RYDER CUP WEEK

By Terry Koehler, The Wedge Guy

Terry Koehler has been in the golf industry for over 30 years and currently spends his days as the President of EIDOLON Golf, a small premium wedge company in Victoria, Texas. He's been blogging for over 3 years and has written hundreds of articles ranging from golf tips to equipment issues. His blog will appear on ClubSG twice per week. You can reach Terry to have your golf questions answered at askme@thewedgeguy.com.

Well, here we are again with Ryder Cup starting, and it looks like the weather might be a big story. As I write this, the four four-ball matches are all suspended, with Europe ahead in 3 of them, the U.S. ahead in one. Too early to make any predictions, for sure, but what do you readers think is going to happen over the next three days?

Which team will pull out the victory?

Who will be the stars of each team? The surprises, good or disappointing?

Will Tiger return to form and dominate his competition?

What will be the main “under-story” of the weekend?

I’ve always liked this competition, as it represents one of the great traditions of the game, and has a storied history of great moments, both in golf and sportsmanship. For so long, it stood as a monument to the gallantry and gentle nature of our game, but that all began to change, it seems, when we tagged the 1991 matches “The War By The Shore”. Since then, it just seems to be getting a little nastier, doesn’t it?

My favorite Ryder Cup moment was when Captain Ben Crenshaw, his team down heavily and facing apparently insurmountable odds after the first two days, told the press before the Sunday singles matches, “I have a feeling about this”. And he was right. The U.S. pulled off a stunning comeback and brought the cup home. It was a great testament and illustration to the emotional nature of this game, and how attitude and desire can allow athletes to achieve great things.

But did the advent of the President’s Cup take some of the spotlight off the Ryder Cup matches? Before, they stood alone as a team competition for professionals. But now, the U.S. players have a team event every fall – Ryder Cup in even-numbered years, President’s Cup in odd-numbered. Do you even remember that it was the other way around before the 2001 matches were cancelled after 9/11?

And will putting golf in the Olympics take something else away from these two international competitions? What do you all think?

I’d like to just toss out all these questions to you readers; share your favorite Ryder Cup memories, express your predictions about this year’s matches, and get “out there” with where you think we are headed with these matches, golf in general and anything else you think would be fun conversation for the next few days.


* The Wedge Guy's views and opinions are his own do not necessarily reflect those of SkyGolf.

Terry Koehler is "The Wedge Guy" and President of SCOR Golf- The Short Game Company.

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