Bethpage Black Named Fifth Toughest Course

 is one of America's 75 toughest courses, according to Golf Digest's January 2012 issue.

The Farmingdale course ranked fifth toughest thanks to gruelling uphills and its long-distance pars. 

The magazine's editors last ranked America's toughest courses back in 2007 based on their own experiences, but this year opted to ask roughly 1,100 golf panelists to name the 15 courses "that wear them out the most." The ballot included all 50 courses from the 2007 list, the 100 courses with the highest combined USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating scores and others.

Courses earned points for appearing on panelists' top-15 lists. Panelists said that Bethpage Black is "a big, brawny test" and "without a doubt the very hardest course I've ever played." The course is also included on a slideshow of the magazine's 20 toughest courses.

Bethpage Black is the site of the 2012 Barclays Tournament coming in August. Village of Farmingdale officials for the 35,000 plus attendees expected and volunteer applications open on Feb. 13.

Bethpage Black, designed by A.W. Tillinghast, last hosted the U.S. Open in 2009, a rain-drenched, five-day tournament won by Lucas Glover. It became the first public course to host the Open in 2002, where Tiger Woods outlasted the likes of Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson to win. 

Do you play at Bethpage Black? Tell us in the comments.