Ryder Cup Set To Drive $160 Million Economic Boost as Short-Term Rental Demand Surges 278%

Long Island, NY, has rolled out the welcome mat for the Ryder Cup 2025, a tournament set to inject $16 million into the local economy.

And homeowners in the area are ready to cash in as they capitalize on the lack of accommodations.

"Long Island is a surprising market, and this is a pricey event," Bram Gallagher, director of economics at AirDNA, tells Realtor.com®.

AirDNA, a short-term rental data provider, analyzed new data and found a spike in demand on Long Island—87% higher than the same time last year.

Economists say revenue in the area where the Ryder Cup is hosted (Bay Shore, Brookhaven, Farmingdale, Babylon, Huntington, Islip, Patchogue, and Smithtown) has quadrupled compared to the same time last year.

For the week of the Ryder Cup, over $2.1 million in short-term rental revenue has been booked, compared to $476,322 the same week last year.

Farmingdale, which is where the Bethpage Black Golf Course is located, is seeing a 607% jump in short-term rental revenue this week alone, compared to the prior year.

The biennial tournament is attracting fans from all over the world and drawing international attention during the span of the tournament.

Bethpage Black Golf Course will host 24 of the best American and European gol›fers, including Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and Rory McIlroy. What sets this apart from other professional golf tournaments is the "bragging" rights, as it pits the U.S. against Europe.

The Ryder Cup is expected to bring in 250,000 visitors and give a $160 million economic boost to Long Island, according to Long Island Association (LIA) research.

Bethpage Black is located in Farmingdale, which has a population of 8,553, according to the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data. It's about 40 miles outside of New York City and, without traffic, it could take about an hour and 15 minutes.

Visitors looking to stay near Bethpage have 16 hotels to choose from—all nearly sold out with current prices per night of $900 to $1,000, according to LIA.

AirDNA found a spike in demand for the cities closest to Bethpage Black:

• Huntington: Demand up 278%, average daily rate up 48%
• Farmingdale/Babylon: Demand up 188%, ADR up 145%
• Smithtown: Demand up 181%, ADR up 43%
• Patchogue: Demand up 122%, ADR up 95%

"Golf attracts a pretty well-heeled kind of clientele," explains Gallagher. "Long Island, too, is kind of an exclusive destination. So the price changes here, I think, [are] more significant where you might see 15% to 20% for, say, a concert coming into a town."

Costly accommodations

The economists at AirDNA looked at short-term rental demand compared to the same time in 2024. Farmingdale and Babylon saw the ADR increase by 145%.

Gallagher says some visitors may have booked far in advance, with homeowners looking to rent out their homes.

"You do want to be very, very data-conscious. So even just looking on the Airbnb website and see what your neighbors are pricing their homes at. These are sort of important, because the last thing you want to do is 'not' rent [out] your Airbnb during the Ryder Cup," he says.

AirDNA identified the three most expensive properties in Farmingdale, which have been booked for the Ryder Cup dates:

• A 5-bed, 2-bath home that is a 9-minute drive from the golf course, sleeps 13 people, and is on the water: $7,672/per night.
• A 5-bed, 2-bath home that is an 8-minute drive from the golf course and sleeps 14 people: $7,505/per night.
• A 4-bed, 4-bath home that is a 13-minute drive from the golf course, sleeps 8 people, and is on the water: $7,503/per night.

All three properties marketed their listings for the Ryder Cup, and the third listing was available "only" for the Ryder Cup, according to AirDNA.

"You could have people that are entering the market just for this event," says Gallagher. "They can stay in a hotel in Jersey City while the Ryder Cup is going on, and pay for that, as well as all their meals, or what have you.

"There might be some people that are going to list their home, but for very, very high prices, just in case. They're not realistically expecting to rent, but if they do, that would be a lot of money."

International appeal

The international appeal of the Ryder Cup is a chance for Long Islanders to put their best foot forward. The Hamptons and Montauk are already on the map, attracting high rollers ready to invest in luxury real estate. However, with a course like Bethpage Black, the allure of the area is different.

For perspective, the median home price in Bridgehampton is $8.5 million, compared to $704,500 in Farmingdale.

It was announced all the way back in 2013 that Bethpage Black would host the 2025 Ryder Cup. Tournament ticket packages (including hotel, transportation, and upgraded meals) range from $7,000 to $20,000.

"The Ryder Cup attracts international, high-spending fans," Ilmars Vosels, golf fan and a foreign real estate investor, tells Realtor.com. "In addition to short-term rentals, they boost the income of restaurants, transport, and local stores. This influx makes the towns more visible to the prospective travelers and investors, which will have a long-term economic effect."

The golf course is located at Bethpage State Park, known as the "country club for the people." The Black course is one of five 18-hole courses in the park. And, don't be deceived by the "state park" status, as the demand to play at this public course is high.

Online access is available to reserve a tee time, and a competitive queue forms early in the morning, or sometimes the night before, in the parking lot to try to score a "highly priced" tee time.

Official play for the Ryder Cup starts on Sept. 26 and concludes on Sept. 28.