2025 Ryder Cup: Live Updates and Intense Rivalry

Bethpage Black is a renowned public golf course located within Bethpage State Park on Long Island, New York, and is widely recognized as one of the premier municipal golf facilities in the United States. Established in the 1930s during the Great Depression under a New York State initiative led by Robert Moses, Bethpage Black was conceived as "The People's Country Club" to provide high-quality golf accessible to the public[3][8]. The course was designed by legendary golf architect A.W. Tillinghast, who, along with local pro Joseph Burbeck, transformed the former Yoakum family estate and adjacent Lenox Hills Country Club lands into a challenging, championship-level course that opened in 1936[1][4][10]. Bethpage Black is distinguished for its demanding layout, featuring difficult bunkers, thick rough, and an extensive six-plus-mile routing over hilly and forested terrain, which tests every aspect of a golfer’s game[8]. It has hosted many prestigious events, including the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2009, the PGA Championship in 2019, and will host the Ryder Cup in 2025, joining a select group of courses to have hosted all three major tournaments[1][3][4]. This legacy has cemented its reputation as a top public course, frequently ranking among the top 100 Greatest Golf Courses in America and as high as #8 among public courses[1]. Bethpage State Park itself spans roughly 1,475 acres and includes five 18-hole golf courses (Black, Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow), with the Black Course as the flagship offering. The park also features diverse recreational amenities such as bike paths, picnic areas, and sports fields, reflecting its origin as a comprehensive public recreational space developed through a Depression-era public works program[3]. Annually, over 300,000 rounds of golf are played across the courses, underscoring Bethpage Black’s ongoing popularit