Long Island homeowners charge thousands for Ryder Cup stays

As the Ryder Cup rolls into Bethpage Black beginning Sept. 26, Long Island homeowners are finding that the real money comes in handing over their house keys.

With tens of thousands of fans scrambling for scarce accommodations, locals are renting out everything from spare bedrooms — to their driveways. 

The prices? They’re eye-watering. 

A four-bedroom Farmingdale house listed on Airbnb within walking distance of the course is listed for more than $25,000 for five nights. Another three-bedroom, just 6 miles away, is asking more than $34,000 for the week.

Even Airbnbs farther afield are cashing in: a Northport property with four bedrooms and an attached apartment is $16,000 for four nights, while a 10-person home in Westbury is tagged at nearly $20,000 for Ryder Cup weekend.

One Bethpage listing, for its part, is pushing close to $30,000 for just four nights. Made up of five bedrooms and three baths, the home is about a mile from Bethpage Black.

There are other associated costs, to boot.

Entering Bethpage Black for one of the main match days now costs about $750 for a single-day badge, which includes unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages. Practice days aren’t cheap either — Tuesday and Wednesday run about $255 each, and Thursday, which includes opening ceremonies, is set around $424.  

At least for local residents, they’re surely raking it in.

“It was a number that definitely made it worth it,” Plainview’s Matt Lenner, who rented his home through a hospitality company, told Greater Long Island. “My daughter is having her Bat Mitzvah this year and my son just started college, so this extra cash is nice.” His wife was hesitant at first, but, as he put it, “money talks.”

Others are seizing the opportunity simply because they don’t care for golf. 

“We were never going to the Ryder Cup anyway, so it’s not like we’re missing out by not being here,” Sarah Bogaty of Plainview, who is taking her family to Florida after securing a renter, added.

Neither Lenner nor Bogaty revealed the exact amounts they secured, but both acknowledged the deals fell within the sky-high range local homes are commanding — from the mid-$20,000s to well above $30,000 for the week.

On the smaller scale, when it comes to precious parking space, Farmingdale resident Ken Amato told CBS News: “I will open my driveway up. People will rent it for the day. They can walk. We are close enough. It should be fun.” 

Amato did not disclose how much he would be renting his driveway for. (Down the block, retirees Alfonso and Giusephina Saccone figure they can get $100 a day for theirs.)

Al Laquinta, a Wantagh-based realtor, told The Post that so many places have been booked a year in advance, when prices were “regular.”

“But now because there’s so many people coming last minute, people can charge whatever they want,” Laquinta said. “I’ve seen listings for $50K for the week,” adding that the golf clientele are particularly willing to pay high prices for the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Realtor Stephen Gaon said the price range for homes is staggering. 

“Twenty thousand dollars for the week to up over $60,000 for the week of the Ryder Cup,” he said, adding that much of the demand is corporate. “Corporate sponsors are setting up their executives and high-level clients, and would rather rent private homes.”

The supply crunch explains it. According to Discover Long Island, more than 12,000 hotel rooms across the region are already booked. Sharon Wyman, the group’s chief operating officer, called it “unprecedented demand,” adding, “Seeing rooms booked east of Bethpage is tremendous for Suffolk County.”

The Ryder Cup, often likened to a mix of the World Series and the Super Bowl, will bring an estimated 50,000 spectators each day. Organizers warn parking will be near impossible; driveways and trains are expected to be the real ticket.

The Lenners still haven’t decided where they’ll spend the week while strangers take over their home. For them, the trade-off is clear. 

“What’s the worst that can happen? I have to buy new linens, or even a new bed?” Matt said.

Additional reporting by Alex Mitchell