Bethpage Black
There's no better course to tee it up at in the region than the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, some 30 miles outside of New York City. The 7,366-yard course hosted the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open Championships. The long fairways punish short and inaccurate drives, while the overgrown fescue rough will add countless strokes to your score. A good approach shot is rewarded, as the greens aren't as hold to hold as other Open courses, but the putting surface is shaky once you are lined up. A 10-footer can easily become a three-putt. Be aware, though, July is prime time for this course, so you will have to show up to the course around midnight the night before to have a shot at securing a morning tee time.
Bethpage Black Course
99 Quaker Meeting House Road
Farmingdale, New York 11735-1847
(516) 249-0701
http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/golf-courses/11/course-information.aspx
Dyker Beach
La Tourette in Staten Island gets credit for being the best course in the five boroughs, but Dyker Beach in Brooklyn has to be right up there, too. The 6,538-yard course is Brooklyn's most popular course--and rightfully so. Wide rolling fairways make this traditional design a must-play for long hitters, while the well-kept bunkers and wetlands provide basic, yet challenging obstacles. The greens are your best friend on this course. They are easy to stick and play extremely slow, even under the hot July sun.
Dyker Beach
86th Street and 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11228
(718) 836-9722
www.nycteetimes.com
Catch a Yankees Game
The ghosts of the old stadium have moved across the street to the new Yankee Stadium. The state-of-the-art facility opened in 2009 and seats more than 52,000. It has a hefty price tag of $1.5 billion. And if you're willing to pay the price (average ticket for 2009 regular season was $72.50), you'll see why there is so much hype around this stadium. More than 1,100 flat-screen, HD TVs are plastered around the stadium, the outfield scoreboard is the third-largest of any stadium in the world, and the Yankees museum houses new and old team memorabilia. Also, be prepared to watch more than a few long balls, as the total number of home runs hit there in 2009 was the most of any Yankees' ballpark in history.
Yankee Stadium
1 E. 161st St.
Bronx, NY 10451
http://yankees.mlb.com
About The Author
Sean Quinn is a writer and editor based in New York City. He has spent the last decade covering major sporting events from the NFL playoffs to the U.S. Open. He has written for the Kansas City Star and ESPN, among others. He is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
