My apology to Nick

[Mike Hendren]

This thread has become the GCA tool shed. Quit digging boys. 

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Bethpage was called terrible

It was not. You're wrong. The word "terrible" was used regarding Rees Jones. You were corrected in this already:

The OP used the word "bastardized" to talk about a few specific holes, and it was Tim on page 5 that called Rees "terrible." Nobody's called the original designers (Burbeck, mostly) "terrible."

We get it. You like BPB. Others don't, and have given their reasons why. Do we need to keep having the same conversation across three or four topics?

[Nick Ribeiro]

Nick, before you respond with another moronic reason why Bethpage is anything but terrible you should read Bill Brightlys Post at minimum of a few times. I am sorry but Bethpage Black is terrible and trying to say it’s anything else just shows how lost you are. Doubling down by stating reasons such as resistance to scoring tells us all you are past the point of no return.

I agree with Chris. I don't think BPB is terrible. Not in the slightest. I think it's a great course. I'll attempt to explain why...I love the challenge it poses. I enjoy feeling like I have to hit great shots to shoot a decent score. I love that it tests every shot. You virtually have to hit a draw on the 2nd. The 4th is one of the most spectacular looking holes. You have the chance to take on the bunkers, or you can play safe. If you play safe, out to the right, you can't make the green in 2 and the lay up is no picnic. If you do take it on and hit it in the bunker, you then have the choice about whether to take on the next bunker or not. If you hit it down in the bottom of the fairway, you have a long iron up the hill to a green that slopes away from you. It's a really tough shot, as a second shot going for the green on a par five should be. You also have the choice of playing out to the right and giving yourself the simple pitch up the green. One of the finest par fives I've ever played. I know I'm not alone in thinking this too. The 5th is a hole that you really want to hit a fade from the tee and a draw on your approach. It's a really tough hole. To my mind the 2nd hardest on the course (behind 15, which is I think in the top 3 hardest par 4s in the world). 6 is a good risk reward hole. You take it over the left bunker and you have the risk of the thick rough down the hill or the bunkers, or the reward of an 80 yard pitch. You can also hit an iron up to the top and leave yourself a long downhill shot to a small green. 7 is also a hole I like. The tee shot draws you in to hit the bold shot close to the trees. The further left you go, the safer the tee shot, but the longer your approach gets. Isn't that the definition of strategic?9 again asks the question do you want to take on the bunker or play it safe. Take it on and succeed and you're rewarded with a view of the flag and a level shot from 130 or so. Miss it and you're in real trouble. Or you play safe and you have either a blind shot from 180 or a sighted shot from 210. Depending on how you view it, you either have a choice between those three things or you aim it in the middle and hope that the shot you happen to hit that time is the one that you need. 10 is just a challenging hole. I feel like if this had "5" written next to it on the card people would love it. As a long 4, you have to hit two great shots to put it on the green. 12 asks you to hit a draw round the corner, then a long iron to a two tiered green. Make 4 on there and it just feels good. I like that.13 from the back tee is a struggle. From the front tee, it's a good fun reachable par 5. So often people on here complain about the second shot on par 5s and how it's just a filler shot. Not so here though. The 2nd here asks you a serious question. Do you try to clear the fairway bunker or do you lay up? If you lay up, you're looking at 160-190 for your 3rd. 160 from a sloping lie or 190 from a flat one. Or you take it on and you get rewarded with a pitch on. Miss and you're down in a deep bunker 130-140 yards from the green. The bunker immediately in front looks greenside, but it's not. It's a great visual trick that I enjoy once again. Even with lasers and the like it's hard to override the evidence of your eyes that says the green is closer than you think. Combine with going over is not good and it really plays with you.15 as previously noted is straight up hard. The other two holes I think compare with this one are 17 at TOC and 13 at PV. That's good company IMO. The feeling of hitting that fairway and putting it on the green is just awesome. As I noted before I like being challenged. I like rising to the challenge and I'm willing to live with the times I don't for the times I do.Is that enough? I can go on...

That maybe the longest response of nothing we have seen yet. We all know the course is long and hard which makes it terrible. Is there anything that makes it good? Save yourself the embarrassment and just don’t respond.

[Nick Ribeiro]

In bold Erik... Called terrible multiple times.


I stand by Bethpage being a great course.

[BHoover]

This is a promising thread! Very entertaining.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

In bold Erik... Called terrible multiple times.

I stand by Bethpage being a great course.

It wasn’t in the original topic where you began saying this.


I stand by “boring” and not only because you’ll spend six hours out there.

[Bill Charles]

In bold Erik... Called terrible multiple times.

I stand by Bethpage being a great course.

It wasn’t in the original topic where you began saying this.


I stand by “boring” and not only because you’ll spend six hours out there.

I said it was a terrible course and I stand by that. Since when is 20 yard fairways at 7400 yards anything but terrible? Don’t give into his BS now! I am sick and tired of guys who are so desperate to hit the long ball thinking they know anything about what makes a course great and what makes one terrible. Bethpage can not be recognized as anything but terrible until they de-Rees. No compromises!

[Michael Felton]

because you’ll spend six hours out there.

No you won’t. I’m not going to try to claim it’ll b[size=78%]e quick, but I’ve played black probably 30 or so times and it’s never taken anywhere near that long. Slowest round I’ve ever had at Bethpage was 5:45 on blue. Black is normally about 5:00 or a little less. They have 9 minute gaps and a skipped time once an hour. That keeps the pace decent. But then never let the facts get in the way of a good slugfest. [/size]

[SL_Solow]

Nick,  We can agree that I should have stayed away.  Its's apparent that there will be little or no engagement with that which is said to you, merely contradiction and attacks.  So I will withdraw but not before leaving you with 2 thoughts.  First, I do not care about your politics.  Those who have come to know me over my tenure here know that I have friends on all ends of the political spectrum and that I believe that this is not a political forum.  The reference to Trump related to data reported by his people about his golf operations.  While you may distrust the Post, it is easy to access the original data and if you bother, you will find it was accurately reported.  So while you may question the motive behind the report or the conclusions, we should at least be able to recognize the facts.  Knock yourself out on the interpretation.


Second, as far as instructing me on how to structure an argument, i thought that i made it clear that I wasn't getting involved in the substance.  For more than 40 years, I generally get involved in arguments in 2 circumstances.  Most often it is because individuals or enterprises who have significant financial stakes in a dispute pay me to make their case.  The second is where a cause in which I am personally invested needs my assistance.


Here, i come to learn and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals who share a mutual interest.  To the extent we disagree, I try to keep it respectful.  You can be assured that if I ever decide to engage you directly, you will know it. but so far, it hasn't been worth my time.

[Nick Ribeiro]

  You can be assured that if I ever decide to engage you directly, you will know it. but so far, it hasn't been worth my time.

A new low right here. Threatened? My defense of golf the President of this great country happened to start has offended you to the point where you need to threaten me? You have brought this to a new low my friend. Sad.

[Don Mahaffey]

I’d like an apology for watching this car wreak

[Nick Ribeiro]

I’d like an apology for watching this car wreak

Think twice before you call an iconic golf course great....

[Thomas Dai]

Over the last couple of weeks there have been 2-3-4 threads and inter-related threads that hopefully will not survive the next GCA thread-cull.
Atb

[Erik J. Barzeski]

No you won’t. I’m not going to try to claim it’ll b[size=78%]e quick, but I’ve played black probably 30 or so times and it’s never taken anywhere near that long. Slowest round I’ve ever had at Bethpage was 5:45 on blue. Black is normally about 5:00 or a little less. They have 9 minute gaps and a skipped time once an hour. That keeps the pace decent. But then never let the facts get in the way of a good slugfest. [/size]

In about ten rounds, I've never played it in less than 5:30. Standing on every tee box, every approach… watching people look for balls… But hey, the reduction in time for a lost ball from 5:00 to 3:00 might help at BPB more than almost any other course in the world!

A new low right here. Threatened? My defense of golf the President of this great country happened to start has offended you to the point where you need to threaten me? You have brought this to a new low my friend. Sad.

It figures you'd take that post as a threat.

[Mike_Young]

I don't see any reason to ever "get rid" of a basement dweller because he disagrees.  I don't even care what he says about Bethpage or any other course because it's pretty obvious the dude is playing games.  Zero credibility and I see zero reason for an apology of any kind.  Just let the dude talk...
I actually think we are all suckers and this Nick is not a real person but one of our esteemed who is playing us. ( I did find the name listed on handicap but last scores were a few years back...)

[Bill Charles]

I don't see any reason to ever "get rid" of a basement dweller because he disagrees.  I don't even care what he says about Bethpage or any other course because it's pretty obvious the dude is playing games.  Zero credibility and I see zero reason for an apology of any kind.  Just let the dude talk...
I actually think we are all suckers and this Nick is not a real person but one of our esteemed who is playing us. ( I did find the name listed on handicap but last scores were a few years back...)

He’s real. Dumb enough to post in defense of Trump and call everyone biased while there are photos of him and all 3 Trump kids all over the internet. Looks like he’s friends with Hanse also, most likely a spy for Hanse, Rees, and Trump.

[Nick Ribeiro]

Over the last couple of weeks there have been 2-3-4 threads and inter-related threads that hopefully will not survive the next GCA thread-cull.
Atb

Is this one of them? A non stop barrage of insults and even a threat. I had one observer reach out yesterday with ~ "Anyone who mentions they are an attorney when arguing then casually dropping how he helps litigate big sums of money, is a hack"
A few have called for me getting booted, I threatened no one. Some have said far worse but I think this might be the worst look for the community. He should get booted.


But yes I agree, hopefully some of these threads dont survive the cull.

[Nick Ribeiro]

I don't see any reason to ever "get rid" of a basement dweller because he disagrees.  I don't even care what he says about Bethpage or any other course because it's pretty obvious the dude is playing games.  Zero credibility and I see zero reason for an apology of any kind.  Just let the dude talk...
I actually think we are all suckers and this Nick is not a real person but one of our esteemed who is playing us. ( I did find the name listed on handicap but last scores were a few years back...)

No games man, I swear to you I truly believe Americas Country Club is a great place and great course.

[Nick Ribeiro]

I don't see any reason to ever "get rid" of a basement dweller because he disagrees.  I don't even care what he says about Bethpage or any other course because it's pretty obvious the dude is playing games.  Zero credibility and I see zero reason for an apology of any kind.  Just let the dude talk...
I actually think we are all suckers and this Nick is not a real person but one of our esteemed who is playing us. ( I did find the name listed on handicap but last scores were a few years back...)

He’s real. Dumb enough to post in defense of Trump and call everyone biased while there are photos of him and all 3 Trump kids all over the internet. Looks like he’s friends with Hanse also, most likely a spy for Hanse, Rees, and Trump.

You've been trolling me for days and pissing a lot of people off who have been booted from here for saying a lot less. Now I am a spy? because I said Trump will easily get re elected? Which he will btw... because I said he is good for golf? Which he is btw, what developer / owner has done more to bring exposure to the game of golf? Eric Trump has an entire wing in his name at St Judes because hes donated millions through charity golf. You don't get your name on the building without donating the money. Literally saved childrens lives, but he's not good for golf just because you listen to every little thing the Washington Post says and aimlessly believe.


Let me clue you in, Trump does not care to be defended from anyone here. They have a successful golf division with some of the most iconic properties in the world and are continually growing. Gil Hanse also does not need me here either. Is anyone doing more work than him at the caliber of properties hes working on right now? The last thing he needs is you to be a fan bud. And Rees Jones has been the top dog in championship design for decades now, he like the Trump Org and Gil Hanse do not need a spy here. Go troll someone else.


Unbelievable.

[Niall C]

I’d like an apology for watching this car wreak

It's you who should apologise for being a voyeur 

I've got no dog in this fight and only tuned in to see what the thread was about. I agree with the comments that the OP wasn't really an apology but beyond that no other comment. Carry on.

Niall

[BHoover]

Early on, I defended Nick when another poster said he should be removed from the discussion board. I didn’t defend him because I agree with his opinions — in fact, I think his opinions show him to be a dunce. Instead I defended him against removal because I don’t condone restricting thought/opinion (regardless of how ridiculous that opinion may be). But this morning I now see Nick stating another poster who allegedly “threatened” him should be booted (it wasn’t a threat).

I was wrong for trying to defend Nick in the first place. He’s a hypocrite and a troll. I think the best course of action is simply to ignore him. Whether he stays or goes, he’s ultimately irrelevant. 

[Bill Charles]

Let’s not ignore him just yet. So far he’s stood his ground in defending Trump, the open killer, and the new open killer. He could prove to be so much dumber than he appears now as other courses are discussed on here.

[Nick Ribeiro]

If you think this thread makes me look bad try to deprogram and read it as an outsider.

[Tom Hooker]

Maybe this guy is just stirring the pot in a futile attempt to chase a few extra people from the overnight parking lot this summer...


Wishful thinking I guess! Architecture considerations aside, BPB is still the best plain old golf deal around for the many of us young NYers without connections to area clubs.

[Bill Charles]

Maybe this guy is just stirring the pot in a futile attempt to chase a few extra people from the overnight parking lot this summer...


Wishful thinking I guess! Architecture considerations aside, BPB is still the best plain old golf deal around for the many of us young NYers without connections to area clubs.

You do NOT need to sleep in the parking lot to play BP. Perhaps in Nicks dreams but otherwise a farse. There is not nearly the demand for BP like they act, it’s a desperate attempt to defend the current despair of the course. Go there any day and your sure to get a tee time.