The People’s Country Club: The Conflicts that Forged Bethpage Black Paperback – September 25, 2025

At the first tee of Bethpage Black stands a sign that has become legend: “The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.”For decades, this warning has haunted and inspired players from weekend golfers to U.S. Open champions. Yet behind the legend of Bethpage Black lies a story rarely told — the turbulent clash of power, artistry, and endurance that brought the “people’s country club” into being during the depths of the Great Depression.In this concise, 100-page narrative, Odd J. Stalebrink reimagines the lives of three men whose visions collided on Long Island in the 1930s: Robert Moses, A.W. Tillinghast, and Joseph Burbeck. Together, and often at odds, they forged a course that would test generations of golfers and redefine public golf in America.Drawing on archival records, period journalism, and careful reconstruction, The People’s Country Club tells a story of conflict as much as creation — of visionary dreams colliding with political ambition and human frailty. The result was Bethpage Black: brutal, beautiful, and democratic in its demand. Read more