Bethpage will be the center of the golf universe in a little more than two months, and until then, local and visiting amateurs can get a taste of the Black course before it shuts down for U.S. Open preparations. The Black reopened yesterday for its abbreviated spring season, which will come to a close on May 31. For the next seven weeks golfers will have the opportunity to play once — and only once — on the course that will host the sport's U.S. national championship from June 18-21.
The first group on tee will go out at 8:00 each morning during the short season, the last group at 1 p.m. All player information will be retained in a database to ensure that nobody challenges the Black more than their one permitted round. Mark Herrmann detailed the reservation and planning process in his Newsday column last week:
The first six slots each day will be given to walk-ups, which generally
means people who have spent the night in their cars. At a random time
each night, park supervisors will distribute bracelets to confirm
places in line. The final 24 tee times every day will be filled through
the call-in reservation system. Starting at 4:30 every morning, a
ranger will compile a waiting list to replace cancellations or no-shows.
Adjacent holes on the Black's neighboring courses will be modified in the spring to make room for the Open layout. The Red course, which begins and ends next door to the Black's 18th
hole, will have its first and 18th holes shortened to par-3s, and the
par-5 fifth will become a par-4.
The opening hole on the Green course, a downhill par-4 that borders
the Black's #1 on the right, will also be converted to a par-3.