Is anyone really surprised?

[HawkeyeMS]

While the Ryder Cup organising comittee are staring up at the clouds feeling sorry for themselves and thousands of fans are trying to work out what to do to pass the time you really have to wonder what else they expected?

I go to Devon every year for a golf weekend. We used to go this weekend but the weather was always so bad we moved it forward a couple of weeks to what is usually ryder cup weekend and the difference in weather has been incredible.

We all knew Wales in October was risky, Faldo called it after the last Ryder Cup with his 'bring your waterproofs comment' and got pilloried for it.

So what else did the organisers expect? They themselves have put a lot of time and money it to it but I'm finding hard to have any sympathy for them. You can't guarantee the weather, I know that, but why move it back 2 weeks, why take the risk?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

USPGA - simples. The blame is firmly with them and their intransigence to move the Fed Ex playoffs. They even had a week off before the last event. They have had 2 years to find a schedule that allows them to milk the play-off cash cow and accommodate the RC. They failed to do anything.

 

[thecraw]

Baws. It should never have been awarded to Wales. Stupid place to have a Ryder Cup. What has Wales ever given to the game of golf or the Ryder Cup? It was bought plain and simple!

 

[USER1999]

It always will be. Come on, the Belfry? The best course they could find? I think not. It's all about money. Always was.

Should have bought a roof for it.

 

[bigslice]

Baws. It should never have been awarded to Wales. Stupid place to have a Ryder Cup. What has Wales ever given to the game of golf or the Ryder Cup? It was bought plain and simple!

totally agree, who builds a course next a river in a valley?? Loch Lomond is another stupid course. this time of year in the UK = RAIN. there are other warmer countrys in Europe.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I disagree. The course would have been ideal if the schedule had been right. We have had perfectly decent weather in August at the earlier part of September and what rain we did have certainly wouldn't have produced scenes like today. Of course the RC was bought. That is the whole point of putting the bids in. Celtic Manor is a better course than the Belfry

 

[Andy]

Loch Lomond is another stupid course

In what respect?

Andy

 

[link80]

The fact they're ready to play again shows that the course is up to it and even if the puddles hadn't have formed, with that amount of rain would they have carried on anyway? It's go to be the scheduling that's to blame.

 

[kid2]

Ladies,
There isnt a course in th UK or Ireland, links excluded that could hold the rain thats coming down.......Regardless of how good it is....It just coming down too fast and heavy for the ground to drain...Plain and Simples

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Ladies,
There isnt a course in th UK or Ireland, links excluded that could hold the rain thats coming down.......Regardless of how good it is....It just coming down too fast and heavy for the ground to drain...Plain and Simples

That's not the argument, I think we all appreciate that it was a lot of rain. The point is they should never have taken the Ryder Cup to Wales in October. We all knew it was a recipe for disaster and I can't believe the organising comittee didn't.

To an extent, they got away with it at the K club in '08 but this was pushing it just a little bit too far.

 

[Dodger]

Ladies,
There isnt a course in th UK or Ireland, links excluded that could hold the rain thats coming down.......Regardless of how good it is....It just coming down too fast and heavy for the ground to drain...Plain and Simples

But there are plenty that can cope way,way better.

 

[robbest3offthetee]

You say what has wales done for the ryder cup,how about dai rees-winning captain, ian woosnam-winning captain.No course would have stood up to that weather today so dont blame the country of WALES......

 

[John_Findlay]

I wouldn't go moaning about Wales too much, Craw. Do you seriously think Gleneagles in Oct 2014 is gonna be any different? It'll pish down for 2 months solid beforehand and be a similar quagmire. Guaranteed.

 

[The_Squire]

You say what has wales done for the ryder cup,how about dai rees-winning captain, ian woosnam-winning captain.No course would have stood up to that weather today so dont blame the country of WALES......

HERE, HERE.

 

[Golfmmad]

Let's not forget, in the UK it can lash it down with rain at any time and anywhere from Lands End to John O'Groats.

In 2008 I went on a long golfing weekend with mates, plus wives, to Carlyon Bay in Cornwall in October, it was bright sunshine all weekend - beautiful weather! Lunch on the terrace after golf - lovely We enjoyed it so much and went back in 2009 but in July. We didn't have lunch on the terrace this time! Poor weather wouldn't allow it.

So although I agree October is too late in the year for the Ryder Cup, it's not always better in the summer months, remember the Open at Carnoustie!!?

Golfmmad.

 

[crispee78]

come on lets have it right the USPGA is to blame here pure and simple and the fact that money plays a far bigger part in golf these days than anything else including history(even though the powers that be or the plyers will never openly admit it).

is there seriously anyone in the country that thought bringing the ryder cup to wales in october was a good idea? and to cap it off what do they do? "heres a good idea fellas when it comes back in 2014 lets send it even farther north". it really is another example of the dumb arrogance displayed by so called intelligent people in power to somehow think they can beat the weather. i presume these people are credited with having some ammount of intelligence although judging by thier decisions you wouldn't know it.

theres only one way to keep this amazing and historical tournament going and that will mean the cup will have to be played in the southern european countries ie spain, portugal, italy etc, because theres no chance of the all powerful USPGA giving up there golden goose fedex cup (not to mention that given the choice todays players would give up the no prize money ryder cup in an instant for the chance to play for $10,000,000).

dont get me wrong here, i think the course organisers have done a fantastic job in building a course worthy of such a great competition, but unfortunately for them (and us) the weather doesn't have a whole lot of respect for a golf tournament.

so in conclusion what do we do? 1. move the ryder cup in future to warmer countries, 2. make the fedex cup a biennial
tournament and have that in alternate years (not a bad idea even if i do say so myself), 3. sit back and watch this great and historic competition fade away (not an option in my opinion).

i just hope the weather will hold off long enough this year to make it yet another memorable chapter of this biblically epic competition.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

One of the reasone we stayed till the end of play yesterday was that we didnt know when we would be able to witness a Ryder Cup event in the southern part of the UK again.

Im not going to go up to Gleneagles in 4 years time, im not going to travel abroad to see it.

So it was potentially a once in a lifetime experience.

Which is a shame as we (ok, the Jocks) invented the game.

There were no problems with the Vunue itself, just the timing of the event which is totally down to the USPGA and the FedEx cup.

I hope that the Ryder Cup comes back to the southern half of the UK some day, but im not expecting it anytime soon

Fragger

 

[SyR]

We're an island nation on the edge of a large ocean. Weather like this can happen at anytime. In August I was stood in Southampton watching a freak rain storm send a river of water down the high street. I don't think anyone is to blame, it's just a risk that we face in the UK. I feel sorry for the organisers as they've put a great deal of work into this RC.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Agree that timing is wrong, not venue. Fed-Ex cup seems to be the reason for this. But isn't it the PGA Tour who run the Fed Ex, so it's them, rather than the USPGA (who run the RC team), who are to blame? As I understand it they are different organisations. Is that right?

 

[crispee78]

thats an interesting question as it goes. i assumed it was the USPGA that ran the fed ex maybe im wrong, i would imagine they would have a fair ammount of clout. either way its a travesty that ultimately money has pushed this great spectacle out to what is really far too late in the season. sadly to be honest i can only see it getting worse as more tournaments are added to satisfy the all powerful sponsors.

i think it would be agood idea to have the fed ex in alternate years as a four week play off style tournament incorporating a few different events, much like it is now really with a few tweeks. i dont know if anyone else agrees with this suggestion.

in my opinion this is still one of the finest sporting events in the world and in this age of cheating, fooling officials and drug use in worldwide sport as a whole, im glad that golf still stands as a shining example of true sportsmanship (unfortunately one of the only ones), can you imagine a footballer admitting to a penalty he committed?

come on europe lets fetch the cup back to this side of the pond!!