Fantasy Golf: 2008 Ryder Cup Primer

September 15, 2008 12:27pm CDT

The Ryder Cup
Valhalla Golf Club @ Louisville, Kentucky
- Dates: Thursday, September 18th – Sunday, September 21st

Tournament Schedule
Opening Ceremony – Thursday, September 18 – 3:45pm EST Start
Ryder Cup Play (Foursomes) - Friday, September 19 – 8am EST
Ryder Cup Play (Fourball) - Friday, September 19 – 12:45pm EST
Ryder Cup Play (Foursomes) - Saturday, September – 8am EST
Ryder Cup Play (Fourball) - Saturday, September – 12:45pm EST
Ryder Cup Play (Singles) – Sunday, September 21 – 12pm EST


The Course

Valhalla Golf Club
Course Par Value: 71
Course Yardage: 7,496

Hole 1 (Par 4, 448 yds): The opening hole is a deceptive par 4 with a slight dog leg to the left, though the proper roll can take advantage of the right-to-left sloping fairway. From the tee, the hole fails to strike fear, yet the approach to the green will be extremely challenging with the addition of two greenside bunkers, one front right and one back left. This bunker is a visually intimidating sight for approach shots to the front-left and back-right hole locations. The left bunker is positioned to gobble up errant shots to the back portion of the green.

Hole 2 (Par 4, 505 yds): The second offering brings another slight dog leg to the left off the tee, a fairway some will crush if they work the ball properly. This hole challenges the players from the tee with a finger of Floyds Fork, a waterway that meanders through the front nine, bordering the left side of the fairway and a bunker squeezing the fairway to the right. In 2006, Jack Nicklaus designed challenging revisions on the green, allowing the conversion to a par 4 (from a par 5 for regular folks) for Championship golf. The slopes in the green have been softened to be more receptive to longer approach shots, but the green has also been reduced in total size. The two existing bunkers to the left have been reworked and deepened. A new bunker has been added in the area.

Hole 3 (Par 3, 206 yds): The third hole presents a challenging par 3 with Floyds Fork winding between the tee and the green before moving to the right of the green. The third has remained relatively unchanged through the renovations of 2006 with the exception of softening some of the existing slopes in the green and adding a small portion of green to the back left that will allow for more hole locations on or near the back left of the green. The green is guarded by a large bunker to the left and a bunker to the right. The real danger on this particular hole may be the effects of the wind as the prevailing gusts push to the right, sending errant shots careening off the slope right of the green into Floyds Fork.

Hole 4 (Par 4, 375 yds): The fourth has been changed, pushing the tee 20-yards farther back and to the players' right, though the tee shot as constructed previously was difficult with a deep bunker protecting left of the fairway with another fairway bunker lying in wait on the right. The aggressive play is to take the tee shot over the left bunker; however, the new tee has taken the carry yardage of left bunker from 240 yards to 260 yards and given a slightly different angle off of the tee. Although a relatively short par 4 by today's standards, this hole will still be a test for all players due to that decision. Distance control is the key for approaches to this green. Shots going long of the green will find a watery grave in Floyds Fork.

Hole 5 (Par 4, 463 yds): The fifth sports a new look as the Golden Bear (i.e. Mr. Jack Nicklaus) has added a new fairway bunker to the player's right, which now complements the three bunkers that line the left of the landing area off the tee. A tee shot of 290 yards will be needed to carry the new right-hand bunker. Once the ball is in the fairway, the green presents a bunker positioned to grab errant shots to the right or short and a closely mown collection area left of the green. This green allows for a back-right hole location, which may be the most difficult on the course.

Hole 6 (Par 4, 500 yds): The sixth hole serves as the location for one of the more dramatic renovation results of the 2006 project, a hole originally played as a 420-yard par 4 with the second shot over Floyds Fork. Players will not notice much difference from the tee but the second shot is drastically different. For starters, the green has been moved back 80 yards, leaving players with an approach shot of 180 to 200 yards, assuming the strike a well-positioned tee shot. The green has been totally redesigned with obstacles at every sector of the floor. A deep bunker will guard the left side of the green and a closely mown collection area will grab shots to the right. This will be a difficult par for players of all skill levels.

Hole 7 (Par 5, 601 yds): The seventh hole brings a split fairway with an exciting risk-vs-reward feel. The shorter route to the left fairway shortens the hole by more than 50 yards. However, the landing area is only 24 yards wide and the entire left fairway is surrounded by bluegrass rough and a water hazard. The approach from this island fairway will be a carry of 210 to 230 yards, all over water. The fairway to the right is the longer but safer route, although this route too has been made more challenging by narrowing the fairway by 15 to 20 yards. The fairway bunkers on the right side of the fairway have been enlarged and moved closer the fairway. The water hazard has been expanded to the edge of the green.

Hole 8 (Par 3, 180 yds): The eighth hole also enjoys a newly-renovated green complex and tee area. The tee has been redesigned to allow for the Championship tee on holes 5 and 8 to be shared, adding 25 yards to the eighth. The green complex may now stand as the most challenging on the Valhalla links, protected by a deep bunker in the front with a slippery collection area behind it. Another bunker and Floyds Fork to the left and a green featuring multiple shelves allow for the most challenging of hole placements.

Hole 9 (Par 4, 416 yds): The ninth brings an uphill stretch that will challenge the best of golfers, mostly unchanged through the renovation. The tee shot is challenged by three fairway bunkers bordering the right side with two more to the left. The uphill approach to this green makes the art of properly judging yardage extremely difficult while the presence of one of the deepest bunkers on the course looming just right of the green will punish any and all missed shots.

Hole 10 (Par 5, 594 yds): The tenth is a double-dog leg par 5 with a fairway bunker on the right side of the driving zone and deep rough to the left. The green is protected by a large, deep bunker guarding the front of this undulating, two-tiered green. Distance control on the approach is of supreme importance as shots missing long will make not result in par and shots coming up short will find the front bunker. The 2006 renovation has added a new championship tee that adds 35 yards in length.

Hole 11 (Par 3, 208 yds): Hole #11 served as one of the major projects addressed during the 2006 renovation as the green complex was completely rebuilt. The new green has been moved back approximately 30 yards, tinted left of the previous green position, and it now features a slight false front with two bunkers bordering the front and left of the green and two more trapping shots that go long. Accuracy will be the name of the game as shots going long and to the left will bound down the hillside, making par a very difficult task.

Hole 12 (Par 4, 464 yds): Come into the twelfth and you'll find one of the more daunting challenges golfers have faced during major championships at Valhalla. This par 4 has a difficult driving area that leaves player with a 160-to-180-yard approach into an elevated green. The green is punishing to errant shots with one of the deepest bunkers on the course to the right and gnarly bluegrass rough to the left. The hole is so difficult it remains unchanged from the 2006 renovations with the exception of subtle re-contouring of the green.

Hole 13 (Par 4, 352 yds): The 13th hole is the shortest par-4 hole on the course, measuring 350 yards from the Championship tee. This hole has seen more than a few memorable moments in each of the majors at Valhalla. The driving zone of the hole is surrounded by five small bunkers to the left and one large bunker to the right. The green, one of the most spectacular on the course, is built up nearly 20 feet on large boulders and is almost completely surrounded by water. Accuracy with controlled spin is a must for this hole, which will remain unchanged with the exception of slight re-contouring of the green.

Hole 14 (Par 3, 215 yds): The longest par 3 on the course, hole #14 features a two-tiered green with a large bunker up front. The renovation project included re-contouring the rear portion of the green and the addition of two greenside bunkers, including one just behind the lower tier and one just behind the upper tier of the green. This par 3 demands proper club selection as shots missing long will face the toughest of recovery efforts to get up and down.

Hole 15 (Par 4, 434 yds): The 15th is renowned for his scenic views, one of the best holes to witness at Valhalla with Brush Run Creek running the entire right side of the hole. The landing area off of the tee is framed by a small bunker to the left and a larger bunker to the right. However, the challenge of this hole is the approach. The green, like the fairway, is skirted by Brush Run Creek, leaving very little room for error. This hole has little change from tee to green; however, the green complex includes the addition of a greenside bunker that fills what used to be a closely mown collection area left of the green. The green itself has been re-contoured on both the left and right sides, allowing for more hole locations, some near the water.

Hole 16 (Par 4, 511 yds): The offering at the #16, a slight dogleg to the right, brings Brush Run Creek back to play, guarding the right side with a tree-covered slope and deep rough on the left. The longest of the par 4's at 510 yards, Hole 16 has proven to be one of the most difficult on the course and has yet to be tested at in its current format in a major championship. The approach to this green has been changed dramatically with a completely new green complex and the lowering of hole No. 17's tee area, which creates an amphitheater for unbelievable spectator viewing. Formerly without bunkers, this par 4 now features two greenside bunkers.

Hole 17 (Par 4, 477 yds): The 17th hole is an uphill par 4 that was one of the major projects during the course renovation. The tee has been lowered eight feet, creating a spectacular viewing area for the 16th green. The existing left fairway bunker has been complemented by the addition of a right fairway bunker, making the landing area one of the more challenging targets at Valhalla. The new tee has allowed for the addition of 50 yards in length, making this par 4 rather difficult to temper. The green on 17 has remained virtually the same with some re-contouring of slopes.

Hole 18 (Par 5, 547 yds): The 18th is one of the more historic finishing holes in America, touting playoff finishes in the 78th and 82nd PGA Championships as well as the down-to-the-wire finish in the 65th Senior PGA Championship. This par 5 has a large fairway bunker to the left of the landing area and a spectacular water feature on the right. This hole has remained mostly unchanged with the exception of a new greenside bunker just off the left of the green. The existing bunker guarding the front portion of the green will remain a factor. The green itself has remained nearly the same with only some re-contouring of the slopes that run from the upper portion of the green down to the left and right lower levels.

(For a wonderful course tour including fly-by digital replications, visit the official Ryder Cup site: http://www.rydercup.com/2008/usa/course/courses/index.html)

2006
The K Club, Straffan, Co.Kildare, Ireland
~ Europe (18 ½) defeats USA (9 ½)

2004
Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Township, Missouri
~ Europe (18 ½) defeats USA (9 ½)

2002
Sutton Coldfield, England
~ Europe (15 ½) defeats USA (12 ½)

1999
The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts
~ USA (14 ½) defeats Europe (13 ½)

1997
Valderrama Golf Club, Sotogrande, Spain
~ Europe (14 ½) defeats USA (13 ½)


MATCH PLAY Format

All games are played under Match Play rules, where the result of each game is determined by the number of holes won. The order of play for the first two days is Foursomes in the morning and Fourball in the afternoon. The final day's play will be in Singles format.

FOURSOMES (four groups of two two-man teams)
"Foursomes" play is a match where two golfers play together against two other golfers and each team plays one ball. The golfers play alternate shots (player A hits tee shot, player B hits second shot, etc) until the hole is played out. Team members alternate playing the tee shots, with one golfer hitting the tee shot on odd-numbered holes, and the other hitting the tee shot on the even-numbered holes. The team with the better score wins the hole. Should the two teams tie for best score, the hole is halved.

FOURBALL (four groups of two two-man teams)
"Fourball" play is a match in which each member of the two-man teams plays their own ball. Four balls are in play per hole with each of the four players competing. The team whose player has the lowest score on that hole wins the hole. Should players from each team tie for the best score, the hole is halved.

SINGLES (12 groups of two one-man teams)
"Singles" is a match in which one player competes against another player. A player wins the match when he is up by more holes than there are holes remaining to play.

PAIRINGS
Each Team Captain independently submits the order of play for his Team to the appointed tournament official. The lists from each Captain are matched, resulting in the "Pairings". Please note that the players in pairings can be modified by the Team Captains only if a player is ill or injured. Pairings are subject to change and should not be considered final until play begins for a particular match.