Can You Play Bethpage Black on FSX Play? Here’s How

Bethpage Black on FSX Play is a beast. The LIDAR data captures every elevation change, every bunker, every fairway contour. The famous warning sign on the first tee is there. The rough is punishing. The greens are firm and fast.

I played Bethpage Black on FSX Play from the back tees with U.S. Open conditions. I shot 84. I did not have a good time. That is the point.

Why FSX Play’s Bethpage Is the Definitive Version

FSX Play’s strength is visual fidelity, and Bethpage Black benefits from it. The course is defined by its elevation changes — the uphill approaches, the elevated tees, the canyon-like fairways. FSX Play’s LIDAR resolution captures these changes with enough detail that the 1st hole plays longer than the card says, the 4th hole plays shorter from the elevated tee, and the 10th hole feels like a 600-yard par 4 even though it is only 508.

The rough is the other standout feature. Bethpage Black’s rough is famously brutal. On FSX Play, the rough affects ball flight based on the actual lie data from the LIDAR scan. A ball sitting down in the rough produces a different shot than a ball sitting up. The penalty is variable, which is how real rough works.

The greens are fast and firm. FSX Play’s green physics handle the speed well — downhill putts run past, approach shots from below the hole leave long birdie attempts, and the ball releases correctly on firm settings. Bethpage Black’s greens are not the most complex in the FSX Play catalog, but they are fast enough to punish bad approach angles.

How to Access It

Buy Bethpage Black from the Foresight online store. $40-60 depending on current pricing. Receive a license key. Activate it in FSX Play. Download and play.

Set conditions to firm fairways, firm greens, and tournament tees. Bethpage Black from the forward tees is a pleasant walk in a state park. Bethpage Black from the back tees with firm conditions is a U.S. Open venue.

The Best Holes

The 1st: The famous warning sign appears before the first tee shot. The uphill 478-yard par 4 plays like 500+. FSX Play’s elevation data makes the uphill approach feel exactly as long as it is.

The 4th: The 571-yard par 5 from an elevated tee. On FSX Play, the view from the tee is spectacular — you can see the fairway below, the bunkers in the landing zone, and the green in the distance. The wind is always a factor here.

The 10th: The longest par 4 on the course at 508 yards. Uphill, narrow, demanding. FSX Play’s version captures the brutality of this hole better than any other platform.

The 15th: Water left, green sloping back to front. FSX Play’s green physics handle the slope correctly. You need to land the approach below the hole or face a downhill putt that will test your nerve.

The Cost Question

Bethpage Black on FSX Play costs $40-60. That is one course. For the same price, you could buy a full year of GSPro and play Bethpage Black plus 1,500 other courses.

The value argument is simple: if you already own a Foresight launch monitor and FSX Play, adding Bethpage Black is a no-brainer. It is one of the best courses in the FSX Play catalog and it plays exactly like the real thing.

If you are deciding between platforms, GSPro offers better value but lower visual quality. FSX Play offers the best-looking Bethpage Black available on any platform at a premium price.

For the full list of courses worth buying on FSX Play, read The Best Courses on FSX Play. Need the full software breakdown? Check the FSX Play Software Review.