With a recent trip to Farmingdale, NY, and Bethpage Black Golf Course – site of the 2025 Ryder Cup – I’ve come to the end of my scheduled attendance at team golf events as part of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
And, may I say, thank heavens!
Now, please don’t misinterpret the previous statement.
I believe team golf is one of the most exciting sporting events to spectate. Quite frankly, I look forward to the biennial Ryder, Presidents, and Solheim cups as much – or maybe even more so – than any other major event that doesn’t include a team I have a rooting interest in. Watching how athletes in what is ordinarily an individual competition work to modify their styles of play to conform with a playing partner within the team environment creates some fabulous drama.
The national pride component – especially with the Solheim and Ryder cups – also makes for a different level of energy than what would otherwise be witnessed at a typical PGA Tour stop.
However …
For the general grounds’ pass-holding fan, it’s mighty challenging to actually – you know – see any golf.
The estimates for the 2025 Ryder Cup were 45,000 and 50,000 fans on the grounds for competition days, which means for Friday and Saturday’s Foursomes and Four Ball play, those fans are all clamoring to see one of four groups on the course at a time.
My father and I ran into this predicament at the 2024 Solheim Cup as did I while attending the 2024 Presidents Cup. If you want to be on the first tee for the announcement of each group, enjoy the DJ, and the generally raucous vibe, you’ll need to be there before the sun’s up. And then, you’d best have a plan for where you’re off to next in hopes to seeing more golf shots, because those folks who weren’t early birds are clogging the rest of the first hole and likely Nos. 2 and 3 and probably even No. 4 as well.
All of this was part of my strategy for not attending one of the competition days during the 2025 Ryder Cup. That coupled with the four-figure pricetag for a weekend grounds entry was enough for me to purchase tickets to Thursday’s practice round and, even then, it was the highest priced ticket I’ve purchased in the 25 events to date … AND IT WASN’T EVEN AN ACTUAL COMPETITION DAY!!!
Alas, the best-laid plans.
Somedays You Gotta Take a Mulligan
Following a Tuesday full of travel from southeastern lower Michigan to Lewisburg, PA, my father and I – bellies full thanks to a visit to Gram’s Eatery – were preparing to call it a night when I finally got around to checking my email.
In my inbox was something from the Ryder Cup informing me that due to forecasted inclement weather on Thursday, the Opening Ceremonies would be moved to Wednesday and the final round of the Junior Ryder Cup (scheduled to be played at Bethpage) would, instead, be played at Nassau Country Club (as the first two days had been). The good news, for us at least, is that the PGA of America was depositing into my ticket account a pair of grounds passes and a parking pass to attend on Wednesday in addition to Thursday.
I walked the 10 steps next door to my dad’s room for a quick confab. We were about three-and-a-half hours from the shuttle lot on Long Island’s Jones Beach State Park, we could be on the grounds, I estimated, by about noon, without pushing too hard.
It was decided we’d shoot for Wednesday attendance to see what we could see and play a possible return Thursday by ear.
Where’s the Golf?
Clockwise from upper left, the view toward the grandstand complex surrounding the 18th green and the 1st tee; Rory McIlroy over a chip shot from the round on No. 18; the scoreboard with the Celebrity All-Star matches listed; Tommy Fleetwood strolls off the tee box at No. 18; that’s tennis great John McEnroe walking over the players’ crosswalk to the clubhouse; The People’s Plaza was teeming with, well, people; dad and took time to pose for this photo on No. 18.
At past golf tournaments – namely the 2024 U.S. Open and the 2024 Open Championship – the practice days made for a more relaxed environment, the ability to get – perhaps – a little closer to the players, and generally see the course in a more leisurely manner.
This was all part of my calculus (in addition to the financial savings) for attending the Ryder Cup on Thursday, turned Wednesday.
The added benefit of visiting Thursday would be the ability to see the Junior Ryder Cup’s final round so I could, technically, one day say, “Yeah, I saw the 2025 Ryder Cup” but just keep the “junior” part silent;-)
With our move to Wednesday attendance, there were ramifications. First, there was no Junior Ryder Cup to watch. There was a Celebrity All-Star Match pitting eight American celebrities against eight Europeans over a 10-hole pairs match. Sadly, those matches were in the process of finishing as we walked into The People’s Plaza, the massive fan central-esque located between the entrance and practice range and the No. 1 tee and No. 18 green grandstand complex.
As the celebs left the course, I presumed Team USA and Team Europe would have their time.
I presumed incorrectly.
Though we’d been told by volunteers on the grounds that Team USA had started on the front nine and planned to play all 18 it, in fact, called it a day after the ninth hole (which is at located at the far point of the course). Team Europe was slated to play the back nine (and only the back nine) all along and they were heading for 18 about the time we made our way to the main grandstand which, inexplicably, was to be closed from 12:30-2:30 p.m. so no incoming fans were permitted to enter.
So we made the most of what we could and trundled down the hill alongside the 18th fairway to catch some glimpes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Aberg, Rasmus Hojgaard, and Justin Rose as they completed their practice for the day.
And that was pretty much it for live golf:-(
Exploring the Course
The Opening Ceremonies pre-show was to begin during the 4 o’clock hour, which meant I had a couple hours to explore what I could on the course.
As the hilliness and large footprint of course were posing somewhat problematic for my dad, we agreed on a meeting spot in about an hour and a half. From there, we’d touch base to see how we were both feeling and what we’d plan to do moving forward.
Thanks to a steady stream of spectators returning from the outer reaches of Bethpage, I felt akin to a fish swimming upstream and didn’t get quite as far as I’d hoped.
I did make it across Round Swamp Road – which was renamed Arnold Palmer Way in the leadup to this year’s Ryder Cup – to check out hole Nos. 2, 3, 14, and 13. Back on the other side, I was able to see Nos. 1, 15, and 17.
Clockwise from upper left, the view from the tee at No. 3, a 200-plus yard par-3; a look at the flagstick at No. 14 through some of the native growth behind a greenside bunker; the look up the approach to No. 14, the shortest par-3 on the course; No. 17 is also a par-3; and a look off the teebox at No. 15, a lengthy par-4.
Back to the Top of the Hill
After meeting dad we decided to grab a bite to eat and find a spot for him to watch the Opening Ceremonies on one of the video boards while I’d attempt to watch from a bit closer.
One of the highlights of the 2025 Ryder Cup experience was the all-inclusive nature of our tickets. It was the first time either of us had experienced the ability to grab any food and/or soft drinks from the food service areas and go. Unless you were purchasing an alcholic beverage, there was no transaction to be had, which made for an efficient process; just grab the hot or chilled items you desired out of the warmers/coolers, and carry on with your day. I know our 2026 PGA Championship tickets include this feature and I’m already looking forward to its hassle-free nature.
While dad was set up out of the way in the shade, with a breeze, and views of a video board, I set off to visit the Ryder Cup Shop (big mistake!) and, ultimately, make my way over next to the No. 1 tee grandstand to see some of the Opening Ceremony.
Unlike the other major golf events I’ve visited, there was no queuing sytem, ropes, etc., to provide some order to what looked rather chaotic and time consuming. A quick pivot found me snapping a couple of quick picks of players on the practice range (thank you, Justin Thomas, for allowing me to see at least one Team USA player hit a golf shot!) and then back to claim a spot along the top of the hill to see the Ceremony.
Clockwise from upper left, a post with the Bethpage State Park logo on it; a view of the clubhouse; these Team Europe fans, no doubt, had an enjoyable weekend; these three Black Hawk helicopters conducted a ceremonial flyover during the Opening Ceremony; Team Europe player John Rahm hits a shot on the practice range; both teams on the stage following their introduction; the starter hut for Bethpage Black; the view of the sky as U.S. Army Golden Knight’s descend toward the course; my lone American golfer sighting, Justin Thomas, on the practice range.
DJ Jay Jung, the regular in-house DJ of both the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets, kept the crowd entertained by spinning a variety of tunes until the afternoon’s host, NBC’s Carson Daly, arrived onstage to introduce various dignitaries – including a wildly unpopular (with this crowd, at least) New York Governor Kathy Hochul – and, utlimately, the two squads.
If I’m being honest, aside from the people watching leading up to the teams entering the stage, it was a bit underwhelming. And, following the introductions of the two squads, I made my way back over to pick up dad, visit the now-empty Ryder Cup Shop, and head for the shuttle bus pick up.
Would I do it again?
No and, in fact, while we had grounds passes for Thursday – thanks to steady rain and a cloud deck about the height of your home the next morning – we decided to forego the opportunity in preference of a couple of sidetrips (see that post here) that might have been as enjoyable as our time spent on the Bethpage grounds.
Next time, I’ll be watching from home and, unless you’re springing for reserved grandstand seating, I’d suggest the same to you.
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