The Ryder Cup fans weren’t the only ones unhappy with the way Bethpage Black was set up for the Ryder Cup.
Keegan Bradley called it his biggest regret after the tournament, after he turned one of the toughest golf courses in the world into a walk in the park for players. Fans were furious about the course conditions, as the Ryder Cup turned into a putting contest.
Bethpage Black had its rough shaved down, turning it into a non-penalty according to Rory McIlroy. However, even the fairways and greens had their own problems. It was about as soft as a professional golf course has ever played, not helped by the Thursday rain.
Balls spun back in the fairways and stopped dead on the greens. It was more darts than golf at times. Team USA’s players struggled to put on the first two days, which frustrated them after the Americans made a specific request for the greens before the tournament.
Team USA had a specific request for Bethpage Black that they think wasn’t granted
Europe’s incredible putting display on Friday and Saturday was the major difference between the two sides, giving Luke Donald a commanding lead going into Sunday. Even the best putters on Team USA, such as Xander Schauffele, were leaving putts short.
According to vice-captain Jim Furyk, Team USA requested that the greens be set at 12.5 on the Stimpmeter, the device used to measure their speed. He said the players were frustrated with the greens when they arrived at Bethpage Black, and didn’t think that request had been granted.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “ We were told that they were 12 and a half on the stimp. I think that was the request. We were told that they stimped at that in the morning. Our players, one by one, didn’t think they reached that.
“I didn’t have a stimp in my hand to actually confirm it, nor was I allowed to hit a putt as a vice captain. That’s a rule. So I can’t tell you because I didn’t get to hit a putt. I wish I would have though.”
Furyk suggested that was one of the biggest reasons for America’s struggles, as they prepared for the course they believed they were going to play, rather than the one that they played during the tournament.
He continued: “Guys had a hard time getting putts to the hole, and it did appear to be a little gluey. I think the request was always there to set the golf course up with less rough, but I think also believing that the greens would be firmer.
“I know we got some rain mid-week but they were really, really soft when we arrived. So that probably is an issue a little bit. It’s not how we were looking at the golf course.”
It is another example of Bradley’s stubbornness, which he was criticized for during the tournament. The U.S. captain refused to divert from his plan after getting badly beaten on Friday.
The course did not play how they were expecting, yet Team USA made no adjustments to their pairings on Saturday. That’s a failure of management.
Keegan Bradley said Bethpage Black greens were the softest he’s seen
After admitting he made a mistake in setting up Bethpage Black, Bradley said that he had never seen softer greens than the ones seen during the Ryder Cup, even without rain.
Yes, the rain came down heavily on Thursday, but it cleared by the start of the tournament, and the skies remained clear throughout. Yet the greens swallowed up golf balls on approach.
Bradley expressed his frustrations: “The greens were as soft as I’ve ever seen greens without it raining. Especially here, it can get pretty firm, and they never firmed up.”
Harris English also noted how different the course played during the Ryder Cup. He added, “This is not the normal Bethpage Black.”
It was an almighty own goal by the Americans, but it sounds like they didn’t intend to go quite so extreme with their setup of the course. But why the greens were so slow remains to be seen.
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