Going to be in NYC for a few days in Sept and trying to decide if it's worth it to play the Black Course. Has anyone had any luck getting on? Are there any ways for an out-of-towner to play it without sleeping in your car? And overall, if you've played it, would you recommend it to others?

Never played when I lived in NYC, but had buddies that did and were glad that they did. I can see if I can get some details on how they got on.

I've played a few times. First time, I paid a guy up there to get me a tee time (long story). It's a viable option but there are better ways. We were going to sleep in our car until we found that guy. The car thing is fine, but honestly the easiest way is to just show up in the morning. There will likely be tee times available. You walk up and they have TV screens showing all the available tee times for each course. If you show up early, you really shouldn't have any problems getting a tee time for one or two people. If you're a foursome that doesn't work but for one or two, it works. I've done that multiple times.

The reason it works is that people make tee times over the phone via an automated computer. Therefore, it accepts any group or single in any tee time as long as there is room. And by doing that, they don't force twosomes to join other twosomes or force singles to join other threesomes or whatever the case may be. So it creates lots of single openings and a fair amount of pairs as well. Singles can almost always walk on within an hour.

The round will take along time. 5-6 hours. Be prepared for that.

If you have any other questions I'm happy to answer.

P.S. Booking a tee time through their phone system is an option too, but you have to register into their system first and unless they've changed it, it's a pretty dumb, antiquated system.

Oh, and it's incredible. My favorite course. So hard. So big. Definitely worth it. The difference in how the course plays during normal business as opposed to in the months surrounding a big PGA event is hard to believe. We played it right after the Open in '09 and then again during a normal summer the next year, and it was not the same course. I shot 18 shots better the second go round, and probably half of it was me playing better and half was the course. It's always nice and it's always difficult, but you can't even comprehend how hard it is for the Open because they only let the rough get that long and thick for that. The rough is always difficult. But on years when they host the Open, it goes to another level.

So it's nice but don't get your hopes up too high for the condition of the course. There are tons of courses up there in just as good condition. That's not what sets it apart on a normal day (though again, around Open time it certainly was in elite condition). It's the layout and the "here I am, big and impossible, let's see what you've got" that makes it special.

#4 and #18 are as beautiful from the tee box as any holes you'll ever see.

It's a muni, so expect muni people. People who wear denim, smoke, cuss, etc. It's not a country club. Always a huge mix of people. I've played with pretty good golfers generally when I've been up there, but there are also really bad ones just like everywhere else.

Watching people tee off on #1 is fun. But it's nerve-wracking when it's your turn. Almost always a crowd.

No carts, so be prepared to walk. It's a tiring course to walk. Paying a caddy is expensive but makes the round a lot more fun if the money isn't an issue.

The course is long, greens are small and generally flat. Bunkers are big. When in doubt, take the shot that takes the big number out of play.

Blue star for you watty! Great post. Very insightful.

If we don't play Bethpage, we'll probably look for an "upscale" public track on the NJ side of NYC. Would you happen to know of any courses that would meet that criteria?

I'm just going with my dad. We're headed to Cooperstown but also wanted to mix in a couple rounds. Both of us are flying in/out of Newark. Bethpage would be a little out of our way, but very possibly worth it.

I haven't played any on the Jersey side. Other than the Bethpage courses (I've played three or four of the five, I forget), I've only played one other course in the area, a nice place called Hudson Hills. Fairly close to Manhattan. I really really want to play Trump's new course in the Bronx. It looks amazing. Expensive though. If you play one in Jersey, I'd love to hear about it.