Ryder Cup Strategy - what about trying this for 2012?

[chriskzoo]

In thinking about how Azinger used his "pods" system to put 4 guys together and make them feel like a team within a team, what about taking it one step further and identifying 4 guys who will play all 5 sessions, 4 guys who will play Fourball and Singles, and 4 guys who will just play Foursomes and singles. This way 8 of your guys simply have to focus on one type of play - Fourballs or Singles. I would have done something like this:

Play all 5 sessions
Woods/Stricker
Cink/Kuchar

Fourballs and Singles
Mickelson/Watson
DJ/Overton

Foursomes
Fowler/Furyk
ZJ/Mahan

This way your "birdie machines" like DJ and Overton have to worry about nothing else all week except throwing it at the pin and trying to drain as many putts as possible while your more consistent ball strikers just have to worry about fairways and greens and not giving anything away in Foursomes. Then you have your 4 players who will play all 5 sessions set and not having to worry about switcing partners every rounds etc.

Thoughts? Seems brilliant to me (then again I came up with it, LOL).

[vct33]

You have to be able to break up pairings that aren't working and ride hot players etc... I don't think you can set things in stone like that before the matches even begin. For example, if Pavin had done that, there is no way that he would have chosen Cink/Kuchar to play all five matches.

[jamo]

The thing is, who knows if a bunch of those guys will be back. Cink and Kuchar? Maybe, maybe not. Overton? I wouldn't bet on it. Watson? Possibly. ZJ, Furyk? They'll have to win a few tournaments again.

[bshack]

yeah cuz anthony kim will be ready by that time and there are some good americans who could be back by then and some young guns that could be ripe for the pickin in 2012

[mjtoal]

Overton won't be playing any matches in 2012.

I wouldn't be too confident about Bubba, either.

[Judah Ben-Hur]

Overton won't be playing any matches in 2012.

... and your reason is?

[jamo]

... and your reason is?

Overton has never won, and only got on the team because he had several high finishes right as the point system's time interval was winding down, which gave him more points than normal.

Bubba IMO because he is incredibly streaky. He could have a great year next year then have a poor 2012 and not meet the point qualifications and not be picked.

[motteler621]

Overton has never won, and only got on the team because he had several high finishes right as the point system's time interval was winding down, which gave him more points than normal.

well bubba has never had any sort of lessons, according to him. maybe if he got a swing instructor it could take him to the next level

[Shorty]

This way your "birdie machines" like DJ and Overton have to worry about nothing else all week except throwing it at the pin and trying to drain as many putts as possible

That is, of course, unless you consider the Sunday singles matches important, which The 2010 edition proved to be the case. I would be very surprised Overton and Watson were both playing in 2012, anyway.