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If you think of state parks as places for camping, hiking and summer barbecues, you're in for a big surprise at this unusual Long Island facility. Originally developed in the 1930s on the site of a former country club, Bethpage State Park is home to the Bethpage Black Course, which in 2002 became the first public course ever to host the U.S. Open. While tee times are notoriously difficult to come by, "the Black" (as locals call it) offers a rare opportunity to play 18 holes of true championship golf for less $100.

Players who are not confident in their game should heed the daunting sign posted at the approach to the first tee, which warns "The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers." The classic American design by early 20^th-century architect A.W. Tillinghast features narrow, hilly fairways, small greens, shaggy, ball-swallowing roughs and plenty of lovely old trees that look nice in the fall but can wreak havoc on your game when a drive misses its mark. No carts are allowed on the Black, so you'll have to walk the entire circuit, which measures 7,295 yards from the championship blue tees. The course is open seasonally from April through November, weather permitting, and even though this is a state park, players are asked to wear "appropriate golf attire," which means shirts with collars, no excessively short shorts or skirts, and no tattered jeans.

Like the game of golf itself, scoring a tee time for the Black Course requires perseverance, determination and a certain amount of luck. Times are made available to New York State residents via a telephone reservation system exactly seven days in advance starting at 7 pm, and all available times typically sell out within minutes. A limited number of tee times (including all times for the first hour of each day and one per hour thereafter) are available to walk-ups, and it's not unusual for golfers to arrive the night before and sleep in their cars in the parking lot to be first in line. For more information, call the park service reservation system at 516-249-0707, or call Bethpage State Park at 516-249-0700.

Less accomplished players and those who fail to get a coveted Black Course tee time can try one of the other four courses that share the same clubhouse. While the Blue, Green, Yellow and Red courses at Bethpage lack the star quality of the Black, tee times are easier to get, carts are permitted, green fees are even lower, and the level of play is more appropriate for the average golfer.