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Getting a tee time at Bethpage Black just got a bit easier for golfers. Provided you’re an actual golfer.
Following the completion of the recent Ryder Cup, the famed Long Island public course announced a change to its reservation system. And it should make both locals—and tourists—happy.
The New York State Parks Service sent an email out Tuesday afternoon explaining the tweak, according to Golf.com. Essentially, a new “two-step authentication/booking code” will make it much harder for bots to buy up tee times.
Beginning Oct. 9, new tee time reservations will require a booking code that’s sent via email at the time of booking for all five of Bethpage’s public courses. Golfers will still have to be quick to book tee times once they become available, but at least they won’t be competing against an army of bots instantly snatching up all the times.
This isn’t the first new measure put in place by Bethpage this year. Back in April, a pre-paid booking fee—as well as a no-show fee—was installed to try to discourage mass buys that were often cancelled later.
Bethpage Black has long been a busy destination, one that has only grown in popularity this century after hosting the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens as well as the 2019 PGA Championship and the 2025 Ryder Cup. Golfers spending the night in the parking lot to try to secure walk-up tee times has become the norm, even more so in recent months with the lead up to the Ryder Cup. That probably won’t change, but at least golfers will feel like they have a better chance of getting an online reservation going forward.
According to Bethpage State Park’s website, the Black Course, which, along with all four other Bethpage courses, has been closed to the public for several weeks due to the Ryder Cup, is reopening to the public on Oct. 10 with tee times from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET.
The Red and Blue Courses reopened Oct. 4. There is still no reopen date for the Green and Yellow Courses.
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Main Image: Bruce Bennett
