Bethpage Black will chew you up and spit you out. The best piece of advice I can offer is that you want to avoid the rough as it is quite lush. Tee shots placed in the fairway will set you up for success.

Enjoy your trip and play well!

TH

Thank Tyler!

I've only played Bethpage Black and it's easily one of my top 3 courses even though it's kicked my a** multiple times. I've played it twice and enjoyed every minute of it and IMO the best money you'll ever spend on a course like that. Are you doing the full experience and sleeping over in the parking lot or getting a tee time online? As for the course it's everything and more. Truly a beautiful course and a fun walk. Only advice I'll give you is stay outta the rough, it's nasty. If you end up in there, lay up and don't be a hero. Also bring some water and snacks. I think there's only one snack house after the 5th or 6th hole and that's it.

Never played Sawgrass but i'm sure you'll get some reviews on that. Enjoy Bethpage!!!

TPC Sawgrass is fairly straightforward, what you see is what you get. Depend on your caddie for lines off the tee as well as green reads, worth every penny.

As for the 17th, commit to your shot and try (good luck) to block out the water!

Thanks Gents. Actually, Bethpage has an online service now, Non-residents have a 5 day window to schedule tee times.

I hear the rough is brutal. I will try to hit them long and straight!

Interesting thread guys. So for Bethpage it's only walking? Is there a caddie program? Will they allow- can I use a push cart?

You can bring a push cart or rent one. There are caddies available as well.

We played the TPC @ Sawgrass last fall for the Team Titleist Invitational and it was a blast. A long time friend who use to live down there and was a member told me to always aim for the middle of the green on 17 at the Players course. He also was a low handicap golfer. We played both courses, Dye Valley and the Players Course and rode carts on both courses but had a caddie in each group. They were most helpful. Play tees that you are comfortable with and have fun.

Bethpage does have a caddy program. I played there last year and used one. I think it was $80 at the pro shop plus tip.

You can rent a locker to store items if you need to. I rode the train in from the city, so I has a backpack and pair of shoes I needed to lock-up.

My wife and I played TPC Sawgrass for my 40th. I wish that I would have putted better. I hit a lot of 3 woods off the tee, I chipped with my 52 (8* bounce) not my 56 (14* bounce) as the Bermuda grass tends to bite the club on tight lies. The caddies there were great. We played both courses there and it was nice to warm up at the Valley Course first.

While you are there head down the road and see the World Golf Hall of Fame. Enjoy your trip!

Bethpage is the hardest track I've ever played (topping Kiawah, Torrey Pines South, Whistling, Erin Hills and Pinehurst No.2). Like Higgs said, keep it in the fairway. We spent more time looking for balls less than a yard off the fairway than I'd care to admit. Assuming you find your ball in the rough, you better have forearms like Popeye if you want to hit anything more than 70 yards. Full disclosure- We had more than a few oat sodas and slept in the parking lot the night before - adding to the difficulty. The walk was world class, and I'd love to play it again with a better nights sleep and less of a headache.

Sawgrass is fun, but IMO, really only has 10 holes of great golf. Holes 1-8 could be any course in Florida. Obviously 16-18 are a treat, and the clubhouse is something to behold. I didn't find it overly difficult, but I also had a solid fourcadddy who showed me the way.

As a 2 you should be fine on both courses. There's holes you can score on, but you definitely have to take your medicine if you hit one offline.
Sawgrass was a lot of 3 woods and hybrids off the tee. (maybe I should have done the same at Bethpage). The course was fairly straightforward and kinda target golf. Bethpage was a brute - fun, but brutal all at the same time.

Played Bethpage at least 7 times. I wouldn’t want to play it with the amount of rain we have have over the last 3 months in the Northeast. The rough must be BRUTUAL!!! IT’S GOING TO BEAT YOU UP!

Thanks all. Shot 86 at bethpage and 80 at sawgrass both great tracks. Loved Bethpage a little more.

Any travel advice or things to watch out for having just been to both? A buddy and myself are planning on doing the same thing next year :)