Ryder Cup 2025 prompts Long Island residents near Bethpage Black to rent out driveways and homes
Excitement is building for this month's 2025 Ryder Cup on Long Island.
With the world's greatest professional golfers set to arrive at Bethpage Black for the biannual battle between the U.S. and Europe from Sept. 26-28, local residents are busy renting out their homes and driveways. The tournament could end up being quite a financial windfall for many.
"I will open my driveway up"
"This is much bigger than the U.S. Open and PGA [Championship]. I will open my driveway up. People will rent it for the day. They can walk. We are close enough. It should be fun," Farmingdale resident Ken Amato said.
Down the block, retirees Alfonso and Giusephina Saccone said they also hope to get in on the action, suggesting they could get $100 per day for their driveway.
However, driveway hawking is nothing compared to renting out your entire home, Plainview realtor Stephen Gaon said.
"Twenty thousand dollars for the week to up over $60,000 for the week of the Ryder Cup," Gaon said.
Farmingdale's rules on renting driveways and homes
According to Discover Long Island, 12,000 hotel rooms closest to Bethpage Black have already been booked, which is why local rentals are exploding.
"Corporate sponsors are setting up their executives and high-level clients, and would rather rent private homes," Gaon said.
Farmingdale has rules and regulations when it comes to private rentals. Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand says driveway rental is legal, but renting homes requires a village fire inspection.
"You will be fined, however, if you start parking on lawns," Ekstrand said, adding on the inspection, "We will get you a safety permit."
Farmingdale businesses like Bagel Hut expect business to boom.
"So they'll get a taste of our bagels and hopefully maybe some of the golfers will, too," owner Gary Turturo said.
What to know about Bethpage Black and how to get there
Bethpage Black has been preparing for the event for three years and those in attendance will be experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The Black Course is special because it is a public golf course.
Crowds of 50,000 are expected on each of the four days, with many fans already concerned about where they will be able to park. Organizers say your best bet is taking the Long Island Rail Road to Farmingdale.
The LIRR will be adding extra train service throughout the tournament and offering a $175 special event ticket. There will be eight extra eastbound trains and one extra westbound train on weekdays during the tournament and nine extra eastbound trains on the weekend. For a full schedule, click here.
No parking is allowed at Bethpage State Park or Farmingdale Station, the MTA says. Those who choose to drive will have to park at Jones Beach, then take a shuttle bus to the golf course. Parking at Jones Beach is not free.
Drivers can also park at the Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch LIRR stations for free on weekends, then take a train. Drivers can also park at the Mineola Intermodal Center for a fee.
Ryder Cup rosters and format
The Ryder Cup is held every two years, with each team's roster consisting of six automatic qualifiers, based on where they stood in the points standings in mid-August, and six captain's picks.
Team USA Captain Keegan Bradley recently announced automatic qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked player in the world and owner of five PGA Tour wins this season, plus J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Bradley later added captain's picks: Justin Thomas, a two-time PGA Championship winner; Collin Morikawa, a former PGA and Open Championship winner; Patrick Cantlay; Ben Griffin; Sam Burns, and Cameron Young.
Team Europe's roster is nearly identical to the 2023 squad that beat the U.S. at Marco Simone Golf and County Club in Italy. Rory McIlroy, this year's Masters champion and an eight-time Ryder Cup participant, leads automatic qualifiers Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Rasmus Höjgaard, who replaced his twin brother Nicolai, and former U.S. Open champion Justin Rose.
Captain Luke Donald selected Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, and former U.S. Open and Masters champion Jon Rahm as his captain's picks.
The players will compete in a combination of match play formats over three days -- foursomes (alternate shot), four ball (best ball), and singles. Each match is worth 1 point and to win the Ryder Cup, one side must amass at least 14.5 points.
The U.S. has won the Ryder Cup a record 27 times, but since the event switched to a U.S. vs. Europe format in 1979, Europe leads 12-11, including the 16.5-11.5 victory two years ago.