Bethpage State Park (Black Course)

Overview: The Black Course at Bethpage State Park, located on Long Island, New York, is a legendary, brawny championship parkland course designed by golden-age master A.W. Tillinghast. Famously nicknamed "The People's Country Club," the course is heralded by an iconic sign at the first tee warning that the course is "Recommended Only for Highly Skilled Golfers." It is a brute of a layout characterized by narrow fairways, elevated greens, massive bunkers, and distinctively thick rough, requiring power, stamina, and complete concentration.

History: Opened in 1936 as part of the Works Progress Administration project during the Great Depression, the course was designed to offer the public a championship-quality test of golf. In 2002, Bethpage Black made history by becoming the very first publicly owned and operated course to host the U.S. Open, won in dramatic fashion by Tiger Woods. It has since hosted the U.S. Open again, the PGA Championship, and was selected to host the Ryder Cup.

Did You Know? Because of its public status, New York State residents can play the course for a fraction of the cost of a typical resort course. This has led to the famous "overnight car line" in the parking lot, where golfers sleep in their cars to secure one of the coveted walk-on tee times for the following morning.