Black gets dry run at State Open

As much fun as the People's Opens were at Bethpage Black in 2002 and 2009, the truth is, the world's best players never did get to see the real people's course. The Black was underwater both times.

So, given that August tends to be less rainy than June around here, the true Black Course probably finally will be on exhibit next year when it hosts the Barclays, a PGA Tour FedEx Cup playoff tournament that has included Bethpage in its rotation.

"It will be nice to see the way they attack it and play it, more from the perspective that we see it," said Jimmy Hazen, a pro from Miller Place who caddied on the Black in the 2009 U.S. Open and shot par 71 yesterday on the Black at the New York State Open. "It will be fun to watch."

This year's State Open, which concludes Thursday, has served as something of a dry run for the Barclays, with an emphasis on "dry." The rough is fairly short and everything is firm and fast from the steady heat of a long summer. That is the way it is likely to be when the top tour pros play it next August, the way that the spring rains never allowed in 2002 and 2009.

Nothing about the Barclays will be as intense or expansive as the Open, although the golfers will be mostly the same. There won't be a one-acre merchandise tent, there won't be hundreds of yards of corporate hospitality suites. PGA Tour officials have made that much clear to Bethpage officials.

"The impression I got was that they view the tournament differently. It's like a family thing," said Dave Catalano, who will retire as Bethpage Park director this fall. "They don't expect crazy crowds, U.S. Open crowds -- although I question whether or not that might be the case here, with a ticket price of $150 for the week, compared to $400 for the week."

Some early hints at changes: par will be 71 for the Barclays, rather than 70 for the Open. The Black will be closed for two weeks before the Barclays, Catalano said, but the other four courses will be open through the Saturday before the tournament. No plans have been made for parking or other logistics, what with this year's Barclays, at Plainfield Country Club in New Jersey still a month away. "I think probably much that was done during the Open they'll repeat, because it was obviously a pretty successful foundation," Catalano said.

It will be an Open-caliber job for superintendent Andy Wilson and his staff. "The third week of August is not a great time for growing grass. Usually, that's when superintendents are looking forward to football season because it has been such a long summer. But we'll have to perform at our peak." said Wilson, an assistant under Craig Currier, who left Bethpage for Glen Oaks.

"I've always told our guys, it's better to be too busy than not busy enough. Plus, to have an event like this every few years, keeps us in the national spotlight, it's really good for golf on Long Island," Wilson said.

If the scoring is low, so be it. "I always say, do your best and root for the rest," Wilson said.

The scores won't be all that low. "It's still the Black," Hazen said. "The fairways are pretty narrow and they all have turns and nooks and crannies where you have to land it in tight areas. And even though the rough is down, you can't be real aggressive because the ball is hitting and bouncing through the greens. There's no letup out there. Every hole is hard."

"It's going to be hard and fast," said Tarik Can, who shot 72 Wednesday. "It should be."