2013 Solheim Cup Discussion Thread

[Mulligan Jeff]

I see your point of view barbm12thtee, it's good sportsmanship on both sides and I like that.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by Dave40

Damn, the US loses the cup and everyone in this thread becomes unravelled and hating on our team. Great fans.

I wouldn't say we're hating on our team, we're being critical of their performance and behavior.  Even if they won the Cup, I wouldn't have been happy with the way they represented the United States from a "sportswomanship" perspective.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by Dave40

Damn, the US loses the cup and everyone in this thread becomes unravelled and hating on our team. Great fans.

Hate is pretty strong. Disappointment is more like it.

Just like the American men on the Ryder Cup team, they didn't handle pressure very well. But in this case, I think the Euro team was just better and deeper, even with their 17 year old, newly minted pro. I also think that marketing is more important to some of the American women than anything else. Thank goodness Natalie Gulbis wasn't on the team or it would have been insufferable.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Pretzel

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9iron

Watching this Solheim Cup I thought about the greens most of the LPGA events are played on, and how these greens at Colorado CC are a lot tougher with both slope and speed. It showed, just unfortunately mostly with the Americans.

Yeah, they were rolling pretty quick. I think that most people don't realize that on a mountain course (as Colorado CC most certainly is) a stimpmeter is a lot less accurate in measuring speed just because you will never really have a flat putt. Everything is always going to up or downhill for you, which keeps you thinking more about your speed than your line most times.

Um.... I haven't yet seen a mountain in Parker CO.  Parker is out in the prairie, fully 10 miles from the hogback, which is the beginning of the mountains west of Denver.  Even Fossil Trace isn't a "mountain" course, even though it sits right at the bottom of the foothills.   The Colorado Golf Club sets in a nice little range of hills, but no mountains.  It's really no more mountainous than Augusta National.

[roquey]

all I saw was 24 fantastic golfers playing incredible golf for 3 straight day. The guys on this thread could not match one of those ladies. They all played their hearts out. In sport someone has to win. The losers played fantastic golf, on the day Europe just played a little better.

[Dave2512]

Some people like to complain. I'd wager that if you dug up the Ryder Cup thread those calling the US Team out for being too flamboyant are the same ones that bashed Phil for being too soft as he was giving thumbs up to Rose.

[RonTheSavage]

Well I can say we're not the only ones who saw it like that. The golf Channel Morning drive panel even said the running joke on the Euro team was about the Americans were more concerned about nail polish and ribbons. What also caught my attention was that the entire Euro team spent 45 mins or more on every green on days leading up to the event. (I wasnt there to winess this. This is also from the Morning Drive guys) No word on if the Americans did the same, they were probably braiding eachothers hair. I dont think we're hating on the US team but I think it's fair for us to call the team out as a whole for being unprepared and unprofessional.

[Mr. Desmond]

This is getting a little over the top.

But we can all agree the Americans need to work more on their golf game, particularly their short game, than non-golf matters.

[Dave2512]

I would say with rare exception the entirety of the LPGA could benefit from short game practice. What I don't get is why people get hung up on the us and against them thing regarding these team events. For one it's not that way anymore. The high profile players on either big tour have primary residences in the states. It's more neighbor against neighbor than anything. Not to mention most of them attended American universities. They may as well hold these events in Jupiter Florida.

[hacker101]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

I would say with rare exception the entirety of the LPGA could benefit from short game practice. What I don't get is why people get hung up on the us and against them thing regarding these team events. For one it's not that way anymore. The high profile players on either big tour have primary residences in the states. It's more neighbor against neighbor than anything. Not to mention most of them attended American universities. They may as well hold these events in Jupiter Florida.

I heard last night that the Euro team even had competitions with in themselves putting and wedge shots around the greens each day.

They brought it, I have to say there is not one of the woman on either team I could beat.

But I always wondered why if you live in the states how you can play for another country?

It would seem to me if you live in that country you play for that country. If any one could educate me on this part I would really appreciate it.

[wils5150]

Just because they live here doesn't mean they are citizens. Happens all the time in the Olympics. They have people born here choosing to play for the country their parents were from.

[brookter]

Originally Posted by hacker101

But I always wondered why if you live in the states how you can play for another country?

It would seem to me if you live in that country you play for that country. If any one could educate me on this part I would really appreciate it.

Not sure about US sports, but in the rest of the world (as far as I know), the default is that you play for the country whose nationality you hold, whether that's through birth or through your parents.

That's the basic principle, though some sports are more lenient about it than others. For example, in cricket or rugby you can qualify for a different country through your grandparents' nationality, or through having lived there for X years (and not having played for another country in the meantime). In both cases, you have to apply to qualify, it's neither automatic or obligatory, so simply living in the US is not enough.

It's often controversial: there are many jokes about the number of Pacific Islanders in the New Zealand rugby team, or South Africans playing cricket for England, but (usually) they can trace a relative with the right birthplace if they look hard enough… ;-).

[Dave2512]

The only thing that makes it strange is the competitors hone their skills competing against each other year in and out. No doubt there are some dominant figures but other things factor into it, current health, people under the radar peaking at key times etc. But the patriotism is part of the fun. International events are an opportunity to flaunt your colors. It shouldn't be looked down on.

[boogielicious]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I started a cooking thread on this forum. It didn't get much love.

That's because you never sent me the Polenta recipe from Abruzzo!

Back on track.  Bottom line is the Euro team putted way better.  Same thing happened in the Ryder cup.  Kudos to them for adjusting to the greens.

[hacker101]

Originally Posted by brookter

Not sure about US sports, but in the rest of the world (as far as I know), the default is that you play for the country whose nationality you hold, whether that's through birth or through your parents.

That's the basic principle, though some sports are more lenient about it than others. For example, in cricket or rugby you can qualify for a different country through your grandparents' nationality, or through having lived there for X years (and not having played for another country in the meantime). In both cases, you have to apply to qualify, it's neither automatic or obligatory, so simply living in the US is not enough.

It's often controversial: there are many jokes about the number of Pacific Islanders in the New Zealand rugby team, or South Africans playing cricket for England, but (usually) they can trace a relative with the right birthplace if they look hard enough… ;-).

Thanks I really did not know this or how it worked, I don't follow really any other sports. It just seemed to me that if you live in a country you play for that country but now I know and makes sense.

[mvmac]

Dottie Pepper says the Solheim Cup needs fixing

http://w.espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/9584827/espnw-dottie-pepper-says-solheim-cup-needs-fixing

Quote:

It wasn't about participation medals, face paint, hair ribbons, spousal gown allowances, decorated hotel rooms, custom rain suits and "inside the ropes" badges; it was about pouring your heart and soul into something you got no material benefit from. It was about beating the tar out of each other and being so exhausted you could barely get out of bed the next morning. It was about winning big and losing hard.

Like I said, maybe I am old school, but maybe we should take a look at where we are with all of these matches. We will all be better for it.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Dottie Pepper says the Solheim Cup needs fixing

http://w.espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/9584827/espnw-dottie-pepper-says-solheim-cup-needs-fixing

If Dottie thinks the only way for them to win is via match fixing - they're screwed

[boogielicious]

But is it growing the game Dottie?  If it gets more girls interested in playing, then it is a success.  The Solheim and Ryder Cups are exhibitions meant to showcase the current best talent under the pretense of a competition.  The Competition is secondary in my opinion.  Yes there is bragging rights and trash talk, but in the end they are all back out on the course the next week as individuals.