By Mia Bello

The 2025 Ryder Cup will be held here on Long Island at the Bethpage Black Course. The three-day tournament, taking place September 26-28th, features a team of 12 elite U.S golfers and 12 elite European golfers. For those unfamiliar with golf, think of the Ryder Cup as the sport’s Superbowl. The location of the tournament alternates every two years between Europe and the United States. 

President of Adelphi’s Golf Club senior Elizabeth Saladino is very excited about the tournament. She said, “The energy and rivalries make it so fun to watch.” 

In fact, the Ryder Cup is adding to the success of this newly-formed club. “Starting the Adelphi Golf Club now feels perfect because we want to bring that same excitement here,” Saladino added.

The towns of Bethpage and Farmingdale are set to experience a dramatic influx of visitors, with an expected 250,000 attendees over the course of the weekend. Ryder Cup employee Olivia Golembiowski loves the work but acknowledges the complexities of dealing with so many guests. She said,, “Working for Lessing’s Hospitality during the Ryder Cup has been one of the craziest, most unique experiences of my life. It’s this huge mix of organized chaos. Between the packed parking lots, road closures, and the nonstop rush of people, it’s hard to not get swept up in it all.” 

In order to accommodate the 50,000 plus visitors per day, public parking for general admission is held at Jones Beach State Park (30 minutes from the event). Shuttles will make regular trips to pick up and drop off attendees over the course of the weekend. Those who take the Long Island Rail Road should arrive at the Farmingdale Train station where shuttles will provide rides to the tournament’s main entrance. Farmingdale State College (FSC) scheduled their fall break for September 22-27, giving tournament staff and employees access to the 4,000 campus parking spots. 

It is no secret that golf is one of the most expensive sports in the world, and people are willing to pay. In fact, PGA America increased the ticket prices for the 2025 Cup, starting at $750 per competition not including additional fees and parking expenditures. Despite the high prices, tickets sold out hours after going on sale. 

Listing for a private home for rent as seen on the website Accommodation for the Event.

Many Long Islanders are using the tournament as an opportunity to cash out. Homeowners are renting out their homes on websites like Rent like a Champion, Accommodations for the Cup, Airbnb and Facebook. According to Facebook ads, some homes are listed for thousands of dollars per night. On the website Accomodations for the Event,  a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom home in Farmingdale, located only a 5 minute drive from the course, is asking $55,000, while another residence in Brookville is listed for a whopping $90,000. And for the folks who are not interested in renting out their homes, they are renting out their driveways. Extended wait times for rides are to be expected and the Cup does not guarantee driver availability from Bethpage State Park especially during peak hours of the tournament. Round Swamp Road, a main access to the venue,  will be closed. This makes driveway rentals extremely desirable. Creative locals are clearing their driveways making them available for rent. According to some Facebook ads, driveways within walking distance to the course  are renting for $100-$200 per day. 

Area residents are posting ads for private driveway rentals on Facebook.

Despite some inconveniences,  Long Islanders are lucky to experience the Superbowl of Golf in our backyard and are sure to enjoy its energy.