Difference between revisions of "Bethpage State Park"

Latest revision as of 22:50, 10 October 2020

In 1931 1,368 acres transecting the Nassau-Suffolk border was purchased by the Long Island State Park Commission. This acreage comprised lands controlled by heirs of Benjamin Yoakum, a Texas railroad magnate who died in l930. Jesse Merritt, the Nassau County Historian and direct descendant of Thomas Powell, convinced Commissioner Robert Moses that the land should be called "Bethpage State Park." The Yoakum Tract, located north of Farmingdale and east of "Central Park" was ideally suited for a State Park. It was hilly and well-wooded. The terrain lent itself to golf, tennis, polo and horseback riding. The land had one 18-hole golf course already. The Yoakum heirs offered the land for $1,100.000 including improvements. This came to $850 per acre. There was no money available to the Commission, so the Town of Oyster Bay and Suffolk County contributed $20,000, $10,000 respectively. The existing golf course was leased to a private club, the "Lenox Hills Country Club." The Lenox Hills Country Club started an action against the Park Commission, the County of Suffolk and the Town of Oyster Bay, seeking an injunction to prevent the sale of the property. The motion was denied. The Bethpage Commission was formed, a non-profit organization that operated the Club House, which was opened to the public in the spring of 1932. This was during the Depression and money was very tight. In 1933, Governor Lehman and the N.Y. State Legislature passed Chapter 801, which established the "Bethpage Park Authority". The Yoakums agreed to accept $100, 000 in cash and $900,000 in Park Authority bonds secured by a mortgage and revenues from operating this park. Title closed May 18, 1934. A new club house, three additional golf courses, a polo field, etc, began in 1934-1935, as a Work Relief Project. 1,800 men were given employment. An idle furniture factory was taken over and with work-relief men, all the furniture for the new clubhouse was made.

Bethpage State Park - The state bought the land in 1931 from the Yoakum and Botto families. There was an 18 hole golf course on the Yoakum property called Lenox Hills Country Club designed by Devereux Emmet in 1923. The State Park re-opened 1932, Green Course and Red Course opened April 28th and the Blue Course opened may 30, 1935. The Black Course opened May 30, 1936. The Yellow Course opened 1958. From 1931 to 1996 over 14 million rounds of golf have been played. In the year 2002 the Black Course will hose the US Open. Other facilities are: 8 clay tennis courts, 4 all weather tennis courts, picnic area, bicycle path, hiking, bridle paths and nature trails. Polo is played during the summer, and there is winter sleding and cross country skiing. Recreational trail riding and lessons were provided by the Scanlon Family at the Riding Stables on Round Swamp Road. Truly a park for all seasons.

Below information from the CPHS NEWSLETTER, January 1998

Whether it is on one of the five golf courses which prove to be a challenge and joy to many. A driving range to sharpen ones strokes. For those who do not feel the need to hit that little white ball across the greens and out of the traps there is beautiful park land. A place to picnic, relax, a playground for the children, one can participate in a ball game or a bike path to follow. Or how about watching a polo game on a Sunday afternoon. In the winter we can take advantage of the snow fall. There are hills, formed by glacier, for sleigh riding or trails for cross country skiing. All this available in our back yard!

Below information by Danny Schiavetta, "Memories of the Bethpage State Park Golf Course" from the CPHS NEWSLETTER, October 2001.

Being a life long resident of Bethpage, I have many fond memories. My first involves my father, who worked on the building of the golf course in Bethpage in 1933. It was a government funded project to help ease unemployment during the depression, and also give Long Island residents a beautiful park that featured golf courses, picnic areas, polo fields, etc.

When the park was just about completed in 1934, my father was asked if he would like to work at the new Bethpage State Park Golf Course. At that time, I believe there were four courses--Green, Red, Blue, and Black; the Yellow Course wasn't built until many years later. Of course being in an economic depression, he jumped at the chance. He started working on the Green Course in 1935 as a laborer and in 1963 became green keeper (incharge of all the golf courses) until retirement in 1970.

My own recollection of the Bethpage Golf Course began as a caddie just prior to WWII. We would wake up early (4:00 a.m.) walk to the course and "sign up" at the caddie house. It was located across the road from the driving range, behind the fourth tee on the Green Course, where I believe the State Trooper Headquarters are now located. Each of us had a number and would be called at different times to report to the first tee of various courses. If your number was not called that day, you would go on the "4:30 list," to be one of the first caddies called the following day. Those who weren't called had many activities to keep them busy: softball, horseshoes, basketball, etc.

The caddie fee for carring one bag 18 holes was $0.75; for carring two bags, it was $1.40. Not much by today's standards, but a tidy sum in those days. You must also consider the green fees back then, I believe, were $2.00 on weekdays and $3.00 on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

During the summers while in high school or college, many of us worked at the golf course doing various jobs--cutting greens, fairways and tees: changing tee balls and towels at each tee; keeping the sand traps in a neat pattern; and at night the best job of all, watering the greens and fairways. We would have to move the sprinklers every few hours and stay the whole time, but it was only three to four hours total work, and we were paid for eight hours.

My personal involvement with the Black Course began while working there. Every Monday during the summer one course would be closed, though caddies could play it for free. In those days we would fit in at least two rounds of golf. We played the other courses and thought we were playing well---then we played the Black Course. Not only did it humble us, but it made us realize that we were mere mortals.

My most serious encounters with the Black Course came when I played for Hofstra University Golf Team. We played our home matches on the Black Course. Even in those days it had a reputation as one of the most difficult courses around. In fact, I'll bet we won many of our matches before we teed off just through sheer intimidation. We would tell our opponents horror stories about the length of the course, the deep traps, narrow fairways, etc. Of course, we had a clear advantage as we had played the course many times, and for our opponents it was the first time they had ever seen the "monster".

Below Information from the CPHS Newsletter - February 1998

Mr. David Catalano, Superintendent of Bethpage State Park gave a very interesting presentation regarding the development of the Bethpage State Park on January 28, 1998 to the CPHS as we are preparing for the USGA Open in 2002.

In preparation for this program, Mr. Catalano researched the history of the park, unfortunately some of the history has been lost or never documented. Here are the highlights of his presentation.

1,368 acres of land was purchased in 1912 by Benjamin Yoakum, a railroad executive. On this property he founded Lenox Hills Golf Club. Mr. Catalano took us through the years of design and development of the Golf Club. Upon Mr. Yoakum's death in 1929, the Long Island Park Commission took over the lease operating the Lenox Hills Country Club as a public facility from 1932-1934. In 1932 Jessie Merritt, the Nassau County Historian and direct descendent of Thomas Powell, proposed naming the properties Bethpage Park.

In 1933, Governor Lehman called a special legislative session in an effort to help relieve unemployment. At this time Robert Moses proposed to establish the Bethpage Park Authority with the power to issue bonds for acquisition, improvement and operation of Bethpage State Park. Resulting in, the construction of the new clubhouse as a work relief project. The clubhouse and three of the four 18 hole golf courses were open to the public on August 10, 1935.

Over the years the public country club continued to grow in design to become a magnificent golf course. In 1975 the Bethpage Park Authority became a State Park. Unfortunately due to financial set backs and funding the park suffered greatly and deterioration set in.

Fortunately in 1995 Governor Pataki and Commissioner Castro made a commitment to return Bethpage State Park to its rightful position among the worlds finest golf complexes! And we will welcome the USGA Open in 2002!

Mr. Catalano proudly made our members aware of the charm of the park, a park for all ages, all seasons, all pleasures, with the beauty of the seasonal changes enhance its splendor! Spring, summer, and fall the park is available for picnicking, children's playgrounds, ball fields, trails for walking & biking, horseback riding, free polo matches on Sunday afternoons, clay tennis courts, and of course, golf. During mild winter the park continues to provide the above pleasures, but if it snows the park has the best sleigh riding hills formed by the glaciers and all those trails are great for cross country skiing. Truly a wonder for all seasons!

Mr. Catalano's slide presentation documented the past deterioration of the Black Course and now on to the reconstruction which has begun to regain its status as one of the very best golf courses.

Some little known facts about the golf course:

    Cumulative rounds of golf since 1932 - 14,050,042  

    Most rounds in a year  -  1966 with 344,800 rounds 

    Fewest rounds in a year  -  1943 with 16,457 rounds

    Currently average approximately 300,000 rounds of golf per year

    Golf reservation system

The above information is documented on CPHS video by George Hoban

Below Information from the Bethpage Tribune - August 29 - September 3, 2009

Superintendent Dave Catalano and his staff are a part of groundbreaking research to develop, test, and fine-tune techniques that steply cut pesticide and fertilizer use, in other words, to green up golf.

Golf courses are often faulted for heavy pesticide use, yet the Bethpage project has cut enviornmental impact up to 96% over conventional practices.

For their involvment in nearly a decade of research at Bethpage, Dave Catalano, Andy Wilson, Craig Currier and Kathie Wegman have earned an Excellence in IPM award from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University.

"As the largest public golf complex in the country, we believe in showing our commitment to the environment and to our public golfers by working with Cornell to develop IPM techniques and management progams," says Catalano. "It's how we provide outstanding playing conditions with the least environmental impact."

Catalano, Currier, Wilson, and Wegman received their award on behalf of all their colleagues on August 12, 2009 at the Cornell University Turfgrass Field Day at Bethpage State Park. We thank all for their hard work and dedication in an effort to go GREEN, as well as, for their tireless efforts in getting the Black Course ready for the US OPEN, as well as, the miraculous job which was done after the Open in getting the course back in shape again.

Below Information from CPHS Newsletter - May 1999

Recollections from Bethpage Golf Links by Mr. Louis Colby of Farmingdale. "My first contact with Bethpage Park Authority was in May 1936. A friend offered me a seasonal job. I was impressed with the elegance of the public facility. A dining room with waiters in tuxedos, linen napkins and table cloths. All park employees wore uniforms even Joseph H. Burbeck, Park Superintendent. The four starters and sixteen rangers were an attraction in white caps, linen knickers, green knee length hose with a sweatshirt with the name Bethpage emblazoned across the chest. There was a special building called the caddyhouse with Robert Beck, first caddymaster, who registered and trained 1000 caddies a year from the age 14 to 70. Also issued a caddy uniform of a red numbered cap, white tee shirt and khaki trousers. From the caddyhouse the caddymaster would send ten caddies to each first tee. For the caddies use at the caddyhouse was a baseball diamond, basketball court, football fields, horse shoe pitching pits. Inside the building was a large hall type room with the caddymasters office at one end and a mini library at the other end was a huge fireplace."

Below Information from NEWSDAY - August 22, 2012

Thursday thru Sunday August 23 - August 26, 2012 The Barclays first of four season ending PG Tour events that comprise the Fed Ex Cup playoffs will take place on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park. Golf's top pros tackle tough courses as playoffs set up for a super start.

Below Information from NEWSDAY - MARCH 9, 2020

VISITORS TO LONG ISLAND STATE PARKS HIT 26.8 million. A big boost to tourism for our area. The beautiful Bethpage State Park offers affordable golf where novices can play, even, the grueling Black Course which has been upgraded - renovated fairways, tees, bunkers and drainage systems, as well as upgrades for the clubhouse.