⛳️ The US Ryder Cup Team

Vegas Mini-golf, Taylormade Collabs, and more.

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Josey Orr, Jay Huffman & Chase Majerus
August 30, 2023

Good afternoon! Welcome to Shanks, this is the first week of the year that we have nothing to bet. Next week, we will make some bets on the Fortinet Championship, which kicks off the fall golf schedule.

Trivia: Who holds the Ryder Cup record for losing the most matches?

Answer Below. 

Here's what we've got for ya today:

  • The Ryder Cup

  • Popstroke Vegas

  • Golf Shots Heard Round The World

  • Advice For Playing The Old Course

  • Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

The Ryder Cup

After all of the speculation, debates, and drama… We finally have the 2023 US Ryder Cup team.

We will 100% be doing a deep dive, making bets, etc during the week leading up to the Ryder Cup. Today is just a lil teaser.

🚩 Location: Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.

💰 Purse: Not about the money, or at least it shouldn’t be.

👑 Previous Winner: USA

👀 Watch On: Golf Channel, CBS, ESPN+

The Drama

This year, there were two sources of drama surrounding the US Ryder Cup picks.

  1. LIV has lit the golf world on fire. Many felt that the American players who left for LIV no longer merited consideration for the team. European stalwarts Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood will not be on the team from across the pond this year.

  2. Who would the six captains picks be? Captains picks have become a point of contention over the years, especially as the criteria is ever changing. It didn’t always used to be this way. 

The Team

At the end of the day, here are the four points people are still debating in regard to the US Team:

  1. Did Justin Thomas deserve it? No, not based on his play this year. Many have chalked his pick up to being a part of the “Boys Club”. Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth are his two best friends. So, there may be some truth to that, but there’s also truth to Justin’s RC record being really solid. Thomas is 6-2-1 in his two previous Ryder Cup appearances, and he’s 4-2 when paired with Spieth.

  2. Did Sam Burns deserve it? This is one pick that Shanks totally disagreed with. Rumor has it that he and Scottie Scheffler are best friends and do bible study together. That’s cool and all, but there were probably some more deserving players. This felt like an even weaker pick than JT. He’s a Ryder Cup rookie, but on the positive side, he does have a win under his belt in matchplay.

  3. Was picking Brooks about the (Saudi) money? We don’t think so, but some people do. How about this? The dude can f*cking ball when it matters most, he was 29 points away from auto-qualifying anyway, plus he’s already been apart of two winning efforts for the good guys.

  4. Who got screwed over the worst? That award goes to Keegan Bradley. He said he was absolutely devastated when he got the call from Zach Johnson letting him know he didn’t make it. Although, his previous RC performances weren’t great.

What about Europe?

Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton have already secured automatic qualification onto Team Europe.

Captain Luke Donald will make his captains picks on Monday, September 4th.

Popstroke Vegas? Yes, sir!

PopStroke is headed west! According to multiple sources, the high class and super dope mini golf and entertainment experience, owned by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, is due to be open in Q1 of 2024!

This Las Vegas location will have two 18-hole courses, as well as a two-story restaurant, multiple bars, and an outdoor beer garden featuring games such as cornhole and foosball.

PopStroke is obviously different than your standard mini-golf… these courses feature Augusta-like holes created in miniature that incorporate fairways, bunkers, and roughs as seen on traditional golf courses.

It’s worth noting that Swingers Crazy Golf announced they would ALSO be opening their similar experience of high end mini golf/restaurant inside Mandalay Bay.

Not sure if we think that’s a bad thing though, the game of golf is growing, and adding a top notch mini golf experience with family and friends sounds like the ultimate fun time in one of the most ultimate fun cities.

Golf Shots Heard Round The World

Advice For Playing The Old Course

We were perusing Reddit recently and came across a handy little guide for those making the pilgrimage to the Mecca of golf. Thanks to u/bellingman for the tips on playing St. Andrews via the singles line.

I was there a couple of weeks ago. Here's what I learned:

  • Arrive at midnight at the latest to ensure a slot. The night I waited (mid-August, Sunday night) the first guy had arrived at 7:30pm. I got there at midnight, and was 9th. By 6am there were 51 people waiting. A total of 24 people got to play, but only the first 14 were guaranteed. 10 people had to cross their fingers based on slots in "members groups".

  • Talk to the starter the prior evening to see how many slots are available and help gauge how early you need to arrive.

  • DRESS WARMLY! You will be outside and near the ocean, under an awning but exposed to the wind. Wear rain pants, a hat, sweater, and jacket are a must. Tip: bring two gloves and turn one inside out to help keep your hands warm.

  • Bring a pillow and blanket if you can.

  • There are only three benches, so late-comers will be standing or sitting on concrete.

  • Take a nap the previous evening--you will not get any sleep in line

  • Download a movie to your phone to pass the time. And/or one of the old Open rounds on YouTube, to get familiar with the course. Make sure your phone is charged!

  • Consider an afternoon tee time so you can go back to the hotel and get a little sleep.

  • Make sure you have proof of your handicap! Just flashing the GHIN app is sufficient, but it is required.

On the course:

  • Splurge on a caddy. There are few courses in the world where local knowledge is as important, due to blind shots and hidden bunkers.

  • Don't hit an iron off the tee on number one, just because all the pros do. Aim left and you've got 300+ yards before any trouble. I was the only person in my group to hit driver, and the only one who didn't make double or worse.

Good luck and have fun!

Trivia Answer: 

Phil Mickelson

Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke  

This is strictly a colorway release and if you’re a fan of the San Fransisco Giants or Halloween or tigers… anyway, yea, orange and black...

TaylorMade and Manor teamed up to do a limited release of (drumroll please):

They are absolutely stunning. And ultra limited release. Get yours before they sell out, and the WILL sell out!

That's all folks! See ya’ll Saturday morning.