Landing into Newark International Airport on the Wednesday of Ryder Cup week, there was a huge sense of excitement and curiosity as to what the week would bring.
It had been several years since we visited NYC. What an incredible city it is. We were staying in Brooklyn, which was filled with bustling streets, cafés, restaurants and buskers. The brownstone houses are charming and full of gritty character. Only a few stops to Penn Station (Manhattan), it’s a great location.
Our first night was spent at a dinner party in the Hudson Yards, which is a very cool part of Manhattan. Then on Thursday we played golf at the Seth Rayner designed Deepdale GC, a private and immaculate course. With approximately 225 members, half of whom don’t even play the course, we had the place to ourselves. Very soft underfoot due to some overnight rain, the ball did not run out even 2-yards. Quite tight, with treelined fairways and several sharp doglegs, we played in a five ball with two caddies. Pizza, hot dogs and plenty of drinks would appear, courtesy of our member friend. It was a privilege and insight to play at such an exclusive, hidden gem of a club.
Friday, the alarm rang at 4am. Subway direct to Penn station (a place we know very well now), then a train out to Farmingdale, followed by a bus to Bethpage Black. This was the day the POTUS was onsite so security was amped up in a big way. This slowed everything down. Three hours to get to the course and three hours to get home (on a quiet day, it would take one). As we entered the grounds, it was clear that this was a massive deal. The infrastructure and size of the merch tent was staggering and far bigger than anything we’d seen before. As Air Force One did a flyover, the dust settled and the golf started.
Right away, the Europeans dominated. That lasted all day. There was a sense of confidence in the air, as well as some extremely rude characters heckling mostly Rory. The course was fabulous, in mint condition and very hard. These guys make it look easy, but let me tell you, this course is hard as nails! Each GA ticket includes F&B (non alcoholic), which was a good idea in principle, however the quality of the food was not great and thus we’d rather have had the option to pay for a better quality meal. As the Friday came to a close, it was over to the merch tent for a few treats, then across to the bus to start the slow trip back to Brooklyn.
Saturday was our rest day. We found a local sports bar, and whilst there was baseball in one corner and basketball on the other, we were first in and had the golf and commentary at centre stage. It was just what we needed and an early night ensued, ready for the final day (which surely would be an ‘easy’ win).
The golf started at 12:02, so we had a more relaxed alarm clock, at 5am this time. We arrived at 08:30, grabbed a coffee and got a seat in the grandstand by the 1st tee. The energy was electric. A DJ was pumping out legendary hits, someone was firing t-shirts into the crowd, and the beers were starting to flow. By the time Rosey arrived to the tee around 11:55, it was a sight to behold. We stayed up until Rahm teed off in match 5, then walked the courses and watched the big screens. There was some early blue on the screen and we were thinking, surely this is a done deal. But no, the Americans fought back and at one point it looked as though they might win. It created quite an eerie atmosphere and sense of trepidation – for the European fans at least.
The pressure these guys are under to perform and win a match is staggering. Never had I been more nervous on a golf course so I can’t imagine how the players were feeling. Shane Lowry said it was the worst two hours of his life, so to then hole the winning putt and celebrate like he did… it’s the stuff of sports dreams.
We danced, we sang, and were overjoyed with all the other European fans.
As we awoke in New York the following day, I thought to myself the guys must have had a massive party last night, and that they did.
