GOLF

While watching this past week’s Fedex Championship, the commentators had a brief exchange about the influence of Tiger Woods on golf interest.

“When Tiger plays, he moves the dial” is what I faintly heard, then Roger Maltbie enthusiastically added, “Tiger is the dial.”

By winning the PGA Tours final event of the year, he completed and validated his comeback. Four back surgeries and five years is is a long time to endure, but one thing for sure, Tiger Woods made Jim Furyk, this year’s Ryder Cup Captain, look good while making his weekend statement.

Incidentally, at least four from our community will be in attending the Ryder Cup including Dustin Johnson, Austin Johnson, his brother and caddie, Brenda and Marvin Huggins. Hopefully, there are many more including many Johnson family members and friends because this is a “road match.”

Le Golf National, just outside of Paris, France, will be this week’s Intercontinental competition that will be packed full of energy. The “Homefield” advantage is significant for the Americans have not been victorious outside of their soil in 25 years.

It was 1993 the last time the Americans got an “away game” team victory.

The reason for European dominance is kind of simple. Americans are young in golf “team construct”, so I was actually in Scotland during the 1997 Ryder Cup when I discovered this.

Until this point, I was perplexed as to how this event could even be a match. Our “depth dominance” was tremendous. Typically, the fourth through 12th player on the European Team, during this time, was a “non-recognizable” individual player that really could not consistently compete at the PGA Tour level.

It was very difficult for these “little known” players to even get status on the PGA Tour. I had watched for years and even competed with several of these European Ryder Cup players and they simply did not have a comparable level of skill competence to the 4th through 12th seeds.

What they did have, though, was passion. The average European player viewed the Ryder Cup as a greater event than any other event, including a professional major championship. More importantly, the Europeans also have, in my opinion, a better, more mature understanding of team golf. This could be an equally significant advantage.

Thanks to Fred Johnston, I learned this firsthand in 1997. I was an invited guest on one of his European golf trips and this is where I got the inside information and learned the true European advantages. Average people, and non-golfers in Europe, view golf a bit like we Americans view football with one powerful exception. Golf is a “club” event in most of Europe, meaning the emphasis is totally on team golf, not individual golf.

We view golf as individual golf here in the states and our performance strategy is constructed around this premise. On the other hand, just the opposite occurs in Europe. The construct of European golf is built on and around team play and it starts at the course or club level. Individual performance is not emphasized as the centerpiece of the game.

Very few Europeans play golf, but most know golf. It’s a lot like in our culture, where most know football but don’t play. So, for many decades, inner club matches have been the measure in Europe and in America, they hardly even exist.

Team advantage, Europe.

What the home field advantage, combined with European player perspective, equates to a supernatural ability to perform. Just as the American hockey players won the gold in 1980 riding the high energy available made through a refined team community chemistry, along with an incredible coach, the Europeans have operated similarly.

This atmosphere inspires great play, so the French fans will even add to that advantage. In short, our best chance for victory rests in the balance of game time leadership skills of Captain Furyk.

To the American team’s credit, our golf experts and leaders recognize this team superiority fact, and now use “European Tactics” to prepare. Incidentally, it was much fun observing Furyk during this PGA Tour season. He and Steve Stricker, one of his co-captains, were in conversation constantly in many of the events I attended. I thought it was quite interesting how other players would react if the two of them were sitting together at a table.

The dining room would be packed with tour players and if those two were sitting and talking, no one would sit with them, especially late in the season. It was as if these two were infected with a contagious flu and all would steer clear.

The USA has a fair chance to compete and win the event, but the Europeans have a huge advantage while being significant favorites in my mind.

The Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission is taking registration for their Winter Youth Golf Tour. The program is for junior golfers and families off all ages and skill levels. The Winter Tour Registration Meeting is set for Dec. 2 at Seven Oaks Park. Please call the parks for more information.

(803) 772-3336 or (803) 345-6181.