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Wednesday was the final practice day at Bethpage before the competition really begins on Thursday. And apparently that's not all that begins on Thursday. Word is rain will be the story this entire week and the course is already completely saturated from a very wet month in the northeast. It's already pouring here Thursday morning and the wind is whistling, but it was gorgeous on Wednesday so we headed out to take in the action!

What strikes you after you spend some time on the Black course at Bethpage is just how tough of a walk it is. The routing is pretty good with most tees and greens close together, but the elevation changes are what wear you down. It seems like every hole has an elevated tee and green but you're not only walking up and down all day, most of the time you're walking on the side of a hill. One upside to all the rain the course has received is everything is very lush and green. One downside, of course, is that includes the rough. It's not the height that strikes you (it's probably about 3-4 inches deep) but just how thick it is. From the tee you may think you have some room to land your ball off the fairway before the fescue comes in to play but when the rough swallows your golf ball, you'll quickly realize how vital it is to be in the fairway.

The players seemed pretty relaxed although it wasn't very busy in the afternoon as most headed out early to get some rest. Rain or not, this is the U.S. Open and it demands near perfection in every aspect of the game. Get ready for an exciting, grueling week of championship golf.

We want to know, have you ever played Bethpage Black? If so, what was your experience? What do you remember the most and what was your most memorable hole? Click on COMMENT and let us know!