Bethpage in our Backyard

One of America’s toughest tests of golf—the Black Course at Bethpage State Park—has humbled even the world’s most confident players.

As Long Island natives, we’ve had the privilege to play the Black Course dozens of times. It’s hard to describe the gratitude formed from a 5-hour a** kicking. But there’s a certain gravity on the grounds. Humbling.

The Bunker Print – our newest Hudson Polo style – features all 78 of the bunkers you can find on the Black Course. Here’s five of our favorites.

The Cross-Bunker on 4

The Par 5 4th hole is get-able, yes. But with a green that slopes front to back, where shots over the green quickly descend from playable to thick stuff, the registered smart play becomes laying up right of the green. This brings the hundred-yard cross-bunker into play. They squeeze your landing zone against equally treacherous green-side bunkers as the fairway climbs diagonally from left to right. You need to be careful on your layup, if you so choose. Exceptional design.

Left Fairway Bunker on 9

Bethpage is full of Big Boy Par 4’s and the Par 4 9th is one of the best. We will see players all weekend carry the bunkers on the left side of the fairway, which presents them with an opportunity to wedge it close. Laymen like us who might not take on the traps on the left may wind up in the valley to their right. The cavernous fairway begets blind shots with long irons – a recipe for disaster. These are classic “can you hit the bomb you need to get into scoring position” bunkers and deserve to make the list.

Short of Green on 13

This is a bit of a sleeper. Some of the best bunkers in the world are framing devices, but at times, they are not so much in play as they are in your mind. To the naked eye, the bunkers short of the green on 13 fit this mold. A good 30 yards short of the green, most players will easily carry their third shot over these traps and onto the surface. But consider long players, who may try and hit the hero shot to get home in two on the infinite 600 yard 13th. 3-woods or D.O.D.’s must be placed perfectly to avoid a head on collision with these bunkers, leaving players with the oft-described “hardest bunker shot in golf” – a near-full swing sand shot. Good luck.

Greenside on 15

A definitive big mouth on the baddest hole on the course. #15 at Bethpage Black is arguably the most iconic on the property. Beneath a slope that would render even Sir Edmund Hillary out of breath, you could be stuck at base camp for hours without the right loft and velocity. Imagine hitting your third, fourth, or fifth to a back pin – a near 40 yard shot, up-hill, on the top shelf. Put me down for a 6.

Short of Green on 17

This is just an impressive piece of architecture. A sprawling sand-pit that could itself make its way onto a graphic tee, any shot that comes up short on 17 will make 3 a difficult save. It’s worth noting that despite the considerable slope on the face of this trap, the soft beach sand often causes balls to plug. A green that’s more side-to-side than back-to-front (it’s only 17 paces long at its widest part) creates an opportunity to go bunker-to-bunker. What a way to finish.