My favorite hole that I have played is easily hole #4 at Bethpage State Park Black Course. Even though this hole only measures 517 yards from the back tee, the challenges lay throughout the hole. Bunkers down the left hand side force a player to hit the fairway. Any player who bails out to the right in the rough faces a daunting 2nd shot that sometimes requires a layup to the end of the fairway below. The bunkers that cut the fairway in half present any golfer a towering lip that even the purest of shots cannot get over. The safest play is to wedge your ball out and back into play. Even tee shots that find the fairway leave the player with difficult decisions. The elevated tee shot allows longer hitters to get their ball within 200 yards to the green. However, the further down you get, the more blind of a 2nd shot you have, A player is left with the decision to try and fly the ball all the way to a very shallow green with a steep runoff area long or play out to the right green high and leave a delicate shot in to a green that run away.
This hole can yield some of the best eagles out there, but can also knock you out with doubles and triples easily in play. The hole presents itself so well from the tee, but from that point on it’s all business. If you’re lucky enough to play it, enjoy every step you take on this hole.