Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Ryder Cup Notes

It was a fine crisp fall time at Medinah near Chicago as the Europeans took on the Americans in the Ryder Cup golf matches.  


There were too many of these shots - Bubba headed for his ball in the woods - and USA fell to the Europeans.



Right after I took this shot a "mobile device enforcement officer" threatened to kick me out if I did it again - taking a picture of the players during play.  Seems a little over the top, but rules is rules, and I broke them.  Good for him.  Bad on me.  I put away the phone and then took pictures of scenery and things while there were no players around - and nobody cared.  

On the way into the matches on one of the shuttles I visited with a "Brit" who indicated to me that there weren't many folks on the European team that cared about the Union Anthem - isn't.  Each of their countries has their own anthem, so this is just a marketing something.  

 
Medinah Country Club has been around for a long time.  In visiting with one of the 600 members at lunch, he said most of the playing members are "blue collar" but there are quite a few who are allowed to join the club and use it for marketing and promotion of their firms.



What a magnificent club house. It was originally the site of a Masonic or Shrine temple.  The facilities for the Ryder Cup were built right over two of the courses - while walking into/out of the matches, here in the middle of the path was a sprinkler head with yardage distances - but I couldn't tell where the green was - under a "building" or under the entrance/exit.




Of the three Ryder Cup matches I've visited, it was the best.  Looking forward to the next one on American soil in the Minneapolis area in 4 years.