Back at Black

By Billy Condon


Last week, I got the opportunity to travel to Bethpage for a photo shoot for our upcoming June/July issue of The Met Golfer. The goal was to get shots of Mike Davis, Sr. Director of Rules and Competitions for the USGA as well as Hamilton Lopes, a member of the grounds crew who is an alum of the MGA Foundation's GOLFWORKS student intern program and who will be featured in that issue as well.

I have been to Bethpage a few times in the past to conduct U.S. Public Links qualifiers and interviews for the upcoming article with Hamilton and head superintendent Craig Currier. I always got that feeling of excitement when pulling up to the welcome sign and always think back to that "Everybody Loves Raymond" episode where they sleep in their car. However, being there as all the tents and preparations are now in full swing was tremendous. Between the corporate and hospitality tents going up to walking up to the famous sign on the first tee "WARNING - The Black Course is an Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers." It reminds you of how special a place it really is. I couldn't help but take some pictures of my own.

Seeing the eager and nervous anticipation of the players waiting to tee off, (including some who disregarded the WARNING sign and made everyone aware that they are not highly skilled) made me wish I was one of the lucky ones able to get a tee time between 8 and 1 for the chance to play the Black and for the chance to say "I was there, I went dead center on #1 and got on in two! Tiger hit his in the rough!"

Between the cameras and the interviews (I got the chance to pretend to be Jimmy Roberts as I interviewed Hamilton) onlookers were trying to get the scoop as I have been that onlooker on numerous occasions. It definitely gave me a sense of importance and that in some small way, I was a part of the 2009 U.S. Open.