The Ryder Cup

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The Ryder Cup

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The Ryder Cup — My Truth About American Golf

I want to congratulate the European team on a great performance in the 35th Ryder Cup. The team did an amazing job. I also want to recognize U.S. Team Captain Hal Sutton for his attempt to infuse a rough edge into his players. That said, I think we need to open our eyes to the truth about American golf.

With all the financial success the game has brought our nation, from equipment sales to greens fees, the United States is not producing the caliber of players it takes to win Ryder Cup events. Are the European players so much better than we are? Do they gel better as a team? I don’t think the questions are that simple, but I have some strong opinions about why European players continue to trample us on the golf course.

	Where’s the work ethic? I think our loss in this past Ryder Cup – as well as embarrassing defeats on the part of the USA basketball team in the Olympics – raises the question of whether we’re putting in the work to get the job done. We work hard, no doubt, but sometimes I wonder if we reward our players too early. Maybe too much money is pushed in their faces before they’ve truly accomplished anything in the world of golf. Complacency is an athlete’s worst enemy. In Europe, you can’t become a millionaire by winning one tournament unless it’s co-sanctioned by outside tours. It seems European players truly have to earn their way, and to do that, they have to work.
	We’ve become bombers, not golfers. We’re so caught up in distance that we’re no longer playing the game on the ground. If you read about golfing legends Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and even Jack Nicklaus (who definitely was a basher), you’ll see they recommend learning how to play golf courses and golf shots rather than simply hitting the ball as far as you can. What’s more, many U.S. courses are designed more for air play than ground play. In contrast, European golfers are used to playing on courses where golf shots are critical and distance often is irrelevant. These are the types of courses where most major championships are staged, and unfortunately, a lot of our up-and-coming golfers are more focused on how far they hit the ball than how well they score.
	We’re too soft: I believe one reason why European players are so resilient on the course is because they’re used to playing in tough conditions. Because they’ve learned to play in very raw and unpredictable conditions – high winds, tough bunker play, more natural golf courses -- they’ve learned to have a thick skin.

I think Hal Sutton has tried, through his rough-and-tough cowboy personality, to give the American team a thick skin. Growing up in America, I’ve learned about tough love and how you have to fight to get what you want. Nothing is more important than the fight. But where’s our fight? Have we become wrapped up in who we are rather than what we’re trying to accomplish?

No longer can we consider our European competitors underdogs. Not only are we losing Ryder Cup matches, we’re losing Walker Cup, Palmer Cup, Solheim Cup and Junior Cup matches. For us to get better, we’ve got to get back to playing the game the way it was intended to be played and not focus solely on a perfectly positioned golf swing. Otherwise, every time we tee it up against the Europeans or anyone else, we may continue to find ourselves on the losing end.

I hope readers understand I’m making these statements based on what I’ve seen. Somehow, we have lost a sense of brotherhood. Because America is defined by its sporting endeavors, it’s time many of us refocus on what it really means to be a team rather than being focused just on "me." This is just my two cents’ worth.

Two Cents' Worth

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