In my quest to play all five courses at Bethpage, I found myself standing on the Red tee box on a fine Tuesday morning. The weather was gonna warm up by the back nine, so no excuses about too many jackets today. I got hooked up with a twosome and another single. After teeing off on one the starter made a joke about no rain to me. He was working the day I played The Black in the rain. It is nice to get recognized for being that golfer. After we clear the first hole, I tell people the same thing. One, I’m gonna be taking video or pictures for the blog and two, that I will be smoking. One caveat about that, if I am playing with kids I can wait till I’m done, I’m not that guy. After I told the guys they said all good, which is the answer I get all the time. This time though we all ended up talking about smoking for the front nine.
The first hole is considered one of the hardest starting holes around. It did not disappoint, you have a 439 yard par four to start with an elevated green. My drive was a good one but my second shot was definitely lacking. Then I sailed a wedge over the green, chipped back on and two putted for an opening double. Had nothing but bogeys on the rest of the front nine. This course is a dog leg heaven. It seemed like every hole has one and they are all long. It would be driver, then it would be either a three wood or hybrid then back to a wedge and two putt. A wonderful way to play bogey golf!
Nick and Brian, the twosome we joined, both were playing so well. I asked Nick if he was a scratch golfer, he said no, he said he was a two handicap. He was a real two handicap as well, long off the tee, iron play was really strong and a great putter. He said the difference between him and a scratch golfer was huge. He was able to do things with a golf ball that was pretty cool. Brian said he was about a eight handicap and he played up to that as well. The only thing holding him back, in his words “was his putting”. Tony the last member of our group was a dad who was getting ready for a father son tournament. He showed us a video of his son’s drive on fifteen on The Black. It was crushed, this kid was a monster and was ranked in the top ten on Long Island in his age group.
The back nine was a better for me. I got pars on twelve and eighteen but I did have four doubles on the back. They just come out of nowhere, LOL. Hole eighteen is a perfect example of why I(WE) keep playing. Driver smashed down the fairway, second shot just short on a long par four. Chip over a trap and land it, make it stop within like five feet for a chance at par. Check out my Instagram story for all three shots! Holes like this make golf fun and challenging, as always thanks for reading along. Don’t forget to like and follow along to get the newest blogs and pictures! Next time I go out, I promise to try and hit then straight but if I don’t I will yell “FORE”!
The High Handicapper
High Handicapper 