Bethpage Red Course
The locals' pick at Bethpage State Park, an A.W. Tillinghast par 70 that opened a year before the famous Black, fairer than its monster sibling and a genuinely great public round in its own right.
Photo: Bethpage Red Course via Google.
The verdict
Everyone knows the Bethpage Black, the brutal US Open and Ryder Cup venue with the famous warning sign at the first tee. Fewer outside Long Island know that the next best course in the park, the Red, is also a Tillinghast, opened in 1935 as a Depression era WPA project a year before the Black. It is the round the locals quietly book first: a classic A.W. Tillinghast par 70 with the same handsome bunkering and rolling terrain, without the punishment the Black hands out.
At roughly 7,000 yards it has length enough to test a good player, but the Red is about strategy and shotmaking more than survival. Long, well shaped par 4s and the artful greenside bunkering Tillinghast was known for define the round, and the conditioning has long been strong for a state park course. For a traveling golfer who wants a great public Tillinghast without the Black's access hurdles, the Red is one of the best value rounds in the New York area.
Bethpage Red at a glance
- Opened
- 1935
- Designer
- A.W. Tillinghast
- Type
- Classic parkland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 7,000 yards
- Green fee
- From about 45 dollars
Designer and details verified June 2026: the Red Course was designed by A.W. Tillinghast and opened in 1935 at Bethpage State Park, a year before the Black. It plays a par 70, and back tee yardage is published variously between roughly 6,900 and 7,100 yards. Indicative green fees of roughly 45 to 75 dollars apply to New York residents in the 2026 season, with higher non resident rates; fees change by residency, day and season, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Red shows its Tillinghast pedigree in the bunkering and the green complexes. The fairways roll over the same gently heaving Long Island terrain as the Black, but the corridors are a touch more forgiving and the forced carries less severe, so a good drive is rewarded rather than simply survived. The long par 4s are the test, several asking for two strong shots into well guarded greens, true to the Tillinghast idea of par as a hard earned figure.
Where the Black wears you down, the Red lets you play golf. The greens are large and subtly contoured, the doglegs reward the player who can shape a tee shot, and the round builds steadily without ever feeling unfair. It is the course that proves Bethpage is more than one famous layout, a genuinely strong second course that would headline most public facilities anywhere else.
For traveling golfers, the Red is the smart play at Bethpage: a great Tillinghast public round, easier to book than the Black, and an ideal centerpiece for a New York metro golf day.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public, New York State park; open to all, with lower rates for New York residents |
| Green fee | From about 45 to 75 dollars for residents, higher for non residents, indicative 2026; varies by residency and day |
| Booking | Book through the New York State park reservation system; the Red is far easier to get than the Black |
| On the day | Walking is allowed and encouraged; carts available; standard golf dress; arrive early on weekends |
| Getting there | In Farmingdale on Long Island, about an hour from Manhattan and close to LaGuardia (LGA) and JFK |
| Best months | Roughly April to November; late spring and early fall are prime |
Access and fees verified June 2026; state park pricing and resident rates change year to year, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Bethpage sits in central Long Island, so a base is easy: nearby towns offer hotels within a short drive of the first tee, and Manhattan is about an hour away for those combining golf with the city. For a pure golf trip, staying close to the park lets you tackle early tee times across its five courses.
For a wider New York golf trip, the Red pairs with the other great public golf in the region, from the oceanfront test at Montauk Downs State Park to the lakeside resort round upstate at Leatherstocking Golf Course.
Looking for a base nearby? See our recommended hotels and resorts.
Build a New York golf trip
We arrange tee times at Bethpage, pair the Red and the other park courses with the best public golf in the New York area and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Bethpage Red questions
Who designed the Bethpage Red Course?
The Red Course was designed by A.W. Tillinghast and opened in 1935 as a Depression era WPA project at Bethpage State Park, a year before the famous Black Course. It plays a par 70 of roughly 7,000 yards.
Is the Bethpage Red better than the Black?
The Black is the championship monster and a US Open and Ryder Cup venue, but many locals prefer the Red, a fairer, more playable Tillinghast layout that is widely rated the second best of the park's five courses.
How do you get a tee time at the Bethpage Red?
All five Bethpage courses are public and booked through the New York State park reservation system. The Red is far easier to get on than the Black, which has its own separate access rules. Tee times are released on a rolling window online.
How much does it cost to play the Bethpage Red?
Indicative green fees run from roughly 45 to 75 US dollars for New York residents and higher for non residents in the 2026 season. Rates change by residency, day and season, so always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year and history verified June 2026; yardage range and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.