Golf's best back in Long Island
With a major coming back to Bethpage Black, all of the coverage is bringing back many memories. In particular, one trip to the course burns brightest in my mind and needs sharing.
Having had played all of the other four courses at Bethpage (Yellow, Green, Blue and Red) many times, of course it was my first planned tee time on the Black that is forever now a part of me. A match between a few good chaps from England and my American cousin and I had been planned. Our team had heart, but we were overmatched. We knew it would take our very best golf to win and we welcomed the challenge!
To jump ahead this is not a tale of an unexpected victory. We played our best and stayed competitive for a portion of the day, but our butts got handed to us by those pasty English gentlemen (one of whom relentlessly called us both chief). I remember well we played 36 that day. We began with a round on the Red (baby Black) course. In fact I hit one of those truest of shots we only hit a handful of times in our lives if we're lucky that morning. The day was incredibly hot and humid and the morning round followed by a mid-day lunch at a greasy dinner was not the greatest warm up for my first attempt at the Black and it's no cart rule. I remember the course was not in great condition and not much more because most memorably my good man and I were indecently and incredibly hung over. It was beautiful!
The evening preceeding our match was supposed to be a quiet one at my cousin's childhood home located in Bethpage's backyard. Well my uncle and his neighbor friend happened to also be around. A few times if we're lucky we get one those bonding nights filled with conversation and laughs and fueled by scotch that are truly priceless! I'm lucky and that night is ours always. Cheers to back porches and warm summer evenings and great people because for the life of me I can't remember a single pin placement from that following day, but that night lives on with me forever. Thank you gentlemen!
Having had played all of the other four courses at Bethpage (Yellow, Green, Blue and Red) many times, of course it was my first planned tee time on the Black that is forever now a part of me. A match between a few good chaps from England and my American cousin and I had been planned. Our team had heart, but we were overmatched. We knew it would take our very best golf to win and we welcomed the challenge!
To jump ahead this is not a tale of an unexpected victory. We played our best and stayed competitive for a portion of the day, but our butts got handed to us by those pasty English gentlemen (one of whom relentlessly called us both chief). I remember well we played 36 that day. We began with a round on the Red (baby Black) course. In fact I hit one of those truest of shots we only hit a handful of times in our lives if we're lucky that morning. The day was incredibly hot and humid and the morning round followed by a mid-day lunch at a greasy dinner was not the greatest warm up for my first attempt at the Black and it's no cart rule. I remember the course was not in great condition and not much more because most memorably my good man and I were indecently and incredibly hung over. It was beautiful!
The evening preceeding our match was supposed to be a quiet one at my cousin's childhood home located in Bethpage's backyard. Well my uncle and his neighbor friend happened to also be around. A few times if we're lucky we get one those bonding nights filled with conversation and laughs and fueled by scotch that are truly priceless! I'm lucky and that night is ours always. Cheers to back porches and warm summer evenings and great people because for the life of me I can't remember a single pin placement from that following day, but that night lives on with me forever. Thank you gentlemen!
Stay on your best behavior kids ;) - Sean Bagdonas
ReplyDelete