Ryder Cup 2012: Medinah ‘Loudest Ever’…& Glenmuir Link Goes On & On4 min read

As Europe attempts to retain the coveted trophy at the Medinah Country Club, September 28-30, the 2012 version will be ‘the loudest Ryder Cup ever’, according to officials of the famous venue in Chicago, Illinois and ‘will provide the home advantage they are looking for’.

Local enthusiasm for USA’s bid to reclaim the trophy, and end Europe’s recent supremacy, has been ‘elevated’ and there will be increasing ‘pressure on both sides’ , say the Medinah sources in a Sky Sports interview… with memories, maybe, going back to the huge, sporting part played by the crowd in the last matches, at Celtic Manor.

The Americans took back home a lasting impression of how those Welsh-based galleries, with their chants and witticisms (You’ve got Big Mac, we’ve got Little Mac…!), were patriotic but fair, noisy but dead silent when required and always respectful.

And USA Captain, Davis Love III, can be relied upon to ensure that the same spirit of sporting support prevails.

Certainly high profile tournaments are not unusual at the Chicago venue, although it is a Ryder Cup debut there. The challenging No.3 course has staged three major championships, namely three US Opens and two USPGAs and is regarded as ‘quite an arena’ with its tight, tree-lined fairways.

Reports on the condition of the course are excellent, so good that it’s said that the matches could be played on it now, though the rest of the infrastructure has yet to be installed. As the Medinah ground staff add, the greens will be in the region of 12.5 to 13.5 on the stimpmetre and the course will be set up to provide ‘a very stiff challenge.’

So, it seems, the scene is already set as the fervor that survives for the full two-year term between matches, slowly turns into fever. The final countdown to the announcement of the European team on 27th August has ensured that the inevitable changes will take place as Colin Montogomerie’s (Monty’s) boys become Jose-Maria Olazábal’s (‘Olly’s’) boys.

The qualification criteria began at the Omega European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland, in September 2011, and ends at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Scotland, later this month.

Then, five players from the European Points List will be joined by the leading five players from the World Points List as automatic qualifiers to the European Team and Captain Olly will then add two Captain’s Picks to complete the 12-man team.

Glenmuir Clothing’s Official Ryder Cup Link Goes On…& on…

Leading Scottish golf wear brand GLENMUIR has been re-appointed as an Official Licensee of Ryder Cup apparel.

Retailing official Ryder Cup logoed clothing is an exceptional revenue opportunity for golf pro shops, not just at the host venues but around the continent in the years leading up to the prestigious matches.

The Preferred Supplier of shirts and knitwear to the European Ryder Cup team, Glenmuir is supplying official branded merchandise for this year’s Ryder Cup at Medinah, USA and Gleneagles, Scotland, 2014.

Exclusive Official Merchandise for the Ryder Cup in Paris is already being supplied to Le Golf National this month, some six years ahead of the event taking place. Clothing features the Ryder Cup 2018 logo on the chest with distinctive Le Golf National script on the sleeve and is retailed from a specially-designed ‘boutique’ display area.

The years leading up to Ryder Cup matches are an opportunity not to be missed for retailers because golfers have an incredible affinity with the event – especially when it is hosted in Europe.

Said Glenmuir Marketing director, Brian Mair: “There is a huge demand for Ryder Cup logoed shirts and sweaters, both before and after the events, so it’s important for pro shops to understand this and give themselves an opportunity to capitalise on what is one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

“Being able to offer retailers the quality of products with which Glenmuir is already synonymous, but enhanced even further with the prestigious Ryder Cup branding, is something that can only strengthen our bond with our customers.

Announcing the renewal of the licence agreement, Glenmuir managing director, Colin Mee, said: “We are delighted to continue our status as an Official Licensee of Ryder Cup apparel merchandise. Glenmuir has successfully promoted Ryder Cup logoed product to the huge and enthusiastic European Team fan base who have supported the team, both at the home and at away matches for a record consecutive 25 years.

“The coming cycle of home matches in Scotland and France is expected to generate even higher levels of support for what is arguably the most exciting golf contest in the world and unique in its pan European representation.”