Why Fred Couples Wasn't Picked as Ryder Cup Captain

[billchao]

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/fred-couples-passed-over-2016-ryder-cup-captaincy

Quote:

The U.S. team is put together and run by the PGA of America, which recently assembled an 11-man task force to try to answer the question of why the American team has struggled so in Ryder Cup play. Four members of that committee—Love, Steve Stricker, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods—were pushing hard for Couples to be named the next Ryder Cup captain. It was suggested that if Couples was not enough of glad-hander, and not organized enough, to handle some of the nuts-and-bolts that comes with the captaincy, he could select a vice captain—likely Love—to be his wingman.

The players appreciated Couples' laid-back style and that he was easy to talk to. At the Ryder Cup at Medinah, in 2012, when Love was the captain and Couples was one of his assistants, Scott Verplank, another assistant, was assigned to walk with Woods as the team representative and cheerleader. Woods was able to tell Couples that he didn’t want Verplank following him around and a last-minute change was made. There are few people that Woods is going to speak to with such candor.

But another member of the task force, and its most significant voice, was Pete Bevacqua, the PGA’s CEO. Bevacqua and Couples had conversations about Couples’ interest in the job. The two men could not be more different. Bevacqua is as earnest as Couples is relaxed.

Doesn't seem like Couples wanted the job. Seems like the PGA of America didn't really want him, either.

[jamo]

It strikes me as weird in both directions. Couples is popular amongst players and fans, so why wouldn't the PGA want him? And it's not like being a Ryder Cup captain is an all-consuming job. You do a few pressers, pick a few guys, and then go watch some golf up close for a week. He's been the Presidents Cup captain, he knows that. Why wouldn't Couples want to?

[Patch]

I just think Freddy is smarter than the average bear. His laid back demeanor sort of reminds me of Yogi Bear swinging a golf club.

[3putter]

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/fred-couples-passed-over-2016-ryder-cup-captaincy

He's organized enough to handle the president's cup, but not the Ryder cup? What gives?

[joekelly]

Seems this job is a huge time grabber.  Time to meet the corporates, time to meet the media, time to meet the design team, the volunteers; time, time, time. No time to play golf. And you gotta wear the tie, Freddy.

[billchao]

It strikes me as weird in both directions. Couples is popular amongst players and fans, so why wouldn't the PGA want him? And it's not like being a Ryder Cup captain is an all-consuming job. You do a few pressers, pick a few guys, and then go watch some golf up close for a week. He's been the Presidents Cup captain, he knows that. Why wouldn't Couples want to?

I got the impression that it was political from the article. Seems like there is more to Couples being "not a PGA of America guy" than I thought at first. [quote name="3putter" url="/t/80222/why-fred-couples-wasnt-picked-as-ryder-cup-captain#post_1107129"]He's organized enough to handle the president's cup, but not the Ryder cup? What gives? [/quote]The President's Cup is organized by the PGA Tour. Like I said above, it seems politically motivated.

[phan52]

I thought the task force was created to give the Tour players more of a voice in selecting the Captain. Maybe that didn't turn out to be so.

[dave s]

I'm beginning to realize that the US and Euro teams look at Ryder Cup quite differently.  Could be why the US doesn't win the cup.

dave

[NJpatbee]

Without any inside information at all I suspect that Freddy just did not want the job.  He would be popular with the fans and the pros, but I believe he likes his life right now making some noise on the Champions Tour, still cashing in endorsements, and if I read right he has a new wife or girlfriend which means some personal issues may be behind him.  He does have a great attitude for playing the game and think that he would make a good showing of himself in the Ryder Cup as a player, even at his age.

[3putter]

I wish someone would educate me a bit on this matter, does the coach really play that much of a role in winning this cup? These are proven tour players, most of whom are multiple winners on the most prestigious golf tour, so I find it somewhat hard to believe that a coach carries much weight in determining the outcome of this event. Maybe Europe just happens to have the best players right now.

I'm beginning to realize that the US and Euro teams look at Ryder Cup quite differently.  Could be why the US doesn't win the cup.

dave

I feel like the whole thing is taken tad too seriously. It's golf, not the cold war.

[imsys0042]

Like a lot of other things, good coaching can increase your chance of winning. But the coach does not win/lose the Ryder Cup. Personally I think if Crenshaw had sent everyone to bed early Saturday night in 99, they wouldn't have come back on won it. Getting them revved up, the speeches and the way they handled being down gave them momentum. That momentum helped propel them to victory. They might have still won, but that helped get them started and then the early players did their job, and so forth. The coach seems to set a good environment for the players and then lets them play. He can keep them free of distractions or arrange things to help players. The other way the captain contributes is the pairings. Tiger and Phil sunk Hal Sutton's plans. It was a bad idea and helped contribute to the loss. Arguably if people were distracted by Watson's captaincy it was a negative they had to deal with and it contributed to the loss. Note I'm not coming out for either side as the right side, but if there is unresolved tension its a distraction.

[newtogolf]

I think a coach puts his team in a good position to win.  While I can't stand Belichick he's a great coach because he finds ways for the team he has that season / week to win.   Even though a Ryder Cup captain has less control than Belichick over the outcome of the match they still need to consider the team chemistry, the pairings and the matchups with the other teams.

I'd like to see Azinger coach the Ryder Cup again because I think it would interesting to see if the POD system would work again or could anyone have coached our team to victory that year.

[iacas]

Like a lot of other things, good coaching can increase your chance of winning. But the coach does not win/lose the Ryder Cup.

I agree, but at the same time, calling the Ryder Cup captain a "coach" is overstating things, too. "Coaches" actually "coach" in every other situation. In this one, they're often just the guy who gives a speech and submits the lineup. And chooses all the clothing (unless he defers to his wife…). :P

[imsys0042]

I agree, but at the same time, calling the Ryder Cup captain a "coach" is overstating things, too. "Coaches" actually "coach" in every other situation. In this one, they're often just the guy who gives a speech and submits the lineup. And chooses all the clothing (unless he defers to his wife…). :P

Quite true. Coach and Captain were interchangeable. I doubt most Ryder Cup captains try to tweak their players' swings. Pretty funny if they did...

[Aguirre]

The Europeans have dominated for so long (even eclipsing my favorite golf moment, the 99 Ryder Cup by having larger comeback on American soil) that I think it's well past the point of statistical variance.  I'm guessing, but I think the reason is that the Americans play too tight.

It always seems to me that American captains get the team together to watch Rudy or some shit on Thursday night, then bring in people like George Bush and Michael Jordan to speak.  Meanwhile the Euros are drinking pints and playing pool.

Couples would be the perfect Ryder Cup captain.  He even has a fabulously successful resume as captain to boot.  If he didn't want the job, that's fine.  But if the PGA of America didn't want him, they're ****ing idiots.

[lefty63]

Any captain can use the Azinger "pod" system. It is not a patented or secret formula like KFC ingredients. Combine a pod system with Davis Love's laid back and low key attitude and the right captains picks, the US team can win the Ryder Cup again. Even though a "committee" was formed the PGA of America is the sanctioning body which is made up of egos and attitudes and a "We are the boss attitude". But once the team is assembled it's up to the players to go out and win. Captain doesn't swing the club or make the putts.

[Btonyb]

Why get on a boat with a hole in it?