On a sunny afternoon weeks before the Ryder Cup, the sound of drilling filled the air at Bethpage Black. Employees laid down a towering grandstand behind the first T-shirt, a structure of 5,000 seats that symbolize the scale and atmosphere that is expected when the 45th edition starts later this month.
At 7 o’clock on 26 September the opening shot will be made here for a raw crowd, because the American team wants to use a bright part -time atmosphere against Europe’s best. For Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and their teammates, the 1st Tee in Bethpage will be a kettle of noise as opposed to everything in Golf.
The European side will visit the course after the BMW PGA championship to get an idea of the setting, but nothing will fully prepare them for the spectacle that waits.
The Bethpage location is central to the atmosphere. Just 35 miles from New York City is the course within the easy reach of millions of passionate sports fans. This is the same region that produces the most famous crowd on the US Open Tennis Tournament, and their zeal will be reinforced by the patriotic edge of team golf. Previous events in New York have already shown flashes of unmanageable behavior, and Bethpage is expected to strengthen that intensity.
The grandstand itself is designed to improve the drama. For the first time in the history of Ryder Cup, a structure includes both the 1st T -T shirt and the 18th Green, so that fans can watch competitions that start and end from the same lookout point. The T -shirt has even shifted forward to shorten the opening hole, invite players to try daring shots and give the crowd the chance to burst immediately.
Donald Trump is adding the spectacle. It is expected to attend the opening day (unless the Epstein files are released), which further feeds the feeling of theater.
The excitement is clear about the Bethpage complex. Fans already buzz on the line -up of Europe, while Ryder Cup -Merchandise sells quickly, with polo shirts priced at $ 95 and pin flags for $ 40. The locals refers to the event if the “Super Bowl of Golf” and the ticket sale proves: 50,000 Year of Rome. To justify the walk, the PGA of America included unlimited food and soft drinks for all ticket holders. Despite the costs, tickets are sold out within a few hours.
Even volunteers pay for the privilege, with 4,300 people who spend $ 400 to march the course, equipped with a uniform, bag, badge and meals. The demand exceeded the supply, with tens of thousands on the waiting list.
Accommodation and travel reflect the same sky -high demand. Local houses are rented for $ 20,000 to $ 30,000 for the week, and six helicopter landing cushions were built to commute spectators from Manhattan for $ 1,250 per seat.
The contrast with the usual accessibility of Bethpage is striking. Known as one of the most difficult courses in America, it normally charges the residents of New York only $ 70 for a weekday round, and pulls long rows of golfers hoping to secure a Tee -time.
For now, the parking lot has not built enthusiastic amateurs, but temporary team facilities according to specifications by Captains Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley. With lockers, physiot tables and dining area, they will serve as quiet shrines for the players in the midst of the chaos outside.
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