Red numbers may be rare at Bethpage

Don't expect many red numbers this week at Bethpage Black.

The site for this year's U.S. Open, Bethpage State Park's Black Course has been likened to a torture chamber by a two-time champion and the toughest test in golf by others.

Whatever it's unofficial title, the Black Course will provide one of the stiffest tests in major tournament history and produce an extremely worthy champion.

The Black Course is the longest layout in Open history, a par-70 measuring 7,214 yards, most of which is surrounded by Heather that covers the shins of golfers playing out of the rough.

That's one word to describe the Black Course -- rough. South Africa's Ernie Els, who won the Open in 1994 and 1997, said it's more like torturous.

"That's what it is, a torture chamber, sometimes," the third-ranked player in the world said. "When you're done here in four days, you know you've worked hard on every aspect of your game."

Like any U.S. Open, every aspect of a player's game will be tested when the tournament gets under way Thursday.

Golfers need to be long and accurate while avoiding gnarly rough. There are bunkers that go eight feet deep and super-fast greens making relatively flat putting surfaces challenging. Plus, the wind has begun to blow.

"Apart from that, it's dead easy," said Britain's Nick Faldo, a six-time major champion playing on a special exemption from the USGA.

Driving the ball will be especially important. Players need to keep it in the fairways to avoid the rough, which in places is preventing advances of more than 40 yards.

Chris DiMarco has three words of advice.

"Hit it straight," he said.

"I just think that the rough here this week is probably as bad as I've seen it in all of my time playing U.S. Opens," Els added. "I think it's going to be really penalizing this week."

Penalizing to everybody. There's not one player in the field that can overpower the rough and pull off a remarkable shot to any of the greens.

"It doesn't matter who you are," said defending champion Retief Goosen of South Africa. "If you're going to hit it in the rough, you're not going to be able to get it on the green."

Heavy rough is nothing knew to the Open. In fact, its part of the tradition.

The motto used to be, "if you miss it big, miss it where the gallery is," taking advantage of rough trampled down by fans. That's not the case at the Black Course.

"We have a regular cut of rough about four inches and we have thick, two-foot Heather before we get to the people," world No. 2 Phil Mickelson said. "And the gallery is walking in thick Heather and trees."

"It doesn't matter where the spectators are going to walk," Goosen added. "The rough is two feet long. You won't have much of a chance."

When players are avoiding the rough and spectacular bunkers, they'll take their chances on "flat" greens that were expected to be scoreable. That hasn't been the case in practice rounds.

"Well, they call them flat, but I haven't had a straight putt yet," Faldo said. "They are very slippery, and they have got such a good surface on them. Plus, we haven't been here before to read them."

"They are a fair speed for the conditions out there," added Davis Love III, who called the 15th green the most severe he has played in the United States. "If the wind blows a little bit and they dry out, they are going to get really tough."

Throw in the heat, which is expected to be in the mid-80s with high humidity, and the pressure of a major tournament and you've got one of the most difficult tests in recent history.

"It takes a lot of energy out of you to play this championship and play it well and contend," said superstar Tiger Woods. "It takes a lot out of you. By the end of the week, you're pretty fried."

By the end of the week, the USGA will crown a most deserving champion, one that is able to combine length and accuracy with mental toughness and nerves.

"I think one thing that they really do get right is they get the right champion for the week," Els said. "Every year, every aspect of your game gets the test it deserves."

"It's a very fair test," added Goosen, who said the course likely will provide the toughest test in Open history. "And whoever wins this week knows he's played great golf."

Not that everyone is ready for the first round.

"You wait in trepidation for tomorrow," Faldo said. "You just don't know what's in store.

"If you play well, you're cool with it. If you don't, it will just grab you by the arms. It's as tough as anybody has ever seen."