The Ryder Cup is the most emotionally charged competition in golf, and this year's edition is one of the most anticipated ever. The Black Course at Bethpage State Park is one of the most challenging tee-to-green golf courses in the world, but also one of the most accessible and affordable championship golf experiences available.
Located in Farmingdale on Long Island, New York, Bethpage Black is a venue worthy of the spectacle of the Ryder Cup.
It is a big, brawny golf course with vast bunkers and small greens, a place that embodies big-time championship golf from start to finish.
Each and every hole throughout this event is undoubtedly important, but oftentimes, certain holes can play a particularly impactful role in determining who gets the glory at week's end. Let's take a look at the five most pivotal holes at Bethpage Black.
1st Hole: Par 4, 397 yards
Matches will immediately begin with a crucial par-4 at the first hole. Typically measuring 430 yards, the opener was shortened to create room for a stadium buildout around the tee, but it also presents a scoring hole to start off the round and even an opportunity for longer hitters to reach the front of the green.
The sharp dogleg right is slightly softened by this shorter tee box, but it still forces players to choose their line carefully to hit the fairway.
The opening hole is always extremely important in a Ryder Cup match, and because this will be one of the easiest holes on the course, it presents an outstanding opportunity to get the momentum headed in the right direction.
4th Hole: Par 5, 517 yards
The fourth hole is one of the very best par-5s in the world and creates another opportunity for an early birdie or eagle to swing the match. Starting high on a hillside, this hole plummets downhill to a fairway that snakes through the woods. A huge bunker guards the left side of the landing area, and long hitters must be mindful not to drive the ball through the fairway.
A second section of short grass sits a level higher than the landing area beyond one of the most impressive bunkers in all of golf. This monster usually isn't in play unless players find trouble off the tee and need to carry it on their second shot; however, it looks extremely intimidating and visually defines the hole.
The terrain continues uphill to a putting surface that cannot be seen from the fairway; it is guarded by more enormous bunkers in front and a runoff area behind.
This par-5 is short for professionals, but it requires two perfect shots to hold the green and set up an eagle putt.
13th Hole: Par 5, 608 yards
The 13th hole is the second and final par-5 on the course, automatically making it a crucial hole as par-5s have so much potential to turn matches due to the wide range of scores that can be made. This is also the longest hole on the course, and players must challenge two bunkers on the left off the tee to have any chance to reach this green in two.
The fairway narrows upon reaching these bunkers about 290 yards from the tee, and it stays narrow all the way to the green, creating a very difficult layup for players that miss the fairway. A large bunker about 30 yards short of the green partially obscures the putting surface, and a smaller and very deep bunker sits directly right of the green.
This is one of the last great birdie chances of the round, so it will be crucial for players trying to come from behind in matches.
14th Hole: Par 3, 161 yards
The 14th is the shortest hole on the course and a scary, delicate one-shot hole. The green is huge for a hole this short but contains multiple tiny sections; there is a small, narrow area at the front left and another miniscule section at the back right, which is the highest part of the right-to-left-sloping green.
Additionally, the entire back portion of the putting surface sits on a shelf, making back pins very difficult to reach. There are drop-offs behind and to the right of the green and a yawning, cavernous bunker guarding the front right.
A perfect shot can result in birdie, but any slight miscue could lead to disaster, making it a great match-swinging hole late in the round.
16th Hole: Par 4, 539 yards
For matches that get this far, the 16th will certainly be a swing hole because it essentially acts as a par-5. Its enormous length means that we will likely see nearly as many bogeys as pars, which will lead to a high variance in scores and an opportunity for teams to make up ground late in the match.
There are no fairway bunkers, but the fairway itself is narrow and sits 60 feet below the tee box. While the hole bends slightly to the left, the green is angled from left to right, demanding a draw off the tee followed by a fade into the green.
The approach will likely be made with a long iron to a not-that-big green protected by a smaller bunker left and a huge one short and right. This is one of the most difficult holes on the golf course.