(Ryan Book has been published in The Golfer’s Journal and probably some other golf and music publications you’ve never heard of).
Bethpage Black Metal is just one of 1,000 ways you can spin the same theme: People who like metal are not welcome in golf. More accurately, people who like many things are not welcome in golf. Strict regulations on apparel, cell phone, locker rooms…hell, some places still haven’t figured out racial and gender normalization yet.
There will always be a higher cost to become a golfer than to become a bowler. But that’s not why the game is struggling. Bethpage Black Metal hopes to shake the game’s perception up—if ever in the slightest—from the starchy demeanor that has turned so many off, by weekly reporting and commenting on golf courses, architecture, and news.
Oh, but seriously: We enjoy metal music, and it will pop up frequently. It seems like a paradox, but your snobby golf friend and your snobby metal friend are actually exactly the same. If you don’t like it, start a golf blog based on your favorite genre of music.
All photos by Bethpage Black Metal unless stated otherwise. So, basically just the header images.