Ryder Cup and Rain Gear

While waiting for play to resume, I read an ESPN article and found the following portion interesting:

"The Americans will come back to the course with new rain suits. Several players complained that the rain suits they had been wearing -- which featured their names on the back -- were not repelling water.

PGA of America spokesman Julius Mason said Friday that officials went to the merchandise tent during the rain delay at Celtic Manor and snatched up as many suits as they could find.

The rain gear ordered by U.S. captain Corey Pavin was made by Sun Mountain. Mason says team officials were disappointed with how they worked, and bought new ones made by ProQuip. Mason says there were only enough for the players and caddies. The new suits have only a Ryder Cup logo -- the European Ryder Cup logo at that (there are separate ones for each team) -- without any special markings for a U.S. uniform."

I don't know much about Sun Mountain rain gear - I use a ProQuip top with Mizuno Imperialite pants, and I have never had a problem. Did the U.S. team not properly test their equipment? Rain during the Ryder Cup seemed likely, so having effective rain gear should be a priority.

Anyone here use Sun Mountain rain gear? Any issues? Funny that the U.S. team will don a European rain gear Mfgr when they go back on the course.

I bet there are a lot of people that work for Sun Mountain's R&D; and marketing departments that are getting their resumes prepared as we speak..

Apparently they were leaking at the seams. I'm not too disappointed though, those things were ugly. It looked like they were playing hockey. With ugly hats.

Haha! Witty as always Jamo.

A few US players said in TV interviews for the European Tour that the European have always had an edge in clothing. This is once again the proof of it.
I have to agree with jamo, they definately didn't look like golf raingear. More like something chavs would wear in England.

FootJoy via Twitter - hilarous:

@FootJoy: Just to clarify, the USA rainsuits are definitely NOT FootJoy...but those black RainGrip gloves most of the players have are

man i was watching this, this morning and was thinking to myself "those look like track suits, not friggen rain suits!"
you could easily tell that they did not have fully taped seams on them (unlike the European Team's)
the caddy's red jackets were turning a dark burgandy, which is a sure sign of leakage (when the color changes when wet)

nice call Pavin.........

i have a set of Sun Ice jacket and pants that are GoreTex.....they are amazing (expensive) but amazing
i was in a dounpour all day golfing in them and i was 100% dry all day...and warm

Yeah, Pavin is a dufus, but he can't be the only one to blame here (unfortunately) - maybe he asked for something from "Sun something . . . Ice? Mountain? I know Sun Mountain makes bags, that must be it."

I'm as much of a Sun Mountain fanboy as anyone, but an umbrella is as close to their rain gear as I'd get. Even my new bag (four.5) isn't as waterproof as my previous bag, which I put into service on overcast days just in case. With the 14 way top there's no place to put the brolly to brace the bag against the rain and wind. Does anyone play in the rain anymore? The material lets water through as well. The one and only time I used it in the rain, I had to clip my towels to the stays. I have two rain suits (a North Face and an older heavier Columbia). I wasn't 100% sure about the North Face one since it's so light. I threw it in the wash with some water proofing sauce (thank you Valhalla) as it's only good for about > 4 hours. Any longer and I'd need the old Columbia - hella waterproof but heavier it only comes along when the POP is ~ %100.

Sun Mountain marketing people are banging heads on wall, while their design people are being dragged out and beaten. :(

I smell HUGE discounts on sun mountain products

Yup, this one will be b-school case study before long.

"They want the names to be bigger, Larry. What part of bigger don't you understand?"

"But Bob, that's gonna compromise the permeability of the membrane!"

"The only thing that's compromised right now, Larry, is your chance of getting a ••••ing bonus this year. What are the odds it's actually going to rain, anyway? Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go lock up that deal for the Red Wings swimwear line."

yeh but who agrees with me the bag looks rubbish for the USA and almost as bad for euorpe

It doesnt help matters either that the Fedex cup has pushed the Ryder Cup into October. The UK is not exactly Palm Springs during this time of year. Huge brain fart in my opinion.

I don't think the "FedEx Cup" has done that at all. A few years ago they broke up the FedEx Cup to put in the Ryder (Presidents?) Cup. Plus, it's the PGA Tour that organizes the FedEx Cup, and the PGA of America that organizes the Ryder Cup.

Although 2 different bodies, they get together and discuss these things. The Fedex cup has everything to do with it. Money and politics will win out over tradition every time these days.

I think anyone involved with the Ryder Cup would be struck by lightning if they suggested the Ryder Cup isn't almost entirely about money these days. NBC makes a helluva lot of money off it.

Agree..... The Ryder Cup is a virtual cash cow. But at least it has more meaning than a pointless Fedex Cup. Nobody is going to give shit who won the Fedex 5 years from now, but people still rant or cheer about past Ryder Cups.