Wait! You don’t need to schlep all the way to Pinehurst or sneak onto Baltusrol this summer to play a U.S. Open-caliber golf hole.
Right here, within a 50-mile radius of the Big Apple, there are a bunch of great golf holes, many of which are open to the public. The five courses at Bethpage State Park are loaded with such holes, but in putting together The Post’s top 18 public holes, we thought it best to limit our Bethpage selections to just two holes. And here they are with honorable mentions:
Par 3s
Bethpage Black, No. 17 Yardage 207, 195
Imagine yourself playing in the U.S. Open and the gallery surrounding the green is screaming your name as you take dead aim at those big Redan green over those five massive sand bunkers.
Howell Park, No. 13 Yardage 222, 150
From an elevated tee, take dead aim over a valley to a small sloping green offset by dangerous bunkers on the left and right.
Harbor Links, No. 17 Yardage 207, 201
At 201 yards long and a green with water on three sides, you better be accurate with your tee shot into a prevailing wind. Par is a great score here.
Patriot Hills, No. 10 Yardage 175, 160
From the tee box on this nifty little downhiller, you have a great backdrop that includes the Hudson River and a marvelous mountain view.
Sterling Farms, No. 17 Yardage: 232, 217
Only a straight shot works here. A large tree looms over the left side of a deviously wide green. Oh, and there another big tree protecting the right side. Hole-in-ones here are extremely rare.
Timber Point, No. 5 Blue Yardage: 207, 188
They call this hole “Gibraltar” because the green boldly sits atop a bluff where the Connetquot River meets the Great South Bay. Great views. Playing here may remind you of Pebble Beach.
Honorable mention: Dyker Beach, No. 8.
PAR 4 s
Bergen Hills, No. 6 Yardage: 475 / 454
A Donald Ross treat! This hole starts with a blind tee shot into a valley guarded by a huge trap on the right. At the top of the hill sits a crowned green. Miss left, right or long, you’ll pay the price.
Eisenhower Red, No. 15 Yardage: 450/402
Some folks favor the tougher 18th, but from an esthetic standpoint, this gem is the best hole at the Ike. It plays straight-away over a menacing pond that fronts an elevated green with traps left and right.
Hominy Hill, No. 10 Yardage 458 / 413.
Dogleg right where you must avoid bunkers that sit precariously in the fairway and in front of a big elevated green. Stay away from those trees on the right side.
Hudson Hills, No. 4 Yardage 456 / 423.
From an elevated tee, you must play to the left of a huge, majestic oak tree that protects the right side on this dogleg right. Beware the hard, fast green that slopes from front to back.
LaTourette No. 5 Yardage: 438 / 428
Tough downhill hole that leans right with huge oak trees guarding the right side of the green with deep bunkers on the left. Stay left to get best angle in.
Oyster Bay, No. 4 Yardage: 414 / 380
The locals believe this hole should be a par 5. Tee shot from an elevated tee box leads to a tight fairway that bends right. Then you must head uphill to the fortress-like, three-tiered green with sand traps left and right.
Honorable mention: Split Rock, No. 17.
PAR 5s
Bethpage Black, No. 4, Yardage: 517 / 461
Maybe the greatest par-5 ever conceived. This amazing hole is dissected by what was once believed to be the biggest bunker in the world. Keep your second shot to the right to make your third shot easy to a sloping green.
Forest Park No. 4 Yardage: 475 / 450
Testy little roller-coaster of a hole that requires a 200-yard carry over a quarry with a swamp on the right. Hole makes a right turn turn up the hill toward a narrow green with bunkers.
Lido, No. 16 Yardage 487 / 430
The ultimate “risk reward” hole that requires a double water carry toward a split fairway. Go left if you want to lay up. The right side is riskier but gives you a decent shot over water for a birdie or eagle. One of the original holes from the old Lido course that was shut down in 1942.
South Shore, No. 18 Yardage: 539 / 515.
Get home in two? Fughetaboutit! Triple dogleg that requires a drive to left side around some trees. Second shot needs to go right to open up a shot to an elevated green with water on the left.
Spook Rock, No. 11 Yardage: 511 /480
Danger! Blind shot off the tee over a hill with out of bounds left and trees on the right. If you have the guts, go for the green but watch out for the pond on right.
Van Cortlandt, No. 2 Yardage: 625 / 600.
You need three good pokes here, so stay out of the rough. It is said this hole originally was two par 4s that were consolidated into one long hole.
Honorable mention: Bethpage Red, No 16.