The next part of this series is an attempt to highlight some of the features on Bethpage Red that make the design compelling and interesting.
Oft criticized by some on here as lacking compelling angles of play or lines of charm, I feel the Red Course is unfairly lumped into a "Little Sister" category that stands next to the "Big, bad and increasingly ridiculous" Black Course. I hope this thread highlights that some of the "Lines of Charm" do indeed exist on the Red Course, and that they can be more compelling than the Black's on a day-to-day basis.
1: Well places hazards can make the tees longer than normally played very compelling.
For example, the series of holes beginning with the 8th hole, and ending with the 15th features fairway hazards the trickle just into the comfort zone around the 250 yard mark from the back tees.
Here is the 9th, with a triangle showing the region roughly 250 yards from the back tee. Note how the fairway bunkers clutter the inside of the dogleg. Not readily apparent is that the approach such a distance off the tee leaves is usually the difference between a fairway wood and longer iron for most players - so the decision is further compounded by the difference in clubs on the long approach. As one moves forward on the tee blocks, the bunkers become less intrusive and more punitive.
Here is the view from the tee:
2: Angles on short Par 4s make for interesting decisions
The 6th hole is prime example of this. The line directly from the back of the tee box to the middle of the green is 295 yards, and the line down the fairway represents a 200 yard shot. Notice how the dogleg allows for longer shots to increasingly flirt with the trees and broken ground on the left side of the fairway with those attempting a shot outside dogleg gives a much better look at the green with an albeit longer approach.
The view from the tee, line to green is at the left edge of the photo:
The approach shot :
3: Topo is still king
Aerial of the Par 5 5th:
And a series of photos showing the topo and approaches:
