A Shameful Setup at Bethpage Black

I would love to play Bethpage Black as it’s set up right now.

As a weekend (read: not good) golfer and Long Island resident, I am very familiar with being out of position at this week’s host venue. For an Average Joe, misses are usually penalized with thick rough, adventure around the greens, and a heap of visual intimidation from the land at Bethpage State Park. After walking all 18 twice already this week, I truly believe a round on a random Saturday in June would be tougher than what’s being presented to the best players in the country (and Europe).

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The New First Tee: I mentioned on Monday’s Shotgun Start that the new tee box and surrounding coliseum were “utter woke nonsense.” This new tee box was built up and to the left of the everyman location, allowing the 18th green to share a massive grandstand with those teeing off to start a round. The actual first tee, to me, is super intimidating. You’re perched up atop a hill looking straight down into the abyss with a TON of rough in front of you. For those playing a cut, there’s not a ton of room unless you can carry the dogleg (congrats!) — trees and rough will block your path to the green. This new tee box? You’re halfway down the hill already and there’s ample room to work your ball as far left to right as you’d like. These pros aren’t playing the same game as a weekend hacker, but this is an easier tee shot for everyone. Hit from where the people hit from!

The Rough: Unfortunately for you, dear reader, I signed away my rights to do any sort of rough measuring content in order to get a credential for this week. No ball drop video from me! I think I know why, though — they’re hiding something. This rough is NOT what you saw at the 2019 PGA Championship and it’s NOT what Joe from Commack is seeing in June. I would compare the rough to a freshly cut lawn — it’s real grass, it’s long enough, but it’s not what’s usually out there. Again, I’m not good at golf, but take it from Brooks Koepka. In 2019, Koepka hit his first tee shot on Sunday into the rough just off the fairway.

He was unable to get the ball out of the rough on his second shot and made bogey to kick off a tumultuous round. That… will not happen this week. Wide misses will still find some thick stuff — Cameron Young and Ben Griffin had some brutal lies left of 16 on Monday before fans were in town — but it’ll likely be trampled down by the masses. The lack of rough benefits the Americans, I get it. I’m just telling you I think it would save me some shots, too.

The 14th Grandstand: This is probably less impactful to the everyday golfer, but more insulting to those who have seen this course. Perhaps the most pivotal moment of the 2019 PGA Championship happened on Sunday at the par-3 14th. Koepka was losing his grip on the tournament and flew his tee shot too far, going over the green and down a hill into thicker rough.

He was forced to chip back up to the green and luckily salvaged a bogey, his fourth straight. The crowd started to turn and root for Dustin Johnson, pushing Koepka to finish the job. After playing such an important role at the last major event here, surely the hill is in a position to decide a match this week, right? Right…?

Wrong! This week’s grandstand is just paces off the back of the green, eliminating any real penalty for going long and provides us an opportunity to appreciate some A-1 grandstanding. Ship it back there, boys! The bank is open!

These changes will likely benefit two things: Team USA and the entertainment product of the Ryder Cup. That’s great, and I mean it. People want to see birdies, not guys fighting to make par, or even a bogey, to win a hole. The U.S. may not have the length advantage at a big-boy golf course, so let’s take some teeth out for wayward drives. This isn’t a major championship, we’re not protecting par. It all makes sense to me. I just think it’s a shame that the People’s Country Club is set to pamper those who need it the least.