The Ryder Cup is one of the most prestigious events in golf, pitting a team of the top American professional golfers against a team of the top European professional golfers in a biennial match play competition. With huge crowds and a party atmosphere, the Ryder Cup is known for its exciting and intense golf action. This often leads golf fans to wonder – is the Ryder Cup played at full spectator capacity?
The quick answer is yes, the Ryder Cup is generally played in front of packed galleries at full fan capacity. Let’s take a deeper look at the Ryder Cup’s spectators and venue capacity.
Ryder Cup Venues and Attendance
The Ryder Cup is held at top-tier golf courses and venues that can accommodate tens of thousands of fans each day. Recent Ryder Cup venues have included:
- Le Golf National, Paris, France – 2018 Ryder Cup
- Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota, USA – 2016 Ryder Cup
- Gleneagles, Perth and Kinross, Scotland – 2014 Ryder Cup
- Medinah Country Club, Illinois, USA – 2012 Ryder Cup
- Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales – 2010 Ryder Cup
These are all championship-caliber golf courses able to hold major golf tournaments. The daily spectator capacity varies by venue, but recent Ryder Cups have seen crowds in the 40,000-50,000 range per day. For example, Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2016 prepared for an estimated 45,000 fans daily across the tournament.
Ticket Demand and Sellouts
The Ryder Cup is one of the hottest tickets in golf. Tickets are typically sold out very quickly – usually within days or hours of going on sale to the public. The high demand is fueled by golf fans wanting to witness the premier international team golf event up close. With limited tickets available, those lucky enough to secure passes are filling the venue to capacity for each day’s play.
The surging popularity of the Ryder Cup has only increased ticket demand and made sellouts even faster in recent editions. The 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Paris, France sold out immediately, with over 280,000 people applying for an extremely limited number of tickets. The huge demand resulted in the Ryder Cup’s first ever sellout.
On-Course Attendance and Crowds
Once the limited number of tickets sell out, those lucky fans that secured passes flock to the course on competition days. Recent Ryder Cup attendances have been:
- 2018 – 270,000 attendees overall
- 2016 – Over 235,000 attendees overall
- 2014 – Over 230,000 attendees overall
- 2012 – Over 141,000 attendees overall
- 2010 – Over 118,000 attendees overall
With nearly 270,000 people attending across the three days of competition, the 2018 Ryder Cup set a new attendance record despite capping sales earlier. The Hazeltine event in 2016 also marked a huge increase in demand, selling out quicker and drawing massive crowds. These attendance figures reflect packed galleries and courses at full fan capacity throughout the tournament.
Daily Crowds
Breaking down the overall attendance also shows the massive crowds on course each day of play:
| Year | Friday Attendance | Saturday Attendance | Sunday Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 42,275 | 61,000 | 47,275 |
| 2016 | 41,000 | 50,000 | 45,000 |
| 2014 | 44,436 | 43,000 | 45,569 |
Daily galleries at recent Ryder Cups have ranged from 40,000 to over 60,000 fans, filling the courses and venues to the brim. Saturday is typically the most attended day, as fans flock to see pivotal late matches and enjoy the party-like atmosphere.
On-Site Facilities at Full Capacity
In addition to packed galleries on the course, the venues operate other on-site facilities at full capacity throughout the Ryder Cup:
- Corporate hospitality – Premium corporate chalets and hospitality suites are sold out with companies entertaining guests.
- Food and beverage – Concession stands and hospitality villages serve fans food and drinks throughout the day across the packed site.
- Merchandise pavilion – The main merchandise pavilion always draws long fan lines looking to buy Ryder Cup souvenirs.
All these facilities and experiences are stretched to the limit trying to accommodate the daily crush of spectators. Corporate clients clamor for the high-end hospitality access, while all fans enjoy the on-site amenities.
Accommodating Spectator Flow
Event organizers also face challenges handling the giant influx and flow of fans across the golf course and venue grounds each day. Transportation plans must be mapped out for efficiently moving tens of thousands of spectators to and from the site. Careful planning allows people to get in and out without too much congestion or delays.
On the grounds, spectators follow the action across the 18-hole golf course throughout the day. The set up has to allow easy spectator movement around the site, while controlling access and avoiding overcrowding issues at key holes and areas.
It takes significant operations experience and planning to smoothly handle Ryder Cup crowds at full venue capacity.
Impact on the Golf Action
The excitement and noise generated by the capacity crowds have an impact on the actual golf competition too. The players have to deal with large galleries following matches and reacting loudly to shots. This results in a high-pressure environment unlike regular tournaments. Home fans will loudly cheer great play from their team, while razzing opposing players after poor shots or miscues.
The huge crowds add significantly to the pressure-packed atmosphere that makes the Ryder Cup such a spectacle. Despite the challenges, top pros like Rory McIlroy have complimented the knowledgable fans that create an “electric” environment during Ryder Cup play.
Gallery Noise and Distractions
However, some critics argue that the full capacity crowds have gotten too raucous in recent Ryder Cups. With so many spectators following the action, there is constant noise that could potentially affect concentration. Cameras are also constantly clicking and fans are moving around the ropes lining the fairways and greens.
There are certainly more distractions for the players to deal with compared to a typical tournament round. The louder European fan behavior like songs and chants has especially been called out by the American team and media. But boisterous fans are also an inherent part of the Ryder Cup’s unique atmosphere.
Managing Crowd Behavior
Ryder Cup organizers have tried taking some steps to manage gallery behavior and noise issues, especially regarding shouts during player swings. Marshals more strictly enforce policies prohibiting mobile phone use and require quiet during shots. There are also calls for no alcohol sales after lunch to curb drunken behavior in late afternoon matches.
However, with so many passionate and vocal fans in attendance, some distractions are inevitable at this type of emotionally-charged event. The players know and accept this challenge as part of the Ryder Cup experience.
Future Venues
Given the continuing massive demand from golf fans to attend the Ryder Cup in person, full capacity crowds will be the norm at future venues as well. Upcoming sites include:
- 2023 – Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome, Italy
- 2025 – Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale, New York, USA
- 2027 – Adare Manor, County Limerick, Ireland
These are all championship-quality courses capable of hosting a major event. Marco Simone will be the first Ryder Cup held in Italy. The return to Bethpage Black and Irish golf fans at Adare Manor will certainly drive huge ticket demand as well.
Possibility to Expand?
There is also some discussion by the organizing bodies about potentially expanding the Ryder Cup in the future to meet extraordinary fan demand. This could mean possibly increasing team sizes from 12 to 14 or 16 players. More players would allow for more matches, meaning more fans able to attend over the week.
There have also been mentions of hosting the Ryder Cup over 4 days instead of 3 to accommodate more spectators. However, organizers need to balance fan access with ensuring a competition of the highest quality.
Conclusion
In summary, the Ryder Cup is clearly played at full fan capacity, with recent competitions attracting over 250,000 attendees across three days of golf action. Demand for the limited number of tickets always greatly exceeds supply, leading to rapid sellouts. Top golf courses and venues host tens of thousands of fans per day and operate all amenities and facilities at maximum levels.
The excitement and noise of the capacity galleries add to the unique atmosphere of the Ryder Cup for players and fans alike. Event organizers have to plan carefully to handle the big crowds. While some issues like gallery behavior exist, the electric environment generated by full venues is integral to making the Ryder Cup one of the most thrilling events in sports.
