2016 Ryder Cup: Visiting the Enemy Camp at PGA National, The Belfry

Crave will have its golf spikes on the ground at the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in Minnesota. Check in for more coverage as the event approaches and during the tournament.

When the 2016 Ryder Cup tees off near Minneapolis this week, the competition between the U..S. and European teams will be at its historic peak. Any time one-half of a rivalry dominates a series, the pressure builds on the team holding the short end of the putter. In the case of the modern Ryder Cup, that’s Team USA doing the chasing.

Also: 2016 Ryder Cup: A Study in the Future of Golf

Founded in 1921 as a battle between the U.S. and the UK before expanding to include all of Europe in 1979, The Ryder Cup is the ultimate team competition event in golf. America held the Cup for more than 20 years before losing it in 1985. Since then, it’s gone back and forth until recently Europe won the last three in a row and six of the last seven. Understandably, Team USA is on a crusade to take the cup back, sending top guns like Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth to Hazeltine.

As for Europe, it’s recent dominance starts at golf schools like those found at the PGA National Golf Academy near Birmingham, England. During a recent tour through the UK on automotive business, I found myself staying at The Belfry – four-time host for the Ryder Cup and the home of Europe’s PGA National.

America’s PGA National resides in West Palm Beach, Florida – serving as a sort of home base for the PGA’s golf activities and administration. Europe’s version is much the same, boasting two world class courses and the continent’s PGA National Golf Academy.

Since it’s the training ground for Team Europe’s Ryder Cup enemy camp, I did a little poking around at The Belfry. You can review the results of my spying in the gallery below.