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Captains Donald and Johnson take the Ryder Cup to the Colosseum

Luke Donald and Zach Johnson in front of the Colosseum. (Foto: Getty)
Luke Donald and Zach Johnson in front of the Colosseum. (Foto: Getty)

The two captains chipped shots from a specifically built platform to a Ryder Cup green located in Tempio di Venere Roma (Temple of Venus and Roma), in the shadow of the world-famous Colosseum.

European Captain Donald and United States Captain Johnson are in Rome to mark 12 months until Italy hosts its first Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, from September 26 to October 1, 2023.

The pair took the famous Ryder Cup trophy into the heart of Rome to the Colosseum, one of the city’s most historic sights which attracts millions of tourists each year.

Built in the 1st Century AD, the stone amphitheatre was a gathering place during the Roman Empire, with a capacity of around 50,000 people.

Captain Donald said: “The Colosseum is iconic when it comes to Rome, built back in 80 A.D., I was reading up about it. It is still the biggest amphitheatre ever be to built. It’s amazing they were able to do such amazing things back so many years ago.

“So to have that as a backdrop was a great showcase for Italy and a great showcase for Rome.”

Captain Johnson said: “It was an unbelievable morning and to share it with Luke and Diane and my wife was special. I mean, it’s almost surreal. The backdrop of the Colosseum, the Temple of Venus, it’s something that you just kind of pinch yourself. It was very spectacular, and I appreciate that opportunity, so thank you.”

The Captains’ visit to the Colosseum and Tempio di Venere Roma marked the second day of the Year To Go Celebrations, and the pair also hosted their first joint press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Yesterday, Donald and Johnson were joined by 12 members of the Federazione Italiana Golf’s (FIG) Elite National Under 18 team – six boys and six girls aged 15-18 – and four members of the Elite Disabled team for the four-hole Captains’ Challenge match over the first, 16th, 17th and 18th holes at Marco Simone.

Approximately 300 local school children watched the event, which fittingly ended in a tie, with the two teams sharing the trophy.

On Monday evening, the two Captains joined 200 guests at the Official Gala Dinner which took place at the spectacular Palazzo Colonna.

Marco Simone will host the 2023 Ryder Cup from September 26 to October 1, 2023, when Europe will try to regain the Ryder Cup following defeat at Whistling Straits last year.

(Text: Ryder Cup)

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Top ways to get more involved in golf

How to get more involved in golf. (Photo: Getty)
How to get more involved in golf. (Photo: Getty)

Golf is a fantastic sport with a long history. Unlike other sports, however, there is less of a communal viewing culture. You don’t typically see groups of friends meeting up to tailgate at the Ryder Cup or sports bars full of golf fans going wild during the final holes of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.


Watching golf can be a bit of an isolated activity. It can also feel like there isn’t much else that you can do besides watch the tournaments and read news about what’s going in the various Championships.
Here are our top four suggestions for things you can do to get more involved in golf.

Bet on tournaments

Betting on sports is a great way to get more involved. When you have a little bit of money riding on the outcome of an event it makes it even more exciting. With the PGA, you can bet on the winners of individual Championships. Another popular bet type is futures bets, including on the winner of the FedEx Cup.


Golf isn’t just an American sport, in fact, it was invented in Scotland. The United Kingdom and Ireland both have extensive histories with golf. Betting on golf has been growing in popularity in Ireland in particular, likely due in part to the number of high-profile tournaments the country hosts.

The 112th Irish PGA Championship Pro-Am at the Wild Atlantic Dunes in Belmullet is just one example of the rich golfing culture the country has, and just one example of the tournaments you can bet on.

Make your voice heard about LIV

Sportswashing is a fairly new term, but the problem has been around for quite a while, and it has finally reached the golf world. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, sportswashing is when a corporation or government tries to improve its reputation by investing heavily in a sports team or tournament. It is a form of reputation laundering and incredibly problematic.


In Saudi Arabia’s case, the Public Investment Fund is being used to fund the LIV Golf Invitational Series in the hopes of distracting the public from their ongoing human rights violations. The massive payouts they are using to attract leading golfers are working and LIV is growing.


You can get involved by contacting top golfers, either through their agents or social media – whatever way the golfer has made themself accessible to fans – to either thank them for refusing to participate in LIV if they have already rejected an offer or encouraging them to do so if they are currently being scouted. You can also reach out to major golf sponsors to encourage them to pull any support from LIV.


This is not only an important human rights issue, but also a golf issue. By splitting professional golfers into two tours, both will be weakened. If half the top competitors aren’t in the PGA Tour, it will make wins less impressive. A split viewership will also drop viewing numbers, which can lead to loss of advertising revenue and less golf on TV.

Use a course app

There is an app for everything, and golf is no different. Some are designed to help you with your swing, some give club recommendations or track your progress over time. These are all great for your personal golf game.

There are also some great apps that can increase your engagement with professional golf. The PGA Tour App allows you to follow every shot as it happens and includes 3D shot tracking too. There are apps that also have all the breaking news, highlights and coverage.


Golfshot GPS is another app that adds another interesting element to the Tour — it allows you to navigate through over 40,000 courses worldwide. You can see all the distances between holes, the hazards and the lay of every inch of the course. This year’s BMW Championship is being held at the Wilmington Country Club for the first time in its history, making it a perfect opportunity to explore the course along with the players.

Get out on the course

Playing a sport is possibly the best way to get more involved with it. There is only so much you can learn about a sport by reading about it or atching it on TV, the best way to understand a sport is to play it yourself. You don’t have to go play on world famous courses or use top of the line clubs. Just spending some time at your local course with friends is a great way to turn golf from something you like to something you love.

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Survey shows: The golf boom in the UK continues

A study shows: Golf remains a popular sport in pandemic times. (Photo: Getty)
A study shows: Golf remains a popular sport in pandemic times. (Photo: Getty)

The average number of rounds of golf played at courses across Great Britain was down 9% compared to Q2 2021. Despite this, the numbers continue to highlight growth above pre-pandemic levels.

A strong Q1 means that even with the Q2 numbers, rounds played in Great Britain are up 24% compared to the first half of 2021, although it is worth remembering that the first quarter of last year was affected by ongoing lockdowns, while April-June benefitted from the easing of restrictions and working from home.

Viewed even in their fuller historical context, the Q2 2022 figures represent a strong industry performance. April and May’s national rounds were the highest in the last five years with the exception of 2021.

(Photo: Sports Marketing Surveys)

This explains why rounds played remain up 19% in Q2 compared to 2019. That in turn indicates, encouragingly, that many of the new golfers attracted during and after lockdowns, including through successful efforts from governing bodies to change perceptions of the game, remain engaged.

The North was the best performing region in Q2 2022, down only 1% compared to 2021, but up 51% against 2019.

“We do expect growth against 2021 to continue to slow in the second half of the year”, cautioned Richard Payne, director of SMS. “Q2 2021 was an exceptional time, with the release from lockdown but still widespread working from home. We also expect the cost of living crisis to have an effect on leisure spend, in golf and other sports. This is likely to affect visitor rounds and equipment sales first, with many having already paid memberships for the rest of 2022, but there will undoubtedly be pressure on renewals in the coming months. So, whether rounds played can remain above 2019 is, in our view, one of the key metrics to look out for over the next six months and into 2023.”

Text: Sports Marketing Surveys

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British Open preparation: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy on the course together

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy play together in preparation for the 2022 British Open. (Photo: Twitter/@RMTracker)
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy play together in preparation for the 2022 British Open. (Photo: Twitter/@RMTracker)

Earlier this week, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods competed in the famous JP McManus Pro-Am together with many other stars of the (golf) world. But while most professionals are now using the Scottish Open as a final rehearsal for the upcoming British Open 2022, the two superstars are preparing in their own way. McIlroy and Woods played a round of golf at Ballybunion Golf Club, one of Ireland’s top courses.

Tiger Tracking on Twitter

When Tiger Woods gets on a plane or plays a practice round, the golf world looks intently at social media. So it was before the other majors this year that the 15-time major winner played again a year after his nasty car accident. When Tiger landed at Augusta, crazy scenes played out on Twitter. Well, before the British Open, Tiger had flown across the pond early for the charity pro-am – not unnoticed by the attentive fan community either, of course.

Several pictures and videos of the relaxed round on the links course of Ballybunion GC with his friend Rory McIlroy are circulating on social media. In typically dreary weather, preparations are underway for the 150th Open Championship, which will be played on the Old Course at St Andrews next week. The Scottish Open followed by a Major would probably be too much for the convalescent who had cancelled the US Open. The superstar was also out in a cart at the JP McManus in order to rest the leg that had been so badly injured.

Together with Rory McIlroy, who is also taking a break from tournaments after energy-sapping weeks, Tiger seems to be enjoying the round of links golf. McIlroy shares memories of “back in the day”, as a video reveals. “I used to aim down the middle of the fairway, it would start down the right edge and then draw back to the middle of the fairway,” “Rors” told his playing partner, demonstrating his skills.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy ahead of the British Open 2022

Of course, we don’t want to deny you the pictures and videos of the two superstars. Simply two legends of golf playing a casual round of links golf – delightful!

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The “Tiger Effect”: Tiger Woods’ Path to Billions

Legend in golf: Tiger Woods. (Photo: Getty)
Legend in golf: Tiger Woods. (Photo: Getty)

So far, there have only been two athletes who have become billionaires: American basketball legends LeBron James and Michael Jordan. According to Forbes, probably the best-known business magazine in the world, another athlete has now joined the circle of billionaires: Tiger Woods cracked the 10-digit mark. The composition of the fortune of the golfer, who has so far celebrated more victories than any other, is surprising.

The importance of winning money

Tiger Woods’ net income, estimated by Forbes Magazine at at least one billion dollars, is based only to a small extent on his sporting successes and prize money. After hard years in golf, marked by tour victories, major wins and records, the 46-year-old can boast total prize money of 120,895,206 dollars. A horrendous sum, but one that represents only a small portion of the billions he has earned.

Tiger Woods’ most profitable sources of income

Woods’ key to making money has always been his income from endorsements. As a world-renowned athlete who regularly generates buzz among non-golf fans, Tiger Woods could hardly be more valuable to his advertising partners. Joe Favorito, a veteran sports business consultant, analyzes, “He hit the right time in the right sport, being an athlete with a diverse background who was approachable. Brands love knowing they’re getting someone who is embraced not just by the traditional but also by the casual fans.”

Brands like Monster Energy, TaylorMade, Rolex and Gatorade all benefit from their contracts with the legend – as does Tiger Woods himself. Woods has been working with Nike, his biggest backer, since as early as 1996. James and Jordan were also under contract with the sporting goods manufacturer.

In addition, Woods used his earnings to buy and found companies. Whether golf design, live events, a restaurant or miniature golf courses: Tiger Woods always knows how best to invest his money. ““[He’s] been extremely skillful in taking parts of businesses, in creating their own business, in ways that athletes before them just weren’t,” explains sports agent Leigh Steinberg. Off the golf course, Tiger Woods earns more than $100 million annually.

The “Tiger Effect”

Digitization, which has undergone tremendous development over the last few decades, also made itself felt in golf. Golf tournaments without a TV broadcast have been unthinkable for many years. 95 of the 100 most-watched TV broadcasts last year were sporting events: TV contracts, and with them player salaries, have been skyrocketing since the early 21st century. The influence of Tiger Woods was clearly evident here: the ratings of tournaments in which Woods did not compete were 30 to 50 percent lower than those of tournaments in which Woods did compete. This “Tiger effect” ensured that PGA Tour earnings almost tripled between 1996 and 2008 – Woods’ most successful period.

Phil Mickelson, another major-winning golfer, is also clear about the golf legend’s influence: “Tiger has been the instigator. He’s been the one that’s really propelled and driven the bus because he’s brought increased ratings, increased sponsors, increased interest, and we have all benefited.”

Woods turned down several $100 million from Greg Norman

Considering these incredibly high earnings that have now made Woods a billionaire, it is hardly surprising that Woods turned down an “mind-blowingly enormous” offer from Greg Norman and LIV Golf. According to reports, the Saudi Golf League offered Tiger Woods a high nine-figure sum if he would participate in the LIV Golf Invitational Series. For Woods, who is at home on the PGA Tour, the offer might not have been too tempting – the estimated net worth of at least one billion dollars seems to be enough for him…

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PGA Championship 2022 without defending champion Phil Mickelson

The 2022 PGA Championship will take place without defending champion Phil Mickelson. (Photo: Getty)
The 2022 PGA Championship will take place without defending champion Phil Mickelson. (Photo: Getty)

Phil Mickelson announced a few months ago that he would take a break and retire from the public eye. This break already extended over the 2022 Masters, in which he did not participate for the first time in 28 years. The next major is coming up next week: the 2022 PGA Championship. For a long time, it was unclear whether Mickelson would end his hiatus to defend his title at the PGA Championship. Last year, he became the oldest Major winner ever here. Now there is an answer.

PGA Championship: Statement of the PGA of America

On Twitter, the PGA Championship posted the following statement: “We have just been informed that Phil Mickelson has withdrawn his participation in the PGA Championship. Phil is the defending champion and currently eligible to become a lifetime PGA member, and we would have welcomed him to participate. We wish Phil and Amy [ed. note: Phil’s wife] the very best and look forward to his return to golf.”

The reason for Mickelson’s hiatus was his involvement in heated controversies between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf Invitational Series created by Greg Norman. In a lengthy statement about his words and actions, Mickelson announced in February 2022, “It was reckless, I offended people, and I am deeply sorry for my choice of words. I’m beyond disappointed and will do everything I can to self-reflect and learn from this.”

Will Phil Mickelson be competing in London?

The first event of the eight-event LIV Golf Invitational Series will be held in London in June. Which golf stars will be part of the starting field has not yet been announced. While a majority of the players have spoken out against participating on the competing tour, a few days ago some players asked for permission from the PGA Tour to participate in the first event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series: Phil Mickelson was one of those players, along with Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia. The PGA Tour rejected the request and threatened with sanctions. Whether Phil Mickelson’s cancellation of the PGA Championship has anything to do with his participation in the controversial “Saudi League” is unclear so far. In the coming weeks, Greg Norman wants to announce the field of participants.

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Henrik Stenson names first vice-captain for 2023 Ryder Cup

Henrik Stenson (right) is counting on Thomas Bjørn as his first vice captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Henrik Stenson (right) is counting on Thomas Bjørn as his first vice captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

The team around Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson is starting to grow. Thomas Bjørn has been named first vice-captain for the match between Europe and the United States. The 51-year-old Dane already brings a lot of Ryder Cup experience with him. He has already taken part in the event eight times: three times as a player, four times as vice-captain and once as the winning captain at the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris. More than 20 years ago, in 1997, Thomas Bjørn’s Ryder Cup career began when he became the first Dane ever to be part of the European team led by Seve Ballesteros.

Stenson trusts Thomas Bjørn “implicitly”

The two Scandinavians Henrik Stenson and Thomas Bjørn have known each other for many years. For Stenson, that’s one point that significantly influenced his decision to go with Bjørn: “I trust him implicitly and I know any advice he will give me will be honest and direct. He will not simply tell me what he thinks I want to hear and that will be important, so I’m delighted to have him as my first Vice Captain for Rome.”

In addition, Stenson said he trusts Bjørn’s years of experience already with the Ryder Cup. Considering the fact that the Ryder Cup will not take place for over a year, Stenson is looking forward to the long preparation period: “I will be depending on him a lot and I’m really looking forward to those chats.”

Bjørn is looking forward to the Ryder Cup 2023

For Thomas Bjørn, Henrik Stenson’s request seemed to have come as a surprise: “I probably thought that after 2018 that was it for me, but Henrik called me to talk about Captaincy in general and that led into him asking me if I wanted to do another stint as Vice Captain, which I agreed to. I’m excited to work with him.” Thomas Bjørn intends to fulfill his role as vice captain as best he can: “I will help him prepare in the best possible way and as we get closer to the match, to be an additional support to the players.”

The Dane has high hopes for captain Henrik Stenson, both golf-wise and personally. He describes Stenson as a “hard-working golfer” who will make a fantastic captain. For Bjørn, Stenson is “somebody who is true to himself, and his team will represent that. He has a great sense of humour that the players will take to, and he is very well liked across the whole Tour.”

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Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic to fundraise for Ukrainian refugees

Palheiro Golf at Madeira, Spain.
Palheiro Golf at Madeira, Spain.

Players and dignitaries are being encouraged to donate as much as possible towards the worthy cause when the event takes place at Palheiro Golf on Saturday, May 7.

Ukrainians have fled in increasing numbers to Madeira in the last two months since the outbreak of hostilities in their homeland, with around 300 people already having taken refuge in the Portuguese archipelago.

Jonathan Fletcher, president of Palheiro Nature Estate, said: “The Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic is an important event on our golfing calendar, and we wanted to support a charity that reflected its importance.

“At this time, there is no bigger cause in the world than the plight of the Ukrainian refugees and we’re delighted to do whatever we can to help ease the suffering of these poor people in their time of need.”

Madeira awaits their golf fans

Taking place on the idyllic island destination of Madeira for the second time this year, the 2022 Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic forms the centrepiece of a wider five-day event which will be staged from May 5-9. As well as providing the opportunity to enjoy world-class golf, guests will also experience a slice of the archipelago’s famous culture and history – including Madeira’s globally acclaimed annual ‘Festa da Flor’ Flower Festival.

And golfers have added incentive to take part in this year’s Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic with anyone taking up the chance to buy a Madeira Golf Passport over the weekend of May 6-8 automatically being entitled to a place in the 18-hole Stableford competition.

Providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience, the Madeira Golf Passport features three golf courses – Clube de Golf Santo da Serra, Palheiro Golf and Porto Santo Golf – is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.

Costing €225 per person for three rounds and €360 for a five-round package, the standard passport – which is valid for a two-week period – includes golf at Clube de Golf Santo da Serra and Palheiro Golf and free golf course transfers to and from your hotel.

There is also the opportunity to book tee times directly with the clubs prior to travel, while, for an additional fee from €91.50 per person, golfers can upgrade to Madeira’s premium golf passport, which includes return ferry travel to Porto Santo, transfers and 18 holes on the island’s acclaimed golf course.

Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – Madeira enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect year-round destination for a golf break.

For more details and to buy a Madeira Golf Passport, please visit https://madeiragolfpassport.com/ and to view a video of the inaugural Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic, go to https://youtu.be/n-tmdZ7E2PM . The ‘2022 Palheiro Gardens Golf Classic’ will take place on May 7, 2022, and for more details and to book, please email [email protected], phone +351 291 790 120 or visit www.palheironatureestate.com/  

(Text written by Pete Simm – The Azalea Group)

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Speechless: Nobody expected this answer from Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko at the 2022 Palos Verdes Championship. (Photo: Getty)
Lydia Ko at the 2022 Palos Verdes Championship. (Photo: Getty)

Lydia Ko finished the Palos Verdes Championship in California on the shared third place. On the fourth and final day, it was noticeable that she had to be treated by her physiotherapist during the round. Her problem area: her back. Jerry Foltz of the news portal Golf Channel asked the 25-year-old after her round about the cause of this treatment.

Lydia Ko: “Honesty it is”

For Lydia Ko, there was a very simple answer to this question. However, she completely upset her interview partner with her honest explanation. He lost concentration and had no choice but to end the interview with a simple “thank you.” The South Korean woman’s words, “It’s that time of the month. I know the ladies watching are probably like, yeah, I got you. So, when that happens, my back gets really tight, and I’m all twisted. It’s not the first time that Chris has seen me twisted, but it felt a lot better after he came. So, yeah, there you go.” When Foltz didn’t know a response to Ko’s statement, she followed up with a laugh, “I know you’re at a loss for words Jerry. Honesty it is.”

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How far do amateur golfers hit their ball?

Handicap Driver Distances
How far do amateurs hit their drives compared to pros (foto: getty)

For years there has been discussion on the men’s professional tours about whether pros can hit the ball too far, and what effect that has on amateurs and on golf courses. A small study by a golf portal together with ShotScope show how far the amateur can hit his drive in all handicap classes, the comparison to the pros is enormous.

90 meters between professional and 25 handicap

The statistics show the average drive length for various handicap ranges. The scratch golfers among the amateurs hit the ball the farthest. They manage a solid 234 meters on average. The higher the handicap, the shorter the drives among amateurs. A handicap of 10 brings the ball into play at around 206 meters, but from handicaps of 15 and above, the distance of the tee shot drops well below 200 meters.

If you compare a player with a handicap of 25 with a tour pro, the difference is really serious: While the amateur hits the ball 172 meters with the driver, the average player on the PGA Tour drives 267 meters down the fairway. That’s more than 90 meters, and in our sport, of course, it’s worlds apart.

Even the comparison between scratch golfer and tour player is huge at this level. When the tour player hits 30 meters further than the scratch golfer the advantage is so great that once again you have to raise the question of whether the normal amateur can even grasp how the tour pro plays. Golf courses also face this problem. Many of the old courses, for example the Old Course at St. Andrews, are now actually too short for the pros. On the other hand, many of the newer courses are built to the length of the pros. The result is courses that are too long for the average golfer.

How to decrease the distances?

The fact is that many people are thrilled when Rory McIlroy or Bryson DeChambeau send the ball more than 300 meters down the fairway. But there is, firstly, an ever-growing faction that is not so happy about the whole thing. In addition, the R&A and USGA have to ask themselves how far they can and want to go with this game. The tours hit the ball further in each new decade than in the previous one, but this trend does not exist with the amateurs.

The first concepts on this subject are already being discussed. One idea, for example, is a flight-reduced ball for the pros. But even if one is convinced of the idea at the first moment, even such a simple solution brings with it a huge rat’s tail of problems. How does this ball behave? When will the amateur who wants to become a professional switch to this ball so as not to be at a disadvantage compared to those who have played with it for years in the future? To what extent do such ideas change the buying behavior of the broader golf community?

Golf’s elites must ask themselves these questions, and at some point there must be an answer to these questions. After all, courses can’t continue to grow in all directions, and the discrepancy between amateur and professional will eventually be so great that perhaps a broad mass will feel disconnected from professional golf. And nobody really wants that. The first regulations on drivers have already been issued by the organizations, but there is still a lot of work to be done.