Is there a more over-hyped event in golf than the Ryder Cup ….

[Mark Kiely]

I agree with the reset idea.
US team--and US golfers--just don't seem to put as much emphasis or interest in the event as the Europeans do.  Spieth says the US team is not sharp because it so far after the US Tour ends--and the Silly Season has begun.  Probably so.
But if the Ryder Cup really mattered more to the US, the US team would stay sharp--play at the Cup site, play European events, play Fall Silly events, etc.  US players don't do it, because the Ryder Cup is just not as important to them as their personal schedules.
Let's either accept that and accept defeat, or change the date, or reset it in some other way--or just forget it.
Embarrassing to just not care enough!

Two years ago, were all of those generalizations true for the Europeans when the U.S. won, 19-9?

[Peter Sayegh]

As an American, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Euros give them a proper beatdown. Such a whiny, pompous, FIGJAM-ish group that definitely had it coming.

Put me down as well as one who would love to have a drink with the Euros....and none of the Yanks.

P.S.  I don't understand the Ryder Cup hate on this forum, its almost as a bad as the latest Golf Ranking List bitch-fests.

Well said. Total agreement.

[Chris_Blakely]

As an American, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Euros give them a proper beatdown. Such a whiny, pompous, FIGJAM-ish group that definitely had it coming.

Put me down as well as one who would love to have a drink with the Euros....and none of the Yanks.

P.S.  I don't understand the Ryder Cup hate on this forum, its almost as a bad as the latest Golf Ranking List bitch-fests.

Well said. Total agreement.

While I as an American agree with the feeling of most of the members of the American team.  Rory really dropped numerous notches in my book.  You respond to what LaCava did by getting in a shooting match with a caddy that is known to be one of the nicest in the business and happens to be a friend of LaCava.  He then chooses to apologize to said caddy that had nothing to do with what happened to you via text! I guess he’s just a caddie so he may feel that treatment is fair, but I don’t!    As it says on the back of the card at the Lido treat your caddie like you would your son or daughter.  Class is a two way street in my book!


Chris

[Carl Rogers]

I agree with the reset idea.
US team--and US golfers--just don't seem to put as much emphasis or interest in the event as the Europeans do.  Spieth says the US team is not sharp because it so far after the US Tour ends--and the Silly Season has begun.  Probably so.
But if the Ryder Cup really mattered more to the US, the US team would stay sharp--play at the Cup site, play European events, play Fall Silly events, etc.  US players don't do it, because the Ryder Cup is just not as important to them as their personal schedules.
Let's either accept that and accept defeat, or change the date, or reset it in some other way--or just forget it.
Embarrassing to just not care enough!

The US Captain needs to have much more power to dictate pre-event playing, replacement of personnel with insufficient commitment and stop the popularity poll that determines team roster.
US was not ready to play on Friday morning.

[Tim Martin]

Each side would have to figure out the criteria but ten qualifiers and two Captain’s picks.

[Jim Hoak]

I agree with Carl.  Need to somehow have players who prioritize the event.
Tim, cutting the number of players would hurt the US.  US bottom 6 guys are always better than Europeans, whose top 6 are as good or better than the US.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Why don't teams have permanent captains, the way that a national soccer/football or rugby team has a full time coach?  You don't just pick someone who retired last year to be coach of the England football team as an honour.  Europe used to have this with Tony Jacklin.  It seems to me that would be more efficient and you could have someone give his full attention to the task.  And they could spend more time getting up to speed on players strengths/weaknesses, analytics, etc.  And could build from one event to the next, rather than having to get someone new up so speed every couple of years.

[Mike Schott]

In view of what took place yesterday evening on the 18th green and later on elsewhere a revisit to the original post would seem to be in order ....

"Is there a more over-hyped event in golf than the Ryder Cup … and is the level of hyping-up of events like it, the Solhiem Cup, the various Majors etc etc and all the various other activities that these days seem to go with them actually doing a detrimental disservice to golf?"

From this ...



To this .....


atb

Because 54 years ago the audience for the Ryder Cup was a fraction of what it's become. It's no longer a quaint gentleman's match.

[Jim Hoak]

Further to Carl's point about having committed players, wouldn't it be appropriate for each Captain to talk with his players, as a condition of staying on the team, to find out what their plans were for the month before the match--and to have the ability to suggest more work or tournaments to stay sharp.  I'm not sure all players would take kindly to that--but maybe you don't want them on the team if they object.

[Pat Burke]

As an American, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Euros give them a proper beatdown. Such a whiny, pompous, FIGJAM-ish group that definitely had it coming.

Put me down as well as one who would love to have a drink with the Euros....and none of the Yanks.

P.S.  I don't understand the Ryder Cup hate on this forum, its almost as a bad as the latest Golf Ranking List bitch-fests.

Well said. Total agreement.

While I as an American agree with the feeling of most of the members of the American team.  Rory really dropped numerous notches in my book.  You respond to what LaCava did by getting in a shooting match with a caddy that is known to be one of the nicest in the business and happens to be a friend of LaCava.  He then chooses to apologize to said caddy that had nothing to do with what happened to you via text! I guess he’s just a caddie so he may feel that treatment is fair, but I don’t!    As it says on the back of the card at the Lido treat your caddie like you would your son or daughter.  Class is a two way street in my book!


Chris

Ummm. He cancelled his first engagement similarly. Why we he show more class to Bones?  It’s his style

[Matthew Rose]

I think I just wish there was a little more decorum. But the toothpaste is already out of the tube....

[Sean_A]

I agree with the reset idea.
US team--and US golfers--just don't seem to put as much emphasis or interest in the event as the Europeans do.  Spieth says the US team is not sharp because it so far after the US Tour ends--and the Silly Season has begun.  Probably so.
But if the Ryder Cup really mattered more to the US, the US team would stay sharp--play at the Cup site, play European events, play Fall Silly events, etc.  US players don't do it, because the Ryder Cup is just not as important to them as their personal schedules.
Let's either accept that and accept defeat, or change the date, or reset it in some other way--or just forget it.
Embarrassing to just not care enough!

The US Captain needs to have much more power to dictate pre-event playing, replacement of personnel with insufficient commitment and stop the popularity poll that determines team roster.
US was not ready to play on Friday morning.

That is totally unrealistic for an unpaid event. How much time is enough to commit to the Ryder Cup? It's already a week just to turn up. You start having someone control your diary and I can see guys skipping away Ryder Cups.

There really isn't a need to overthink this. Pick your 12 and play. It's the Ryder Cup, not a major. It's meant to be a fun event for the players and fans. It's to the point where I don't think that is the goal for many people.

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

As an American, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Euros give them a proper beatdown. Such a whiny, pompous, FIGJAM-ish group that definitely had it coming.

Put me down as well as one who would love to have a drink with the Euros....and none of the Yanks.

P.S.  I don't understand the Ryder Cup hate on this forum, its almost as a bad as the latest Golf Ranking List bitch-fests.

Well said. Total agreement.

While I as an American agree with the feeling of most of the members of the American team.  Rory really dropped numerous notches in my book.  You respond to what LaCava did by getting in a shooting match with a caddy that is known to be one of the nicest in the business and happens to be a friend of LaCava.  He then chooses to apologize to said caddy that had nothing to do with what happened to you via text! I guess he’s just a caddie so he may feel that treatment is fair, but I don’t!    As it says on the back of the card at the Lido treat your caddie like you would your son or daughter.  Class is a two way street in my book!


Chris

There's a quaint English expression for this.  But I won't use it here.  Watching laCava's behaviour on the 18th green and somehow finding fault with McIlroy is perverse, wherever you come from.

[Niall C]

I'm not particularly a McIlroy fan either. Some of the comment he's made over LIV for instance has been hypocritical. In this instance however he was 100% correct to remonstrate, both at the time and afterwards in the car park. The caddies actions were reprehensible and so were those in the US team who tried to gloss over it as being an over-exuberant celebration.


But the Euro's can hardly be holier than thou about it given the nonsense going on with the crowd and the way the team encouraged it. The bottom line is if you are going to allow and even encourage the fans to act like a football crowd the players and the odd idiot caddy are going to behave like footballers.


Niall

[Bruce Katona]

JK:

Did you hit on your prop bets?

[John Kavanaugh]

JK:

Did you hit on your prop bets?

NO. I placed my bets before I came to Florida. Because it’s illegal in Florida I didn’t get a chance to double up. Lost $9 on USA to win. $1 for a tie and $1 each on Scotty and Koepka to be leading USA points. I wish I could have live bet just the 18th hole. I wish I could live bet the WNBA finals. Betting 24 hrs a day on your phone. What could go wrong. 

[Mike Hendren]

Ryder Cup Captains are over hyped.  Throw the balls up in the air each morning and make sure everyone gets to play at least once the first two days.  Compete, have fun and go home.  The golf is compelling.


Sorry losers but there are tough days on the yacht. 

[Pete_Pittock]

The USA team uniforms are from Ralph Lauren, which has a deal with the PGA. Get used to that pretentious look until they get cashiered. Maybe they chosen so there is no conflict with any player's apparel contracts. More suitable for polo, don't have any in the closet.

[Carl Nichols]

If my quick calculations are correct, in the 8 Ryder Cups played since 2008, the US has 113 points and Europe has 111.  Putting aside everything else about behavior, likeability, etc., it seems to me that the outcomes are largely explained by one group of players happening to outplay another pretty closely matched group of players over a small sample size of golf that includes formats they rarely play.

[Sean_A]

If my quick calculations are correct, in the 8 Ryder Cups played since 2008, the US has 113 points and Europe has 111.  Putting aside everything else about behavior, likeability, etc., it seems to me that the outcomes are largely explained by one group of players happening to outplay another pretty closely matched group of players over a small sample size of golf that includes formats they rarely play.

I agree. Far too much is made of Captains and the selection process.

Ciao

[A.G._Crockett]

If my quick calculations are correct, in the 8 Ryder Cups played since 2008, the US has 113 points and Europe has 111.  Putting aside everything else about behavior, likeability, etc., it seems to me that the outcomes are largely explained by one group of players happening to outplay another pretty closely matched group of players over a small sample size of golf that includes formats they rarely play.

Carl, I think it’s even closer than that; just a THREE point difference (in Europe’s favor) since the competition expanded in 1979.  A three point difference out of almost SIX HUNDRED points.




Despite another hand-wringing thread, there’s nothing wrong with the Ryder Cup; nothing.  Of course the passion spills over at times, as human beings will do, but there is also still great sportsmanship, like Fowler conceding Fleetwood’s last putt in the clinching match, which I don’t think has even been mentioned here.  There is a huge home course advantage, and it may be growing, but that’s true at all levels of golf.  There isn’t anything wrong with the selection process for players and captains, or any of the other silliness that has been complained about here. It’s a great competition that is all but equal over the last 40+ years; what more could a golf fan ask for?




Players consider making either team a career highlight, as do those chosen to be captains. They play their hearts out, even when it’s basically hopeless, as was the case in yesterday’s singles matches.  It’s compelling to watch, ven when it’s basically hopeless.  Seeing the #1 player in the world with tears in his eyes Saturday tells you all you need to know, and we’ve seen that many times before, from both sides.  It’s great theater, and I’d suggest that if you can’t appreciate that, you just shouldn’t watch.




Regardless of their strengths or weaknesses as human beings, I’ve always loved watching the best in the world do what they do.  Jordan, Maddux, Brady, Woods, Bolt, Messi, and on and on; I’m grateful to get the chance to see them as they flash across the sky for a few years.  I love watching Jon Rahm play golf, as I do McIlroy, Scheffler, Thomas, Hovland, and all the rest.  I love the drama and the passion and the skill, and I accept their very human failings, just as I hope mine are ignored by my friends.

[Ira Fishman]

A.G.


True dat.


And thanks.


Ira

[Carl Rogers]

Sean A,
You are probably right.
But the American players, Vice Captains & golf media need to stop moaning about the loss.  It is the obvious end result.

[mike_beene]

Both sides should be ashamed. Common anger, hand signals, territory, perceived slights—this is the way rival gangs develop.

[Rob Marshall]

The bottom line is the Cup means a lot more to the Euros than it does to the American's. The Euros played better and they deserved the win. Hats off to them.