The Forgotten Man Behind Bethpage Black - Who Really Designed Bethpage Black
For decades, golfers believed A.W. Tillinghast designed Bethpage Black.
After all, his name appeared in golf books, magazine articles, television broadcasts, and conversations among golfers whenever the legendary New York layout was mentioned. The architect behind Winged Foot, Baltusrol, San Francisco Golf Club, and dozens of other masterpieces seemed like the obvious creator of America's most famous public golf course.
But the real story is far more fascinating.
The man most responsible for designing and building Bethpage Black wasn't a celebrated golf architect whose name appeared in coffee-table books. He was Joseph H. Burbeck, the superintendent of Bethpage State Park, whose remarkable contribution remained hidden for nearly seventy years.
A Letter That Changed Golf History
In the years leading up to the 2002 U.S. Open, a letter arrived at Golf Digest.
It wasn't from a famous architect or historian.
It came from Joe Burbeck, the son of Joseph Burbeck.
For decades he had listened as the golf world credited Tillinghast for Bethpage Black while his father's name faded into obscurity. He admitted he had little hard evidence beyond family memories—watching his father work over blueprints, visiting construction crews on the property, and hearing his mother insist that Joseph Burbeck never received the recognition he deserved.
Those memories prompted researchers to dig through the archives.
What they found changed one of golf's longest-standing assumptions.
The Smoking Gun
Buried in the 1959 Official History of the Long Island State Parks was a simple but powerful statement:
"The four golf courses...were designed and constructed under the direction of Joseph H. Burbeck...with A.W. Tillinghast...as consultant."
It wasn't an opinion.
It was an official government record.
Additional historical documents reinforced the same conclusion. Even Tillinghast himself wrote in 1937 that the concept for the Black Course originated with Burbeck, whose ambition was to build a public course capable of standing alongside Pine Valley as one of the game's greatest tests.
So What Did Tillinghast Do?
This doesn't diminish Tillinghast's legacy.
Far from it.
He served as a consultant, reviewed plans, and almost certainly influenced design details during construction. Historical accounts suggest he even took particular interest in portions of the fourth hole. His experience undoubtedly made Bethpage Black better.
But the routing, the day-to-day oversight, and the extraordinary task of turning rugged Long Island terrain into a championship golf course belonged to Joseph Burbeck.
Think of it this way:
Tillinghast was the legendary advisor.
Burbeck was the man on the ground bringing the vision to life.
Building a Monster During the Great Depression
Construction of Bethpage Black wasn't accomplished with today's fleet of bulldozers and GPS-guided equipment.
It was built during the Great Depression as a massive public works project.
Hundreds of workers shaped fairways, dug bunkers, moved earth, and transformed the rolling landscape into what would become one of the world's toughest tests of golf.
Burbeck directed that enormous effort while carrying out Robert Moses' vision of creating world-class recreation that ordinary people could afford.
One More Hidden Secret
Here's a detail even many longtime Bethpage fans don't know.
According to Joe Burbeck, his father also designed the famous Bethpage Caddie Boy logo—the silhouette that has become synonymous with Bethpage State Park and has appeared on tee markers, signage, apparel, and memorabilia for generations. While difficult to independently verify today, it's another fascinating piece of Burbeck family history that adds to his enduring connection with the course.
Recognition at Last
Following Golf Digest's investigation, the publication updated its records to credit Joseph H. Burbeck as the architect of Bethpage Black, with A.W. Tillinghast listed as consultant. Other golf publications and historical references have since followed that lead, giving Burbeck the recognition his family had sought for decades.
It's a reminder that golf history is still evolving—and that sometimes the most important figures aren't the ones whose names became famous.
A Caddie's Perspective
Ask a Bethpage caddie about the Black Course and you'll hear stories about the warning sign, brutal bunkers, towering rough, and unforgettable walk through one of golf's greatest public venues.
But perhaps the most remarkable story isn't found on any scorecard.
It's that the man who created this masterpiece quietly watched generations of golfers admire his work while someone else received most of the credit.
Thankfully, history has finally caught up.
Discover Bethpage Black Like a Local
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