Tag: presidents cup

Super Cup: Combine the Cups

I’m a huge golf fan. More good golf on TV should make me happier, but that’s just not the case lately. I’m burned out and I haven’t even left my couch. (Or is that the problem?) I don’t want to feel compelled to watch golf every week for two months straight. There should be some build-up between tournaments to get the golf fan taste buds salivating.

This is why I propose that the Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup and Seve Trophy be combined into one Super Cup. It would be a bigger draw all around and it would allow the Cup anticipation to build up for a full two years. Further, it would give the players, who if you ask me, look cupped-out, a well deserved break from cup competition.

The format I propose would be similar to the current Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup formats except the players were play in sixsomes. Yes, I know. That is unheard of. But that would only make the Super Cup more spectacular. It would be three-way matches with an international pair, a U.S. pair, and a Great Britain & Ireland pair. Or, the event could be turned into a two week golf bananza and a round-robin format would be employed.

There are many possibilities. Any one of them would be better than the current onslaught of Cups we’re dealing with today.

The Presidents Cup: Reasons to Watch

If you need an excuse to watch the Presidents Cup this week, here are a few enticing stories to keep an eye on:

How well does Mike Weir play? – Gary Player overlooked some players with impressive recent performances to go with Canadian Mike Weir as a captain’s choice. Weir hasn’t done anything remarkable lately, so look to see if this lefty’s waggle stands up under pressure.

Does Lucas Glover and Hunter Mahan’s youth win them extra points? – Jack Nicklaus favored youth with his captain’s selections. These guys are 27 and 25, respectively. Toss in the 28-year old Charles Howell, too. Will their youth play out as inexperience or beginner’s luck? Expect these guys to go out early and be paired with more experienced players.

Will Tiger come through? – Tiger doesn’t have a stellar record in team play and matchplay events as a professional. Considering he won six national matchplay events in a row as an amateur, more has been expected of him. Expect him to be business-like in his approach to this event. He’s played more golf than usual lately, and will likely be eager to see the closing ceremonies.

Can the Presidents Cup outshine the FedEx Cup? – To me the Presidents Cup will be much more compelling to watch than the FedEx Cup was. First, the later was spread out over four weeks (really, all year). Second, there is two years worth of anticipation building up to the Presidents Cup. It’s an event played for nation(s), so patriotism plays a role. Guys that normally wouldn’t be rooting for each other will sit in the grass and watch their teammates play in. It is really compelling to watch.

The Presidents Cup: Preview

The Presidents Cup begins on Thursday and it will be the biggest golf event Canada has ever experienced. Millions of dollars will be made from the four-day event, which is ironic considering the 24 golfers participating in the event are not compensated (except for clothing, bags, lodging, etc.).

Format – The event is a refreshing break from stroke play. The team aspect as well as the format of the matches makes for exciting viewing. The format includes “foursomes,” “four-ball,” and singles matches.

Foursomes is also known as “alternate shot,” in which two-man teams alternate shots on each hole while alternating who tees off as well. There is a bit of strategy in this game. E.g., If all of the par 5 holes are odd numbers then the player who drives the ball longer may elect to tee off on odd numbered holes.

Four-ball is also known as “best-ball.” Two-man teams play each hole, but only count the lowest score against their opponent’s lowest score. Therefore, if the U.S. players make a birdie and a par, only the birdie is counted.

Singles matches are matchplay. There are 12 matches and they are played on Sunday. This allows for a significant amount of possibility for a swing in the standings on the final day, and can keep a blowout event interesting.

Location – The Cup is being played at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Ontario, Canada. Although this is technically on international turf and should favor the International team, it is not far from home for the U.S. team. The crowd won’t be a large factor.