Attend the Ryder Cup? No Thanks.

I have been fortunate to have attended my fair share of big time sporting events/venues; Duke/UNC, Notre Dame/Florida State, The Masters, US Open’s, PGA’s, US Junior Amateur, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field and Heinz Stadium.

I have also been known to say through the years that I have absolutely no interest in ever attending my favorite sporting event, the Ryder Cup. Fifty something thousand people ascending on four morning and four afternoon matches, thirty-forty deep?  No thank you! Television coverage with red flags, blue flags, interviews, commentary, analysis, player profiles and immediate access to the action is a far better option!

Things changed in August of 2016 when a business associate extended an invitation to a practice round at the 41st Ryder Cup matches at Hazeltine Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.  My response was immediate!

We arrived on the grounds at the crack of dawn on Wednesday morning (after a complimentary Bloody Mary from my host in the lobby of the hotel) not wanting to miss a moment of the pageantry and excitement of the event. The atmosphere, as we stood in line at the gate, was nothing short of electric. The fans from both sides of the pond were enthusiastic, hospitable, friendly and grateful. Anticipation filled the air!

Access to the players and the holes they were playing was non-existent. We had the choice of following a group (hole by hole) or hunkering down at given hole, waiting for passersby’s. Neither option was particularly attractive as the crowds were overwhelming. Somehow and somewhat unexpectedly, that really didn’t seem to matter to us! We were enthralled with the enormity and significance of the event and meeting new friends with a singular purpose…having an absolute blast!

Ryder Cup Facts:
The origin of the Ryder cup dates back to 1921. In an attempt to encourage players from the States to participate in the Open Championship (a costly and time consuming venture), the PGA sponsored twelve players to participate in the Open Championship and a pre-Open match against a team of Great Britain players (The Glasgow Herald Tournament) held at Gleneagles on June 6th. The British team won the tournament 9-3-3, with five foursome matches in the morning and ten singles matches in the afternoon.

Note:

• Jock Hutchinson from the United States won the 1921 Open Championship at St. Andrews, Scotland, becoming the first American player to win an Open Championship.
• The first official Ryder Cup match occurred in 1927 at Worcester Country Club in Worcester, Massachusetts, with the home team winning 9 ½ – 2 ½.
• The Ryder Cup is named after Samuel Ryder, an English businessman who made his fortune as a seed salesman, creating and distributing “penny packs” of seed, allowing consumers to buy smaller quantities for their homes and gardens.
• The Ryder Cup, commissioned by Samuel Ryder, cost $400. It was a simple gold statue with a golfer adorning the top of the trophy, 17-inches high, 9-inches wide, weighing a total of four pounds.
• North Irish players began to compete on the Great Britain team in 1947, Republic of Ireland players began to compete on the Great Britain team in 1953 and continental European players began to compete on the former Great Britain team, now the European team, in 1979.
• The PGA sponsors and operates the United States Ryder Cup team, while the PGA Tour sponsors and operates the United States President’s Cup team.
• Phil Mickelson has participated on twelve straight Ryder Cup teams (including 2018) and twenty-three consecutive Ryder Cup and President’s Cup teams. Jim Furyk sits in second place with fifteen straight Ryder Cup/President’s Cup teams.
• Phil Mickelson has never participated on a winning Ryder Cup team on European soil.

2018 Ryder Cup:
Dates: September 28 through September 30th
Location: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Ile-de-France, France
Course: Le Golf National (Albatros Course)
Par: 71
Length: 7,331 yards
Team Records: United States (26), Europe (13), Draws (2)

The United States team favors wide fairways, minimal rough, fast greens (13-14 on the stimpmeter) and accessible pin placements, however in France, they will experience narrow fairways, ample rough, slower greens (11 on the stimpmeter) and tucked pins. Good luck fellas!

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