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Bethpage's Red Course puts Dobyns in the pink

Erik Boland

September 6, 2007

Matt Dobyns knew what was next.

Though not as familiar with the Bethpage State Park superintendent as some veteran area professionals, the Hudson National assistant knew enough. Dobyns posted a 6-under-par 64 on Bethpage Red Tuesday in the first round of the Met PGA Assistants Championship and shortly afterward ran into Bethpage superintendent Craig Currier. The Par Czar has had a rough summer.

During the New York State Open on the Black, Metropolis Country Club's Craig Thomas shot a competitive course record 64 in the second round. Currier can take these things personally and there, on Tuesday, was yet another birdie bender at Bethpage. Hide the sharp objects.

"[Currier] asked me what I hit on the first and I said 9-iron," the long-hitting Dobyns said. "He turned to [Met PGA Executive Director Charlie Robson] and said, 'See, I told you it's too short.' After chatting with Craig, I expected all the tees to be back today and he didn't disappoint me."

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Dobyns didn't shoot 6-under in yesterday's final round but he didn't need to. With the Red playing just about all of its 7,100 yards, Dobyns stayed on the fairway, coasting to a 3-shot win with a 1-under 69 for a 133 total (7-under). Mike Meehan (Nassau CC), Keith Dicciani (Metropolis) and Paul Moore (Anglebrook Golf Club) finished at 136.

It was an unusually low-scoring tournament on the Red, which most Long Islanders have noticed in the last five years, has nearly caught up to the Black in terms of prestige and, from the back, difficulty.

The Red now ranks just behind the Black on most state lists of "Best Public Golf Courses" and in a July posting on golf.com - operated by SI.com - the Red came in third on a list of "America's Most Underrated Courses."

The 29-year-old Dobyns, a native Texan who played at the University of Texas, has been in the Met Section since 2002. He has played the Black in the State Open and the Red two years ago in the Assistants. He said the Red's par-4s are as difficult as the Black's, but it's the condition of the Red, which sees over 50,000 rounds a year - 15,000-20,000 more than the Black - that stands out.

"It's ridiculous the job they do here," Dobyns said. "It's nothing short of miraculous what the super and his staff are able to do with a place that never doesn't have golfers on it."

Meehan won the Nassau County Championship on the Red when he attended Locust Valley High School in 1985 and said there's no comparison between the course he won on 22 years ago and today's version. "If they really make the rough as penalizing as the Black and they up the green speed with tough pins, you won't have guys that will shoot a zillion over like on the Black but you might have close to the same score win," Meehan said. "It's just really good."

It has gotten better by the year since the Black hosted the 2002 U.S. Open. USGA money was used park-wide to upgrade all the courses and none benefitted more than the Red, which Currier said plays about 400 yards longer than it did when he arrived in 1997. He and his staff have rebuilt almost half the tee boxes and a third of the bunkers. Bethpage director Dave Catalano called the Red "incalculably better" than it was six years ago.

"That's a testament to Craig and the guys that work here," Catalano said. "They just do a phenomenal job keeping the golf course up."

Currier takes the plaudits that annually come his way and the ribbing about his distaste for sub-par rounds about the same. That's his easy-going nature. He is consistent another way: he's never content.

"If you're satisfied in this business, that's not good," Currier said. "You can always be better."

Today's tip

More pressure means more

solid putts

"Most amateurs I see have a problem hitting their putts consistently solid because the club head gets out in front of their hands before the strike. This position at impact causes all kinds of bad results. An easy way to help this problem is to have more grip pressure in your leading hand (closest to the target). This puts the lead hand in more control of the club and lessens the throwing of the club head."

Jason Peterson

PGA professional