UK and Ireland
 

It was UK and Ireland before Europe joined in the fun not just the UK.

No, not really!
 

You ARE wrong! After a quick search I turned up the following numbers: Number of courses in the UK = 200, number of courses in the U.S. = 16, 052 and rapidly counting! My comment was tongue in cheek. Perhaps European nations should compete as a team in the Olympics as well (tongue in cheek, again!) I love the way the European players get it together for the Ryder Cup. I absolutely loved watching Seve and Olazabal do their thing. I am not seriously advocating a return to the exhibition days, they were seldom a fair fight.

Sorry for the Ireland oversight! Who can forget the shot Christy O'Connor Jnr hit at the Belfry in '89! That one hurt! Was it Christy O'Connor Snr, or the Welshman Neil Coles that was a prodigious ball striker but had a fear of flying?

I am waiting for the inevitable complacency (that multiple wins produces) to set in! Then we will have another Kiawah Island (hopefully without the antics!) I almost cried for Bernhard Langer that year! What a class act he is. In fact, it seems like the traditional approach to golf in Europe tends to produce that kind of player. It's a Dutch game, made viable by the Scots and dominated by colonials! Insert tongue in cheek icon, here!

Coles and "Himself"
 

Neil Coles was an Englishman who was indeed a great ball striker and who refused to fly. I saw him play in the Irish Seniors Open a few years ago when he was 72 in Fota in Cork and he was very impressive for his age. The tournement had no ropes so I was able to walk along side him for a few holes.

Christy O'Connor Snr or "Himself" as we call him in Ireland was a spectacular ball striker. I only got to saw him play when he was quite old but it was a sight to behold. In his clinic he used to put a ball in a divot then stand on it and then proceed to hit a high draw using a driver. Plugged bunker shots stone dead one handed etc etc. Remarkable talent who would have one several opens if his putting had been better

There is a story about "Himself"[or knowing the Irish:) ,an urban myth].
He was on the tee at Royal Troon at the famous "postage stamp" par 3 ,and a group of American tourists came up behind him as he proceeded to miss the green with a short iron.One of the Americans commented on how easy the hole was[very short] ,and how could a pro miss it.Christie turned around and bet the group he could hit it with every club in his bag-and proceeded to do so!
Great story ,true or not -and if he did ,I'll bet he had a wager on it!:)

Oops!
 

I bungled it AGAIN. I got Coles confused with Dai Rees! You better have a serious down and out motion to low point to hit an embedded ball with a high draw (with a driver no less!) Anybody out there old enough to have watched
Sir Henry Cotton play, or swing? I have heard from bias sources that he was every bit as a good of a ball striker as Hogan. I think it was a top golf writer of the era that suggested that he had seen both at their peak and Cotton may have been better! Bias always comes into play on these things, though. Cotton believed in educated hands, though. I think the car tire may have been the original impact bag!

:confused1 The guy who hit Driver out of a divot was Christie O'Conner jnr-or 'HIMSELF' -He could play ANY SHOT!:golf:

Gotcha!
 

Gotcha...thanks!

Afraid not. Christy O'Connor Senior was the man who hit the driver out the divot. My regular golfing partner saw it himself and we discuss it regularly. Also here in Ireland we refer to Christy Snr as "Himself".

Perhaps Junior can also hit a driver out of a divot but that's not what I was referring to in my post above.

Right you are Sean,my mistake-my earlier post regarding Troon should also have referenced Sr-"Himself".
I've committed a big sin in Ireland! Sorry Boys:salut:

At this moment in time the Ryder Cup is in crisis.

Two massive wins for Europe and the US members talking about how the Presidents Cup is actually a better event. :rolleyes:

Whats next? If they lose this one will they say the Tavistock Cup is better?

Sad to say but what the Ryder Cup needs more than anything is an American win by half a point and all the tension and drama that goes along with it.

What it doesn't need is some of the nonsense that Azinger is spouting regarding Faldo. Its a game for gentlemen zinger - have your views but keep them private!