FORE!

PINEHEEL

Junior
Aug 1, 2025
123
274
63
I think you cannot be the most effective coach possible while also playing, can't give your "best" self to two different things at the same time. Hate that he's not going to play because he deserves it but he did the right thing.

I've shared this opinion in the past, but I think being a Ryder Cup Captain is the most overrated job in sports. Your guys either play well or they don't, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it other than guess/analyze the right partnerships (which can be done months in advance).

It's a great talking point and people build it up into a way more impactful position than it is, but ultimately your guys are either going to play good golf or they aren't. I don't think that would be any less true if Keegan was playing instead of someone else. There's always someone on each team who goes 0-3. I'm not sure why it's more egregious for it to be the Captain than, say, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler, or Jordan Spieth (all winless in Rome).
 
  • Like
Reactions: lakelawyerheel

LeoBloom

Freshman
Jul 31, 2025
24
53
13
I've shared this opinion in the past, but I think being a Ryder Cup Captain is the most overrated job in sports. Your guys either play well or they don't, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it other than guess/analyze the right partnerships (which can be done months in advance).

It's a great talking point and people build it up into a way more impactful position than it is, but ultimately your guys are either going to play good golf or they aren't. I don't think that would be any less true if Keegan was playing instead of someone else. There's always someone on each team who goes 0-3. I'm not sure why it's more egregious for it to be the Captain than, say, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler, or Jordan Spieth (all winless in Rome).
I get what you’re saying but I think a bad captain can mess things up big time. A bad captain can hurt a lot more than a good captain can help.
 
  • Like
Reactions: egr2teup

Chamtrain

Redshirt
Jan 9, 2011
22
40
13
I've shared this opinion in the past, but I think being a Ryder Cup Captain is the most overrated job in sports. Your guys either play well or they don't, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it other than guess/analyze the right partnerships (which can be done months in advance).

It's a great talking point and people build it up into a way more impactful position than it is, but ultimately your guys are either going to play good golf or they aren't. I don't think that would be any less true if Keegan was playing instead of someone else. There's always someone on each team who goes 0-3. I'm not sure why it's more egregious for it to be the Captain than, say, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler, or Jordan Spieth (all winless in Rome).


They do pick the team and choose pairings. I'm sure they impact team morale, a good coach will give the team confidence and keep them loose. Someone like Zach Johnson probably makes you feel like an L is on the way. I agree that it's not some massively important position but I do think you cannot be 100% doing both.
 

PINEHEEL

Junior
Aug 1, 2025
123
274
63
They do pick the team and choose pairings. I'm sure they impact team morale, a good coach will give the team confidence and keep them loose. Someone like Zach Johnson probably makes you feel like an L is on the way. I agree that it's not some massively important position but I do think you cannot be 100% doing both.

I’m sure you’re right about the last part, which is why so many experienced Ryder Cuppers kept warning that it would be really hard to do. A lot of media and corporate responsibilities the week of. Hate it for Keegan. Had to know it may have been his last realistic chance to play.
 

PINEHEEL

Junior
Aug 1, 2025
123
274
63
Looks pretty even if you rightfully put BDec in there but I’m not sure how Rahm is there and not BDec. Then again, I do not watch LIv so I have no idea how he’s performing there. He certainly has looked more the part in Major’s than Rahm.

BDC has taken the Koepka career path where his primary focus is:

1) Big events/Majors

2) YouTube Creator

Very distant 3) LIV golf

I still don’t like him or trust him as a human being, but I have little doubt that he’ll show up ready to play in Bethpage, and I wouldn’t want to be going against him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DesertHeels

ronjon

Freshman
Aug 1, 2025
51
55
18
I was hoping Novack would make it to pair with Griffin, but I like the picks other than Morikawa. I’m hoping home court advantage pays off here though, the euro team looks better to me.
 

lakelawyerheel

Sophomore
Jul 31, 2025
113
101
43
Years and years and years the US team “looked” invincible versus the Euros. And those teams consistently got their asses kicked

Maybe this time we turn the tables

I like the team other than Colin…but it’s hard to blame Keegan for picking him. A guy with Colin’s talent could literally show up and play lights out out of the blue

Well, Keegan needs to also keep Cantlay’s mouth taped shut so he doesn’t poison the locker room with his bitching and moaning and general “Cantlay-ness”
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr Winterville

Mr Winterville

Freshman
Jul 28, 2025
46
98
18
I've shared this opinion in the past, but I think being a Ryder Cup Captain is the most overrated job in sports. Your guys either play well or they don't, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it other than guess/analyze the right partnerships (which can be done months in advance).

It's a great talking point and people build it up into a way more impactful position than it is, but ultimately your guys are either going to play good golf or they aren't. I don't think that would be any less true if Keegan was playing instead of someone else. There's always someone on each team who goes 0-3. I'm not sure why it's more egregious for it to be the Captain than, say, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler, or Jordan Spieth (all winless in Rome).
I’m kind of on the fence on this one. Ultimately yep…the players on the team are the ones who have to hit the shots, but I do think there is importance to the pairing strategies, and who plays vs sits, etc. Also, the captains do more than I realized… I remember reading about how some captains have required/requested more deliberate preparation (for example) in the lead up weeks while some others—like Zach IIRC—did not.

I read a good book a while back about the 2016 Ryder Cup and it had some good info on this topic… The First Major, or something like that.
 

Gopherheel

Redshirt
Aug 5, 2025
11
3
3
I don’t listen to golf podcasts but my son told me he listened to one (no idea which) and the podcaster said Griffin could be a cancer in the locker room.

What is that about? I talked to him once at a practice round and he couldn’t have been nicer. He would seem to be the last guy to be a cancer. Cantlay, on the other hand….
 

egr2teup

Freshman
Jul 31, 2025
54
53
18
I don’t listen to golf podcasts but my son told me he listened to one (no idea which) and the podcaster said Griffin could be a cancer in the locker room.

What is that about? I talked to him once at a practice round and he couldn’t have been nicer. He would seem to be the last guy to be a cancer. Cantlay, on the other hand….
Ask your son, who's the podcaster?
 
  • Like
Reactions: PINEHEEL

egr2teup

Freshman
Jul 31, 2025
54
53
18
From the Fried Egg crew ...

“And Ben Griffin having an awesome year. Albeit, I heard a lot of rumors, there were a lot of trying to poke holes in the Ben Griffin, the Ben Griffin unsubstantiated rumors is that, maybe Ben Griffin isn't a locker room favorite.

That started to float around, like he was trying too hard and advocating like, I got to be on. And Keegan said, he talked to McNeely, the first time you make it, you almost have to do it on points. It's really hard.”

From The Shotgun Start: US team picked for Bethpage Ryder Cup, Keegan Bradley stays captain and off roster, Aug 27, 2025

This material may be protected by copyright.
 

Gopherheel

Redshirt
Aug 5, 2025
11
3
3
I listened to that podcast and heard that comment. I don’t know who those guys are but I have to assume Bradley and the team know more about Ben Griffin than the podcasters do. Should he not try hard? I’m not buying it.

Later on they suggest that Griffin might be on the team because someone has to play with DeChambeau. And they talk about his Maxfli balls.

Those guys are clowns.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Chamtrain

LeoBloom

Freshman
Jul 31, 2025
24
53
13
The No Laying Up guys brought up an interesting point about who might play with DeChambeau: Young and BDC play the same unique golf ball. (I don't think they mentioned what it is, but the ball is a Pro V1x prototype).
 

ronjon

Freshman
Aug 1, 2025
51
55
18
Don’t know why any of these top players would be annoyed with LIV. They’re all making a lot more money now. It’s the guys in the 70+ range that that should be pissed at LIV.
 

PINEHEEL

Junior
Aug 1, 2025
123
274
63
The No Laying Up guys brought up an interesting point about who might play with DeChambeau: Young and BDC play the same unique golf ball. (I don't think they mentioned what it is, but the ball is a Pro V1x prototype).

Worth noting that Young's reemergence the last few months directly coincides with his switch to this particular ball.
 

PINEHEEL

Junior
Aug 1, 2025
123
274
63
Don’t know why any of these top players would be annoyed with LIV. They’re all making a lot more money now. It’s the guys in the 70+ range that that should be pissed at LIV.

Well there is the little matter that they were all sued by BDC and he was the last one to drop from the lawsuit, long after anyone deemed reasonable.