Ryder Cup 2014 Reflections
Watching the Ryder Cup over the weekend I was really struck by the value of competition. On the one hand you had the players, tussling in the greatest team competition in golf and providing some terrific entertainment as well as some astonishing golf at times. On the other you had Sky, spared from the worries of live competition by another broadcaster, at times seeming to forget that all we really wanted to do was watch the golf.
I must admit I grew I little tired of seeing players walking on to the first tee and chatting to Ivor Robson when there are others already out on the course. And there were some painfully inane questions from interviewers who Tom Watson treated with admirable respect even if he couldn’t hide his disdain at times. And as for those interminable ad breaks – are the betting companies vying for the World’s Most Annoying Ad prize?
Sorry is this is sounding like something of a rant, but talking to others I also know I’m not along in my thinking. I’ll give Sky credit where it’s due though – the shot tracker technology is a great addition, giving us all a feel for the quality and control of the best players’ ball flight or just how wild that drive really was. And giving the players the opportunity to show off their lighter side, given a set of bagpipes to tackle and a selection of choice Scottish phrases to decipher, was a welcome break from listening to analysis from the great and the good (and a few others).
As always, the golf itself (when it was in view) was very watchable, despite not being blessed with a Medinah-like climax to it all this year. The American rookies brought some much needed swagger back to the US team – even the ill-judged “sushing” by Patrick Reed added a little spice (to be fair to him, on the first tee he did have to listen to one aggressive spectator question whether he had practised his putting overnight. Equally ill-judged, not to mention unsporting).
The baggage of past failures is weighing on the Americans and Jordan Spetih, Patrick Reed and Jimmy Walker were the stand out players in the American team. There’s something there for them to build on, and with Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel waiting in the wings to join them (I think even Tom Watson conceded that he’d have had them on the plane given a few weeks longer to make his picks), I suspect the team in 2016 will look younger, fresher and no doubt readier for action. I always love seeing Europe win, but if that fresh-faced hunger translated in to a win at Hazeltine National for Team USA, I doubt too many of us would begrudge them it.
A few other things that flashed through my mind – huge crowds, but how “in range” can you stand when someone’s about to hit a ball over your head? I know these guys are good but I am not sure I’d trust them that much. Webb Simpson’s opening tee shot and how nerves make the very best, if only for a moment, look like the rest of us (thank God). How many times can Monty tell us Victor Dubuisson is “cool”? And finally, how on earth does a rookie find it in himself to hit the final shot of a Ryder Cup to a foot from the flag? Hats off, Jamie.
Roll on 2016.
James Rogers is Managing Director at iSpyGolf