The Mighty Muni: Conquering Bethpage Black

Next week, for golfers around the world, all eyes will be on the Ryder Cup in Long Island, New York. While the biennial matches always command huge viewership in the golfing universe, this year could be that bit more special.

Ryder Cups are normally held at the very best private clubs and golf resorts on either side of the Atlantic. Think Whistling Straits, Medinah, Brookline in the US, or The K Club, Valderrama, Gleneagles in Europe.

This year, the venue hosting the matches is an iconic course, arguably the most famous municipal course in the world — Bethpage State Park’s Black Course.

2002 US Open

Let’s rewind 23 years to 2002. With the world, especially New York, still reeling from the traumatic events of 9/11 the previous year, hosting a golf major at a publicly run golf course had deeper meaning. Dubbed “the people’s Open,” the 2002 US Open was the first US Open held at a truly public course, where anyone can play for a relatively reasonable fee.

While other “open to the public” courses have hosted majors, these were mostly privately run clubs that allow walk-in guests access for a large sum of money.

Think Pebble Beach. Yes, it is open to non-members. But you’d need a few thousand dollars to stay and play.

These costly public courses, with their steep fees, are just as exclusive as private clubs. So in 2002, during “the people’s Open” at the notoriously difficult Black course, Tiger Woods emerged as champion. This, of course, added to the legend that is Bethpage Black.

The warning sign

Another thing that makes the course iconic is a warning sign just behind the first tee. While many top golf courses are celebrated for their signature holes, scenic lighthouses, or grand clubhouses, Bethpage Black is famed for its iconic warning sign: “The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.”

That simple statement, on an otherwise ordinary sign, has become the signature of Bethpage Black.

Of course, the length, the rough, the elevated greens, and deep bunkers are what make the course tough, but mentally, seeing the sign just before teeing off probably adds at least a couple of strokes.

More public courses

All over the world, we hear cries of “more public courses!” For golf to thrive and grow, the biggest hurdle to overcome is accessibility.

Right now, golf remains simply too expensive for the general public. Here at home, our public courses are mostly run by the military. These state-run courses are primarily R and R facilities for our Armed Forces, which are open to the public to play.

While they are relatively affordable for golfers, the ordinary Filipino will never spend a couple of thousand dollars to play a round for four hours.

These courses mainly cater to businessmen and executives who want a quick round within Metro Manila, as most private clubs are located an hour or more outside the city. With golf shares now in the millions of pesos, public courses are also an option for those who either don’t have that much to spare, or wouldn’t want their hard-earned money parked in shares just for leisure purposes.

Sadly, golf is unlikely to ever become a priority for local or national government, with basic services and urgent needs taking precedence. In the Philippines, the sport remains — and will likely remain — a game for the wealthy.

The best we can hope for is for private courses to open up and make green fees more affordable. But that is also highly unlikely.

For now, golfers will have to make do with courses like Villamor, Veterans and Camp Aguinaldo. Privately owned layouts such as Hallow Ridge, which are open to the public, serve as the next best option.

It’s a shame because golf is a beautiful game that more people should be able to try. It’s also a sport where Filipinos can excel, since size is not as big an advantage as in others.

While we can’t have our own Bethpage, we can at least find inspiration from it and hope that someday, we, too can have quality facilities that are truly accessible to all.