Bethpage Black - One of the most difficult golf courses in America

From the very first tee, Bethpage Black, the venue for the 2025 Ryder Cup, makes it unmistakably clear what golfers can expect here. A large sign warns: "The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers." And indeed - this course is not for the faint-hearted. With a length of up to 7,486 yards (around 6,845 meters) from the championship tees and a Par of 71, the Black Course is one of the toughest golf courses in the world. Professionals even play it as a Par 70. For comparison: the Marco Simone Ryder Cup course in Rome measures around 6,674 meters as a Par-72. But it's not just the length that challenges players - the constant height differences, the large number of bunkers and the fast, undulating greens also demand everything from golfers. Care should be taken when choosing from just three tee boxes, as the course measures over 6,200 yards (around 5,669 meters) even from the front tees. So if you are not equipped with long-hitter qualities, you should tactic wisely. The course can only be played on foot - carts are not permitted. On hot days in particular, Bethpage Black also becomes a physical challenge, as becomes clear on the uphill 15th hole at the latest.

Bethpage Black is full of obstacles

The round begins with a dogleg right downhill. Precision and length are equally important here. The following holes offer everything that makes this course so appealing: deep bunkers, strategic angles, blind shots over hollows and greens with challenging contours. The third hole, a Par-3 over a hollow, requires precise length control. The fourth hole, a par-5 with a transverse monster bunker just before the green, makes it clear that par can only be achieved with intelligent course management. The infamous seventh hole - a Par-5 for amateurs, a Par-4 for professionals - stretches over 553 yards, lined with Fairway and green bunkers. Here it becomes clear how mercilessly the course punishes mistakes. Then the only hole with water awaits - a Par-3 with a pond in front of the green, embedded in a forest aisle. The ninth hole, a dogleg left with an elevated, heavily undulating green, concludes the front nine.

Bethpage Black - sporting adventure with pitfalls

The second nine holes begin with two almost parallel Par-4s, separated by a landscape of bunkers and rough. The bunkers in front of and around the greens are particularly artistic and treacherous at the same time. Hole 13 with up to 608 yards is the longest hole of the round and winds its way to the finish in an S-shape - a real tester for the long game. This is followed by the shortest Par-3 (hole 14), which nevertheless requires maximum concentration thanks to the slope and two-level green. Perhaps the toughest hole on the course follows with hole 15 - a long Par-4 with a steep ascent to the green. Hole 16, even longer, also offers strategic challenges with a dogleg and a tall solitary tree. The last Par-3 (hole 17) requires a high teeshot over a large bunker landscape to the transverse green. Hole 18 also leads uphill with a constant view of the clubhouse behind the green - a classic "coming home" experience in the style of Golden Age design.

Despite all the challenges, Bethpage Black remains fair - those who choose the right strategy will be rewarded. The course was modernized by Rees Jones for the 2002 US Open and has since combined classic design elements with modern standards. If you don't know the course, you should book a caddie - not only as a navigator, but also as a motivational coach on the way over a course that challenges you both physically and mentally. Bethpage Black is a monument to golf. Those who play here do not experience a relaxed round of golf - but a sporting adventure with stumbling blocks, panoramic views and a maximum respect factor. Public access, combined with a comparatively low green fee, makes Bethpage Black a must for ambitious golfers looking for a challenge.