Concerns Over Automated Reservations at Bethpage Golf Courses
A recent report from the State Inspector General highlights that bots, programmed to perform automated tasks rapidly, significantly threaten the security of tee times at Bethpage State Park’s five golf courses. This issue is particularly acute for the popular Black course, especially in light of its upcoming role in September’s Ryder Cup.
While the report indicates that manipulations of the park’s online reservation system pose a major risk to the integrity of booking systems at high-demand public golf courses, it also noted a scarcity of evidence showing individuals reselling tee times through various online platforms.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has already implemented enhancements to the foreUP online reservation system. These include a non-refundable $5 booking fee and a two-factor authentication system that sends a booking code via email to golfers aiming to secure a tee time. The report, disclosed by Newsday, presents additional recommendations and states that the state parks office is actively addressing the issue.
“Bethpage Black is a shared treasure — accessible to all by design,” stated New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “When bots surpass real New Yorkers in securing tee times, the essence of public access diminishes, undermining trust in New York’s public systems. We are diligently collaborating with OPRHP [the parks office] to ensure that enjoying one of the best golf courses in the nation is not monopolized by those misusing technology.”
Key Findings from the Inspector General’s Report
The Inspector General’s report emphasized the seriousness of bots in the booking process while uncovering “little evidence of the reselling” of these times. The improvements initiated include a booking fee, a verification system using two-factor authentication, and restrictions on the number of cancellations a player may make.
Further recommendations comprise monitoring accounts for “repetitive suspicious behavior,” randomizing tee time releases, establishing a virtual waiting room, and limiting booking requests from single IP addresses. The state parks office participated fully in the investigation, later affirming that there isn’t a severe underlying problem.
In its statement, the parks agency stressed, “We take concerns regarding automated reservation bots very seriously. Our systems are designed to ensure fairness, and to date, there is no evidence of widespread misuse or bots affecting the foreUP reservation system.”
Following the Ryder Cup, which concluded on September 28, Bethpage Black reopened to walk-ups on October 10, resuming online reservations thereafter. The lead-up to the Ryder Cup saw golfers camping out to secure tee times, as the course had closed to the public on August 17 in anticipation of the event.
