The United States Golf Association, although younger than the Royal and Ancient at St Andrews, has always been a pillar of society.

They have been very bold on choosing golf courses for Majors on many occasions - probably more so than the R and A.

So it came as little surprise when the Association chose to go with the Bethpage club, about 40 miles from New York City.

It's a huge public facility - a municipal golf course which has five in number.

The Black course, which is going to be used, has been re-jigged, re-bunkered and smartened up.

There are about 30,000-40,000 rounds of golf played per year at the location - but the condition the course is in, is really quite remarkable.

Long course

It's a very bold decision to take the huge championship to such a big location.

The fact that there are four other courses running near by means that they have room to park cars, erect tented villages and do whatever else to please the public at Major championships.

I have to say it's a fascinating course.

Although it's been smartened up and the rough has been left to grow.

It also has a par of 70. A lot of people back in the UK would probably assume because of that, it's a diddly little course.

But it's actually 7,214 yards in length - long and quite narrow.

So it's going to call for some straight hitting and very good nerves, because the greens are also quite tricky and slopey.