Just before the 1997 Ryder Cup, I was a guest of Fred Johnston on a trip to England and Scotland.

It was my first trip to Europe. It was an amazing experience.

I will forever be grateful to Mr. Johnston for inviting me. I had a young family and quite frankly was considering getting out of the golf business.

At this point, I had been in the business for 12 years and had enjoyed my time thoroughly. The problem for me is how I spent far too much time with my job. I loved it to such an extent that I made choices to work rather than be with my family.

This trip served as a “refurbishing experience” for my golf perspective. This altered my course slightly and stayed in the business but focused strictly on teaching and coaching.

Here is what influenced me most. At the time in 1997, England, Scotland and Ireland, team golf was the main focus. It was not individual golf.

The reason in short, community. Golf was invented to be a community-based sport.

It was and still is in my opinion the number 1 problem in American golf. It has gotten so individualized. It’s all about individual performance in America.

Upon arriving, what I learned 1st and still is a most impressionable lesson was that on Saturdays, single balls were not allowed. The only formats that could be played at least in this community and these area clubs in England were team formats.

The decision-maker at each club was and to my knowledge still is the secretary of the club. The secretary of the club would also be the captain of the club’s golf team.

This individual would be 1 of the community leaders and local heroes. Well thought of and liked by all, he would also be a great player who would uphold the traditions of the game and its application at the club.

Publicity, enthusiasm and interest was never on individual score results. It was always about the club team performance. After that, the national teams were the next level of focus.

The ingredients recipe for team success was founded in the United Kingdom. It is for this reason that I think the Europeans will be heavily favored again this year.

The other reason is Whistling Straits is a seaside ocean links-style golf course which is what the Europeans play on weekly. Americans play maybe twice a year on that style of golf course.

Don’t let anybody fool you into thinking that golf is just golf and it doesn’t matter. It does matter and it matters a lot.

In my opinion, we Americans are going to have to play great to compete.

A final footnote. Dustin Johnson contended and almost won the PGA Championship here a few years ago. I fully expect this Dutch Fork graduate to play great.

Both Lexington and Richland County recreation commissions are currently conducting a Family Junior Golf program. This program is available to new players and new families in golf and part of the theme is team. 1 of the formats is family team so check the websites: http://richlandcountyrecreation.com/fall-golf-programs-at-linrick-golfcourse/, https://sports.bluesombrero.com/lcrac .