, the bunker on the left side of the fairway will now definitely be in play as it is about the 480-510 mark from the tee. Also, the choice of where to lay-up on the second shot becomes far more strategic as the fairway between the left bunker and the cross-bunker will be fairly narrow and take a well-struck shot to land there, yet a slightly strong or mis-placed shot will find the cross-bunker, a more likely result of the new tee box.

All of this makes the tee shot on this hole far more critical.

The irony in all of this is that not a single eagle was recorded on 13 or 4 during the 2002 Open by anyone reaching either green in two. The handful of eagles came from a 3rd shot pitch-in.

Joe, there may be one ore two more changes coming, though these will be more subtle and hopefully bring more strategy into play as well.