U-S-A, U-S-A! Create your own Ryder Cup event!

On the eve of the Ryder Cup we thought it appropriate to reflect on what makes the Ryder Cup so successful and how you can bring that same type of excitement to your club. After all, what's more exciting than team golf? The excitement, pressure and camaraderie! Sadly, most of us amateurs rarely if ever have to opportunity to experience it.

Just like the Ryder Cup, you can create a late season event to let your members experience the fun and craziness of team golf. In the process you should be able to increase member engagement and ultimately increase your value to your club.

Here’s how to do it:

• Create your own "Cup" - This is your opportunity to create some history for your club. Use your club’s past to come up with a name for the tournament, i.e. “The Tillinghast Cup”. Get a trophy and have the winners engraved every year.

• Choose Captains - Pick one male member, one female member and one pro for each team. These captains should not necessarily be the best golfers in the club, rather people that will get into the spirit and bring energy to the event.

• The Draft (optional, but lots of fun except for the last ones picked). Pick Teams - The draft should happen 1-2 weeks prior to the event. It’s important to have time between the draft and the actual event to allow the tournament excitement to build. You can make the draft into an event on its own. The captains sit in the middle of the room with spectators seated all around them. Each captain has a limited time to make their next pick.

• Uniforms - Requiring teams to show up in uniforms adds an extra touch to the event. Use one of your shop retailers for good quality polo shirts. If participants like the shirt they will continue to wear them after the event, serving as a walking endorsement for next year’s cup. If budget is an issue, then hats will do.

• Groupings - Just like the Ryder Cup, pairings should be chosen prior to each day. The first captain picks a team and the other captains match it. This is a good opportunity to promote members playing with other members outside their immediate social circle.

• Format - Although it’s fun to replicate the Ryder Cup format, the format needs to be carefully thought out. Unlike the Ryder Cup, you will have members of all skill levels on each team. This make require some creativity to figure out (I.e. scrambles).

• Enthusiasm – Last, but probably most importantly is getting members to buy into the event. The Ryder Cup is so exciting because the players really get into it and they don't want to let their teammates down. Suddenly the nerves kick in over a three foot putt. Make sure the Pro Captains are leading the charge.

As always, it’s your job to create enthusiasm for golf events. A Ryder Cup style event is one great way to do so.