Having had the very great privilege of being at Gleneagles the last few days, and ahead of an inevitably delayed flight home, here are just a few musings live from Edinburgh airport as I sit and wait...
1) The atmosphere on the 1st tee on Friday was one of the best things I have ever experienced at a golf event. The amphitheatre-like arena as the sun rose over the hills to reveal a narrow strip of green between thousands and thousands of people was unreal (sorry for the Americanism). I have to admit, I've found the YourGolfTravel Guardians of the Ryder Cup songs irritating at the start of our YouTube videos, but in the flesh they certainly added something to the proceedings and were appreciated by all, including many of the players. Webb Simpson will forever ask himself why he used his very smallest club for his most nerve-wracking shot ever as he led the team off. Perhaps the Ryder Cup was as good as lost for them with that opening sky-roof!!
2) Anyone who criticises Patrick Reed's antics (however irritating), while endorsing Poulter's over the years as a natural outpouring of passion, is myopic at best. We Europeans can't have it both ways, and should all be thankful that America doesn't have 11 others who play with such passion, as I fear we'd be in a bit of trouble then!
3) Fascinating to see how opinion among the US golfing press is not universal in condemning Phil's press conference outburst. Alan Shipnuck, for example, is saying it needed to be said, so what better time than when the golfing world is watching. The majority have said it should all have been acted out behind closed doors though. Some have even said Rickie Fowler and Bubba shouldn't have been getting involved in the festivities last night. Nonsense - what are they supposed to do - hang their heads in shame and not show their faces just because they lost a game of golf? Perspective required!
4) And finally, I have to say that getting out to watch the action live on Sunday afternoon (from outside the ropes, by the way, before I get accused of being one of the hangers-on!) was an enlightening experience. The TV coverage, with its HD perfection, ball flight analyses, slo-mo, constant replays and constant pundit assessment is all well and good... but, actually getting down there, where the grass isn't quite as green and perfect, and the only assessment is yours as you stand and watch, just makes the whole thing seem so much more real and human. I was there when McDowell holed his winning eight-footer, and that was an amazing moment with absolutely no commentary beyond the roars of the crowd as the ball dropped and his putter fell to the ground. I was also hugely impressed that before his celebrations got too exuberant, he remembered where he was and turned to shake hands with Spieth as a matter of priority... which is, after all, what the game is all about. Isn't it?
There we have it, and my flight is only showing as 30 minutes late... at the moment!
1) The atmosphere on the 1st tee on Friday was one of the best things I have ever experienced at a golf event. The amphitheatre-like arena as the sun rose over the hills to reveal a narrow strip of green between thousands and thousands of people was unreal (sorry for the Americanism). I have to admit, I've found the YourGolfTravel Guardians of the Ryder Cup songs irritating at the start of our YouTube videos, but in the flesh they certainly added something to the proceedings and were appreciated by all, including many of the players. Webb Simpson will forever ask himself why he used his very smallest club for his most nerve-wracking shot ever as he led the team off. Perhaps the Ryder Cup was as good as lost for them with that opening sky-roof!!
2) Anyone who criticises Patrick Reed's antics (however irritating), while endorsing Poulter's over the years as a natural outpouring of passion, is myopic at best. We Europeans can't have it both ways, and should all be thankful that America doesn't have 11 others who play with such passion, as I fear we'd be in a bit of trouble then!
3) Fascinating to see how opinion among the US golfing press is not universal in condemning Phil's press conference outburst. Alan Shipnuck, for example, is saying it needed to be said, so what better time than when the golfing world is watching. The majority have said it should all have been acted out behind closed doors though. Some have even said Rickie Fowler and Bubba shouldn't have been getting involved in the festivities last night. Nonsense - what are they supposed to do - hang their heads in shame and not show their faces just because they lost a game of golf? Perspective required!
4) And finally, I have to say that getting out to watch the action live on Sunday afternoon (from outside the ropes, by the way, before I get accused of being one of the hangers-on!) was an enlightening experience. The TV coverage, with its HD perfection, ball flight analyses, slo-mo, constant replays and constant pundit assessment is all well and good... but, actually getting down there, where the grass isn't quite as green and perfect, and the only assessment is yours as you stand and watch, just makes the whole thing seem so much more real and human. I was there when McDowell holed his winning eight-footer, and that was an amazing moment with absolutely no commentary beyond the roars of the crowd as the ball dropped and his putter fell to the ground. I was also hugely impressed that before his celebrations got too exuberant, he remembered where he was and turned to shake hands with Spieth as a matter of priority... which is, after all, what the game is all about. Isn't it?
There we have it, and my flight is only showing as 30 minutes late... at the moment!
