The 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black was supposed to be a statement moment for the United States-a chance to reclaim the Cup on home soil and halt Europe’s momentum. Instead, it turned into a frustrating mix of misfires, missed opportunities, and miscommunication.
And while a spirited Sunday singles surge kept the final score from being a blowout, the damage had already been done. Europe built a commanding lead over the first two days and rode that wave to become the first team to win an away Ryder Cup since 2012.
Naturally, the postmortem began almost immediately, and much of the criticism landed squarely on the shoulders of U.S. captain Keegan Bradley. From pairings to preparation, everything was under the microscope-but the biggest point of contention? The course setup.
Bethpage Black has a reputation as one of golf’s most punishing tests. But that edge was dulled this time around, thanks in part to a decision to cut down the rough and a dose of early-week rain that softened the greens.
That combination played right into Europe’s hands. They came out firing, especially on the greens, where they put on a putting clinic over the first two days.
With the greens rolling slower than expected, the Americans struggled to generate any momentum-and the Europeans took full advantage.
The greens, in particular, became a flashpoint. According to Justin Thomas, tensions flared between the U.S. team and the Bethpage Black grounds crew over how the greens were rolling. During a recent appearance on the No Laying Up podcast, Thomas pulled back the curtain on what was happening behind the scenes.
“I don’t know why they weren’t at all what Keegan had asked for,” Thomas said. “He had been pretty clear about wanting a certain speed-fast enough to give us an edge.
I watched them argue with us that they were 13s on the Stimpmeter. It’s like, ‘Guys, we play golf every week.
Look on TV-how many guys are leaving putts short? Nobody’s getting the ball to the hole.
You can’t have a putt roll three or four feet past. These greens are slow.
Speed them up.’”
Thomas made it clear he wasn’t offering excuses-Europe had to adjust to the same conditions-but he also pointed out that course setup is traditionally one of the few levers the home team gets to pull. And when that lever doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, it’s a missed opportunity.
“That’s kind of a fun advantage you generally have-being able to tweak the course a little bit,” Thomas added. “It was just so frustrating that we were being fought with and argued with on the speed of the greens that we asked for. So that was bizarre.”
The whole situation left a sour taste. While the U.S. team bears responsibility for not performing better on Friday and Saturday, the internal friction over something as fundamental as green speed is the kind of thing that simply shouldn’t happen at a home Ryder Cup.
When you’re hosting, you’re supposed to control the setup. That’s part of the strategic chess match.
And if the greens aren’t where you want them, the course staff has to be willing to adapt-even if the weather makes that a challenge.
Whether the greens were actually rolling at 13 or not, the bigger issue is how they felt to the players. And if the team is telling you they’re too slow, you’ve got to find a way to respond.
That’s not just about numbers on a Stimpmeter-it’s about feel, confidence, and momentum. When players are second-guessing green speeds, it throws everything off.
Of course, there’s another side to this. The U.S. team has to be able to adjust, even when conditions aren’t ideal.
Rain or not, slow greens or not, you still have to find a way to compete. Europe did.
They rolled with the conditions and thrived. The Americans didn’t, and by the time they found their footing on Sunday, it was too late.
As for Bradley, the decision to cut down the rough will go down as a tactical misstep. It took away one of Bethpage’s biggest defenses and made life easier for a European team that doesn’t need much help.
But when it comes to the greens, it’s becoming clear that not everything was in his control. If the staff wasn’t aligned with the captain’s vision, that’s a problem that needs fixing before the next Ryder Cup on U.S. soil.
The takeaway? Course setup is a weapon-but only if everyone’s pulling in the same direction. The Americans learned that the hard way at Bethpage.