The 2025 Ryder Cup left the United States team with more questions than answers, and one glaring issue has sparked a heated debate: Did the slow greens at Bethpage Black cost the U.S. the trophy? While Europe celebrated a historic away victory, the first since 2012, the Americans were left pointing fingers—and surprisingly, some of that blame landed on the course itself. But here's where it gets controversial: Was it the greens staff's fault, or did the U.S. team simply fail to adapt? Let’s dive in.
Bethpage Black, notorious for its brutal difficulty, was supposed to give the U.S. a home-field advantage. Instead, it became a battleground—not just between teams, but between the U.S. squad and the course staff. Early rain softened the greens, and a decision to trim the rough neutered the course’s infamous bite. The result? Europe’s players dominated the first two days with pinpoint putting, leaving the Americans scrambling to catch up.
Justin Thomas didn’t hold back during a recent appearance on the No Laying Up podcast. He revealed that the U.S. team and the greens staff clashed over the green speeds throughout the week. “We play golf every week,” Thomas said. “You could see on TV how many putts were coming up short. These greens were slow. We asked for them to be faster, but it felt like we were fighting an uphill battle.” Thomas made it clear: this wasn’t an excuse, but it was frustrating. After all, one of the perks of hosting is setting up the course to favor your team—something that seemed to backfire here.
And this is the part most people miss: Keegan Bradley, the U.S. captain, took much of the heat for the course setup. But was it really his fault? Bradley admitted, “Once the tournament starts, we lose control of the course. We gave them specifications, but it’s tough to get the pace just right, especially with how flat the greens are.” He even went as far as to shoulder the blame himself, saying, “Blame me. I blame myself for the loss.” But is that fair? Or is there more to the story?
Here’s where it gets tricky. While the greens staff claimed the speeds were around 13 on the Stimpmeter, the U.S. team argued they felt much slower. Thomas pointed out the irony: “It’s bizarre. You’d expect the home team to have more control, but we were constantly arguing over something that should’ve been a given.” Yet, softer greens are notoriously hard to speed up, especially after heavy rain. So, was it a communication breakdown, or were the conditions simply beyond anyone’s control?
Here’s the bigger question: Should the U.S. team have adapted better, regardless of the greens? After all, Europe managed to thrive under the same conditions. Or does the home team deserve more leeway in setting up the course? This debate isn’t just about golf—it’s about expectations, responsibility, and the fine line between preparation and excuses.
Looking ahead, the PGA of America will need to address this issue before the next stateside Ryder Cup. Course staff must be willing to adapt if the greens aren’t up to par (pun intended). But the U.S. team also needs to step up their game, rain or shine, fast greens or slow. As Bradley put it, “We can’t blame somebody else. We have to be better.”
So, what do you think? Was it the greens, the team, or a bit of both? Let’s hear your take in the comments—this is one debate that’s far from over.
