Ryder Cups are remembered for their moments as much as their scorelines – and Bethpage Black is built to produce them.
Whether it’s the warning sign on the 1st tee, the brutal rough, or the score-wrecking bunkers, it’s a course that can’t be tamed solely with power or precision.
In match play, though, some holes matter more than others. Here are four that could decide the fate of the Ryder Cup and whether Europe or the United States have the edge…
The holes that could decide the Ryder Cup
The 4th
For a course whose very purpose seems to punish, this is a rare opportunity to get after a short par 5. It’s Bethpage Black’s prettiest hole and the beautiful cross bunkers and the gentle rise up to an elevated green remain long in the memory of those who play it.
But at 517 yards, it’s one the longer players in each team will be determined to reach in two and you can expect most of them to blow it over those troublesome traps.
Yes, threats remain. Not least a run out at 345 yards and dense rough – making that second shot tough – for those errant off the tee. But while laying up and sticking it close can still bring a birdie, this feels like a hole where power may prevail.
Who has the edge?: Accuracy or brute force? On a course that could favour Europe’s dead-eyed sharp-shooters overall, the 4th may lean towards the USA’s big bombers. All eyes should be on Bryson DeChambeau, who is sure to be explosive if he gets to open his shoulders in fourball.
The 12th
Augusta National has Amen Corner, but the 501-yard Par 4 12th at Bethpage Black finishes a three-hole stretch that defines difficult.
How much of the corner of the dogleg do the players want to try and cut? Those who don’t get it right could be planted in a huge cross bunker that stretches across the left-hand side.
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Those who are too conservative, though, can run out of fairway and we all know how speed destroying the rough can be at Bethpage Black.
Whatever route they take, the green is tucked into the left corner, ringed by bunkers, and players are unlikely to be able to see a putting surface that slopes all over the place.
Who has the edge?: It’s no use bombing and blasting here. It’s the road to ruin. Finding the fairway and being able to hit a canny approach is what is required. You’d like to think it’s manna from heaven for the likes of Justin Rose and Matthew Fitzpatrick. We don’t like stereotypes, but if it you make it brawn vs brains – Le Golf National anyone? – we’d like to think it favours a European style.
The 15th
Ranked the most difficult hole at the 2002 and 2009 US Opens and the source of 171 bogeys at the 2019 PGA Championship, the 15th doesn’t initially seem ultra nasty at 487 yards on the scorecard.
But miss the fairway at this Par 4 and it’s tough to hit one of the most difficult greens on the golf course. The approach is straight uphill and the putting surface is well protected by deep bunkers. That green is some 50 feet higher than the fairway and is two-tiered.
Bethpage Black’s greens aren’t hugely renowned for their big slopes, but this moves diagonally from back to front. It’s not just hitting the green that’s crucial, it’s holding it.
Players averaged around half a shot over par in both US Opens here – making it one of the toughest holes in tournament history. Match play holes are usually won with birdies. Here, par may be more than enough.
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Who has the edge?: Aggressive tee shots from big hitters will flirt with punishment but, in fourballs particularly, might see the likes of DeChambeau tempted to go all out. No player gained more strokes gained off the tee than the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. And if he finds the fairway, watch out. He was also superb in approach to green stats.
Rory McIlroy and Rasmus Højgaard were two of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour in 2025, while Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood were all in the top 5 in those approach the green numbers.
The 17th
A chance to finish it off, or an opportunity to create one final flourish? Who doesn’t love a late par 3 in match play and this is one of the best at Bethpage Black.
At 207 yards, it will be a test of mid-irons to a green that is wide – at 43 yards – but is narrow in the middle section. Will they go with a central pin in the Sunday singles?
Bunkers are everywhere here, cocooning the green and catching any shot that doesn’t find the middle of the clubface. The back bunkers look terrifying for anyone short-sided but those in front are actually the most severe.
Who has the edge?: Expect big crowds and a lot of noise around what’s destined to be an amphitheatre. It should be pure box office. Who will hold their nerve under pressure? We think this is made for a late clutch putt from our European heroes.
Now have your say on Bethpage Black
What do you think? Are these the key Ryder Cup holes where the event will be decided? What would you add to the mix? Let us know by leaving a comment on X.
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