Ryder Cup vs. The Masters - Which one is the "bigger deal"?

[SirOliver]

So I was talking to my coworker (who doesnt watch any golf); I was telling him that the Ryder Cup was on last weekend. I was surprised to know that he had never heard of it. As I said, he doesnt watch any golf, but he will watch a little of the Masters when its on. As I am explaining the Ryder Cup, I say that its the "biggest" event in golf. He says that it cant be since he doesnt know about it; that the biggest event has to be The Masters since more non-golf people (Americans) probably know about The Masters and not the Ryder Cup. I tell him that the Ryder Cup is more important among golfers. He asks his other golfing friends and they also say The Masters. Is he right? which event is "bigger"?

[cnosil]

Of your  choices I would say the masters.   The Masters involves players from all over the world;  any country and as your friend said is pretty much known by golfers and non golfers.    The Ryder cup is US vs. Europe which alienates a lot of the world.  

[Parshooter36]

Definitely Masters for me. I have never been a huge Ryder Cup fan.

[Headhammer]

Masters for many reasons;

• It signals the start of spring and the golf season in many parts of the country
• It's the first major of the year, when golf fans really start paying attention to the game again
• The history of the event 
• It's annual vs biannual
• Seeing the old guard of golf back together again
• The venue is the same every year and most of us know every hole like we've played it 25 times

FYI, I did not watch one second of the Ryder Cup, except for what was posted on social media, a first for me!

[cnosil]

TV ratings are coming out and provides a clear indicator that Masters > RyderCup. 

[jaskanski]

I voted the Ryder Cup. Not that I don't like the Masters, but if there's one thing that it doesn't have, it's a history that pre-dates the other majors - or the Ryder Cup...

[Tom the Golf Nut]

6 hours ago, Headhammer said:

Masters for many reasons;

• It signals the start of spring and the golf season in many parts of the country
• It's the first major of the year, when golf fans really start paying attention to the game again
• The history of the event 
• It's annual vs biannual
• Seeing the old guard of golf back together again
• The venue is the same every year and most of us know every hole like we've played it 25 times

FYI, I did not watch one second of the Ryder Cup, except for what was posted on social media, a first for me!

Dito even the closing sentence. 

[cnosil]

Here’s some player perspectives prior to the 1999 Ryder Cup.   

 

[Golf2Much]

I'd go with the Masters as well for the reasons listed above.  There's an attachment we have to Augusta because we've grown up with it, know all the holes and it's the course most of us mere mortals would love to play but never will.  It's like hallowed ground and a religious experience.   When the Masters is played, we know what golfers have done before and can compare performances over an extended period of time. 

The Ryder Cup does have some advantages.  Playing for country in formats we typically do not see or play (alternating shot) and it's on some nice golf courses set on two continents. 

Having been to a Ryder Cup (Oak Hill in 1995), it's really an event that's better seen on TV than in person.  Yes, the Ryder Cup creates a great environment with competing groups cheering their teams, but there's really not a lot of action that takes place on the course at any one time (other than on Sunday).  If you get a good seat at a hole, you see four groups come through then have to wait until the afternoon for the next four.   I think the opposite is true for the Masters.  I haven't been, but I've got friends who have.  To a person, they say that a two-dimensional television cannot do the course justice.  As good as it is on TV, it's only better in person!

For me, I'll take the Masters.  

[Stuka44]

I went with the Masters, but it is by like a 51-49 % margin.  I like the Masters, because of its reserved nature.   Especially since any grown adult "child", who tries to time his shout of "mashed potato" with the strike of the ball is escorted from the property.  I really do despise this about watching golf, of any kind. It really is something that should be banned.  The Masters is 4 days of peaceful watching of golf, where the infantile, morons, who engage, in this IQ reducing behavior are kept in check.    However I really do like match play nature of the Ryder Cup.  I understand the financial, and viewership reasons(people being eliminated) for the lack of match play events on the tour, so I think this is why these two events are so close for me. 

[LICC]

Definitely the Masters, by a wide margin. It is by far the most watched and most popular event in golf. I love the Ryder Cup but not nearly as the Masters. The US and British Opens are bigger too IMO. 

[SteddyGolf]

I have to say The Masters.  I am not a big Ryder Cup fan.  I think it looks like a fun time but seeing a bunch of golfers play the role of tough guy makes me laugh.  Most professional golfers (not all) come from well to do families and have never had to fight for anything that truly mattered in their lives.  Seeing the bravado with their chests puffed out is comical to me.  Brooks needs to go sit down somewhere before he gets balled up, lmao.  

[fixyurdivot]

The Masters.

[Jason Costain]

Now being based in the UK,  I was surprised by how much everyone is into the Ryder cup,  and now playing match play against other clubs you can really appreciate the format. It's just ahead now.

Growing up in Australia is was really only the majors that I paid a lot of attention to, mostly The Open and the Masters. 

[Fongle]

I think The Masters would be the biggest, simply because not every golfer is US or European based and won't have the same emotional stakes in the Ryder Cup, but every golfer loves The Masters. 

[jolter1]

As much as I enjoy the Ryder Cup, to me nothing beats The Masters. Not only are you watching some of the best golfers in the world, but you have Augusta National which I would rate higher than any Ryder Cup venue.

[BMart519]

The Ryder Cup holds little interest for me, it has become a beating for the home team most times. Not much drama

[John W Sutch]

Neither. My vote goes to the Open Championship.

[Middler]

On 10/4/2023 at 7:17 AM, Parshooter36 said:

Definitely Masters for me. I have never been a huge Ryder Cup fan.

Same here, no contest. Ryder Cup is way down my list of tournaments to watch. I don't care for team golf to begin with, or team/nation taunting.

[ShimmyCocoBop]

After this year, I have watched my last Ryder Cup.  At that level, team golf is a joke.

It seems like most US Players have no interest in even being there.  It's just a big party for the PGAoA.

The Club Pro Guy had the best suggestions for the U.S. Team, but alas, I no longer care.

Give me The Masters, The Open, The U.S. Open and The Honda Classic at PGA National, where the winning score is only a few under par.