Bethpage Black Playing Easy?

[jchase]

Well i was watching golf central friday or saturday morning and i saw that they had there challenge where they had MJ, Justin Timberlake, Big Ben, and an amateur play the black course and man the scores were LOW!!! Big Ben shot an 81! MJ shot an 85! JT shot an 88! the amateur shot a 101! That seems pretty low to me! Even with favorable pin positions that just seems a lot lower than the scores from last year's challenge! Thoughts?

[slickpitt]

Originally Posted by jchase

Well i was watching golf central friday or saturday morning and i saw that they had there challenge where they had MJ, Justin Timberlake, Big Ben, and an amateur play the black course and man the scores were LOW!!! Big Ben shot an 81! MJ shot an 85! JT shot an 88! the amateur shot a 101! That seems pretty low to me! Even with favorable pin positions that just seems a lot lower than the scores from last year's challenge! Thoughts?

They cheated!

[Youngun5]

...Big Ben went through sectional qualifying to try and get into the US open... didn't quite make the cut. He definitely has game though.

[Manavs]

Originally Posted by jchase

Well i was watching golf central friday or saturday morning and i saw that they had there challenge where they had MJ, Justin Timberlake, Big Ben, and an amateur play the black course and man the scores were LOW!!! Big Ben shot an 81! MJ shot an 85! JT shot an 88! the amateur shot a 101! That seems pretty low to me! Even with favorable pin positions that just seems a lot lower than the scores from last year's challenge! Thoughts?

the course they played on friday was not even close to the sort of stuff they will be seeing come thurs. (im guessing they didnt play the back tees either)

i played the course last year in july through 95+ degree heat when the usga set up the track for the ny state open. it was insane! there were more scores in the 90's than in the 75-80 range! it was a teaser or trial run for tee boxes/pin posistions/graduated rough. they "flow-bee" the rough where they vacuum the grass then cut it.

on top of that, its been raining moderatly or fiercly at times what feels like almost every day for the past 3 weeks - and is currently! the rough probably wont be cut again and its going to get even wetter.

i will guarentee a pro will shoot higher than 85 and an amateur will shoot over 90! it is that demanding. im heading in tomorrow to watch should be good fun!

[kasch]

An old practice buddy of mine who is now in the collegiate system in the US played the course last year. He is an extremely gifted ball striker and was one of the better putters i've ever played with. I trust his judgement as ive known him for a long time and played countless rounds of golf with him, and he said it was the most brutal golf course he's ever seen.

Playing from one of the back tee sets (not the championship plates) he shot 84 in a 2 club wind.

It is definately not an easy course by any stretch of the imagination.

[Pa Jayhawk]

I would bargain to guess with all the rain we've had in the NE as of recent, that the course could end up playing easier because it will be much softer. Much harder to contend with the distance, but much easier to keep a ball on the fairways and greens, which I think is a key for Open conditions.

[eclark53520]

Originally Posted by slickpitt

They cheated!

Yell Fore, shoot 6, write down 5....thats how i roll!