The 2025 Ryder Cup is just around the corner – but where did it all start? Our team at gimmeballs have done the research and put together a complete guide to the Ryder Cup’s history. This event has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1927, to become the huge celebration we know today.

Read on to learn the fascinating history of the Ryder Cup, as well as what we know about this year’s edition of the tournament.

What is the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s biggest golfing events. It is played every other year, and features 24 of the best golfers from Europe and the United States.

Unlike many other big golfing events, the Ryder Cup is played in teams – so instead of a single individual claiming victory, each tournament is won by either Team Europe or Team USA.

What is the history of the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup was started by Samuel Ryder, an English businessman with a passion for golf. He first held a golf tournament between Great Britain and America in 1926. However, this isn’t considered an official Ryder Cup game, as no cup was awarded. The Ryder Cup officially began in 1927 at Worcester Country Club, Massachusetts, where the USA won by a score of 9.5 to 2.5.

The Ryder Cup continued like this, with a tournament every other year for a decade. Unfortunately, this tradition was halted by World War II, and with the death of Samuel Ryder it seemed unlikely to return. This could have been the end of one of the world’s most celebrated golfing traditions.

In an unexpected twist of fate, though, the game was revived by Rober A. Hudson – an Oregon fruit grower who decided to follow in Samuel Ryder’s footsteps. With the spark reignited, the Ryder Cup continued as it was always meant to. There were a handful of format changes over the years, with the most significant arriving in 1979. This was the year that the British team expanded to become a European team. This allowed more top golfers to participate and allowed the USA’s rivals to draw from a larger talent pool – which was becoming necessary as America hadn’t lost for well over a decade by this point.

DID YOU KNOW? From the tournament’s inception until the end of the 20th century, the Ryder Cup was only played in odd-numbered years. Then the 2001 tournament was delayed until 2002 due to the 9/11 attacks, and for a while after that, the Ryder Cup took place only in even-numbered years. But then the coronavirus pandemic struck and the 2020 edition had to be postponed until 2021, so now the Ryder Cup is back to happening in odd-numbered years again.

That brings us to today! After several changes, and two unlikely benefactors, the Ryder Cup is still going strong. Two teams of twelve, from America and Europe, go up against each other every other year to demonstrate the very best of their golfing talents.

Why is it called the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup is named after the event’s original founder, Samuel Ryder. He made his fortune by selling seeds much more cheaply than his competitors at the time, at only a penny per packet. When his friend suggested he take up golf for his health, he couldn’t have known that it would eventually lead to one of the world’s biggest golfing events.

Do Ryder Cup players get paid?

Generally, Ryder Cup players are not paid, though this has varied somewhat over the years. In 1999, when Tiger Woods began to question where all the profits of the event were going, Team USA players were given some say over which charities the profits were donated to.

For the 2025 Ryder Cup, the American PGA has announced that each American player will receive $500,000 (with $300,000 of that going to a charity selected by the player). The remaining money is a stipend, though some players have reportedly said that this will also be donated to charity.

As for Team Europe, there are no plans for them to be paid to play in the Ryder Cup.

Who won the Ryder Cup in 2023?

The last Ryder Cup, held in Italy in 2023, was won by the European team. Captain Luke Donald (who will be returning this year) led the team to a decisive victory with a score of 16.5 to 11.5. The team included Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and several other well-known golfers.

Can women play in the Ryder Cup?

Unlike The Open, which has allowed women since 2006, the Ryder Cup does not allow women to play. Female golfers play in the Solheim Cup instead, which is held on alternate years with the Ryder Cup. The last Solheim cup was held in Virginia in 2024, and the next will be in the Netherlands in 2026.

When is the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup will be held at Bethpage Black Course in New York on 23rd – 28th September 2025. If you’ve had enough of history and are ready to look to the future, you can watch live or follow along with this year’s event at home.

Get ready for the Ryder Cup!

The Ryder Cup is fast approaching! If you’re excited about golf, then why not hold your own mini Ryder Cup with our Ryder Cup golf balls? We’ve got a selection of the best golf balls used by the pros who will be playing at Bethpage this September.

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Golfing in the rain can be challenging, but with the right approach, it's still a fun and rewarding experience. The game can be just as enjoyable in wet conditions – but only if you do it right!

To make the most of your round, here are 12 smart things to do when golfing in the rain...

You should change your golf ball very often - many professional golfers change their ball every hole or every few holes. Change your ball when you notice a change in performance.

Let’s say you get lucky and manage to go a full round of golf without losing your golf ball. And then, miracle of miracles, you get through another one. And another one…

If you’re good at keeping your golf balls like this then you’ll eventually have to ask yourself the question: should I change my golf ball?

We’re here to help. If you aren’t sure how often to switch an old golf ball for a new one, then join us as we discuss the most important factors of golf ball integrity. Do scuffs and dirt matter? Let’s find out.

Signs that you should change your golf ball

When trying to figure out if you should change your golf ball, a golf towel is your best friend. As a general rule of thumb, if any damage or dirt can be wiped away by a towel, then it shouldn’t cause you too much trouble. Small scuffs that can be mostly wiped away probably won’t impact your ball too badly.

You’ll probably want to swap out your golf ball if the ball’s surface is significantly damaged or particularly scratched. This isn’t always necessary – quickly test if the ball rolls as-expected when hit. If the scratch is causing the golf ball to lean in any particular direction, then it’s time to change it.

Inspect your golf balls whenever you get the chance to. As long as the ball isn’t badly misshapen or performing strangely, then you should be able to continue using it. The only real exception is professional or competitive games of golf. In these cases, you may wish to swap out your ball just in case - you wouldn't want any damage ruining your win!

Do balls perform worse the longer you use them?

In a theoretical scenario where your ball survives with no dents or scratches, can you keep using it forever? This really depends on the ball itself. Most modern golf balls have great durability, but golf balls that are constructed from cheaper or softer materials may not be able to last as long as premium balls.

Golf balls may also lose compression over time and can deteriorate due to different factors like heat or moisture. However, this is usually only a problem if you store golf balls incorrectly.

This is why pro golfers change their golf ball every hole, or every few holes. They can't afford the risk of failing a shot over a broken or damaged golf ball. However, swapping balls this often can seem expensive and wasteful for a beginner golfer. If you are confident in the durability of your golf ball then you can probably keep using it without any issue for a good while. If you can feel it getting worse as you play, then swap it out.

Is it time to change your golf ball?

Whether you want to change your golf ball every hole or not, you’re going to have to change it eventually. It’s best to keep a few high-quality spares in your bag just in case. At gimmeballs, we offer a range of great golf balls at low prices so you won’t have to worry as much about losing or damaging a couple of balls.

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FURTHER READING: How Many Golf Balls Should I Carry in My Bag?

If you’re looking for the ultimate golf gadget to gift your dad this Father’s Day then you’re in the right place! At gimmeballs, we stock the perfect piece of tech for dads that love golf and gadgets – the Shot Scope Pro X Rangefinder! In this blog we will explore what a Shot Scope Rangefinder is and why it makes an ideal present for your golf-loving dad this Father’s Day!

At gimmeballs, we know that getting into a new sport can be daunting, especially a sport that is as complex as golf. We are also firm believers that golf is for everyone, which is why we have made this quick and easy guide with some of our best golf tips for beginners. Let’s get started!

Many golfers will tell you to go straight for the Titleist Pro V1 as this is the most popular ball in tournament play and it’s specifically designed for distance. However, there are lots of other distance golf balls on the market, and depending on your skill level, you may find that your shots go further if you look beyond the Pro V1. Many golf balls are even specifically designed to travel long distances, like the TaylorMade Distance+ Tour Response golf balls - but do these designs actually work out on the course?

An experiment by My Golf Spy in 2023 used a robot arm to figure out the best balls for different swing speeds. So, if you want to know which golf balls will go the furthest for you, it helps to know your swing speed first.

Asses Your Skill Level

Distance is impacted by your swing speed. Most new golfers will have a slow swing speed, and in this case, it can be helpful to use a softer golf ball. Softer balls tend to be more forgiving, flying further when hit at low speeds.

However, if you find that you’ve got a very high swing speed, a soft ball could actually result in less distance. You’ll usually want a harder ball if your drives are connecting at high speed.

Soft Golf Balls    Hard Golf Balls

Whatever your swing speed, it’s a good idea to test different balls to see what works well for your skill level. Once you know your swing speed, you can use the below information from My Golf Spy as a guideline for the kind of ball you may need.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Fast Swing Speeds

According to the golf ball experiment, the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash went the furthest when using a high swing speed driver (115 mph). This was closely followed by the Titleist Pro V1x and the Mizuno RB Tour X golf balls.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Medium Swing Speeds

With a mid-swing speed driver (100 mph) the balls that went the longest distance were the Titleist Pro V1x, the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS, and the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash golf balls.

Farthest-Flying Golf Balls for Slow Swing Speeds

With a low swing speed (85 mph) the ball that went furthest was the Vice Pro Plus, followed by the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash, and then the Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf balls.

Which Golf Ball Is Right For You?

Since these results were under test conditions, you might find that you get different distances on the actual course. These distances were achieved using a driver – results may vary when using other clubs.

There are also a couple of other factors to consider when choosing a ball for distance.

If you’re an experienced golfer, you may be used to a particular ball already, and suddenly switching balls could negatively impact your game. This doesn’t mean that you should never switch! But you might need to practise a bit with the new ball before you take it into any tournaments.

Budget can also be a big factor. Though we mentioned the Titleist Pro V1 balls earlier, these are high-end balls that are usually for experienced players. You’ll see that many of the balls mentioned above are also from top brands. If you are a new player, you’ll probably want a ball that travels a lot, but costs a little.

Golf Balls That Go The Distance

At gimmeballs, we offer a huge range of brands at different price points, to cater to all sorts of golfers. Have a quick scroll through our golf balls page to see which balls are right for you!

You can even filter specifically for “Distance Balls” when shopping with us, so you’ll only see balls designed for this purpose.

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If you’re interested in sampling multiple balls to see which one would work best for you, then you can try our Build a Box! This way, you can order a selection of great balls in one helpful package.

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Do you know the difference between a Putt and a Punch? When should you use a Chip? Familiarising yourself with different shots and strategies can make all the difference in a game of golf.

Use our quick guide below to study up on different golf techniques.

• Drive
• Fairway
• Approach
• Chip
• Punch
• Flop
• Shank
• Draw
• Fade
• Putt

Drive

You don’t need a driving licence for this golf shot, just a good swing. The drive is usually the first shot on a hole, aiming to get your ball as far as possible. This shot is all about finding a balance between power and aim to get a good distance towards the green.

Fairway

A fairway shot is what it says on the tin - a shot taken from the fairway!

Approach

This is how you get your ball onto the green. A variety of clubs are used to achieve this, as the distance to the green will depend on how successful your drive was.

Chip

Less popular than the potato chip, but still very useful, is the chip shot. This is a quick, short manoeuvre which sends the ball a short distance. It is sometimes needed to get onto the green from a very short distance away, or to avoid a hazard.

Punch

A punch shot is very similar to a chip, but each has its own uses. A punch shot is a flat shot, meaning the ball stays close to the ground - perfect for nailing shots on a windy day!

Flop

Good for mini-golf, a flop lets you jump over an obstacle. Think short-distance, but with a lot of height, like a big arch. Flop shots are particularly useful if you don’t want the ball to roll very far once it lands.

Shank

While a flop may sound like a bad thing, you’re probably actually thinking of a shank. This is when you strike the ball with the wrong part of the club, and it goes careening off in completely the wrong direction. Needless to say, this is not a strategy you really want to use.

Draw

This shot is when the ball spins, curving slightly from right to left…

Fade

…and this shot is when the ball spins, curving slightly from left to right! At least, that’s the case if you’re a right-handed golfer. If you’re left-handed, just flip it the other way around.

Putt

If you’ve made it to the putt, then you’ve made it to the hole! This is usually the last shot. It takes a lot of focus and accuracy, but usually isn’t a very powerful shot. The goal is to cover the final bit of distance between your ball and the hole.

There are a few other shots, such as Lay-ups and Bunker shots (for avoiding and escaping hazards). However, these are ten that will get you well on your way to understanding the language of golf.

Once you’ve got your shots in order, it’s time to start thinking about golf balls. With our wide selection of personalised balls from a variety of well-known brands, we can help.

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So, you reckon you're a pretty good golfer, eh? You think that, just because you hit the links every weekend and you're whittled your handicap down to nothing, you can shoot under par on any golf course in the world?

Well, think again. In this blog post, we're going to look at five of the toughest golf courses on the planet - places where even the pros fear to tread.

Pack your golfing essentials and your passport, because gimmeballs is taking you travelling!

Golf Courses

- Saujana Golf Club
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club
- Whistling Straits
- Carnoustie Golf Links
- The Ocean Course

5. Saujana Golf Club

Saujana Golf Club at The Palm Course in Malaysia ranks number five on our list. 

It is most commonly recognised as "The Cobra", given its profound challenge, as well as the fact that cobras were introduced to keep the crop-destroyin rodents away. It hosted six of the last 13 Malaysian Opens, all of which are co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours. 

Surrounded by deep greenery water, and sand hazards dispersed throughout the course, just reaching the greens is a considerable obstacle; nevertheless, the real difficulty commences on the greens.

The putting surfaces of Saujana Golf Club are exceptionally fast and feature seriously sloping arcs, making them arguably the most difficult putting grounds on the globe. Only golfers who specialises in putting have the opportunity for sucess at this club. 

Did You Know:

• The Saujana Golf Club was constructed on a former oil palm estate with rolling hills.
• The early nine holes of the courses are regarded as extremely hard, while the back nine are fairly straightforward.
• Notable holes on the course include the par-3 second, par-5 third, and the unforgiving 8th.
  
  

4. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club

At number four, we have the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club in China. 
It is currently the world's longest course (8,548 yards) as well as one of the most challenging.

The course resides more than 3,040 metres above sea level in the Himalayas, where the thin atmosphere leads the golf ball to travel farther. The thin atmosphere causes the ball to swerve to the left or right, so it's difficult to keep the ball under control.

Did You Know:

• Caddies at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club are from the Naxi culture and wear traditional attire.
• The course was opened in 2001 and is an 18-hole par 72 golf course.
• The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest regulation golf course in the world
  
  

3. Whistling Straits

Our third-place contender is the Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Pete Dye created this monstroisity, of course, on the abandoned artillery range on Lake Michigan's shoreline.

According to the article by the writers of Golf Digest magazine, there are an impressive 967 bunkers. This corresponds to rough average of 54 bunkers on each fairway. Many of them are so small that a golfer and a ball barely fit inside. Many are barely acknowledge as bunkers, as Dustin Johnson realised to his misfortune on the final hole of the 2010 US PGA Championship, when he was one shot ahead.

Did You Know:

• Dustin Johnson and his caddie mistook the 18th hole for a worn-out area, leading to a two-stroke penalty that cost him the championship.
• The Whistling Straits is home to Scottish Blackface Sheep that like speckling the course.
• The course is a walking-only area; therefore, no golf carts are permitted. 
  
  

2. Carnousitie Golf Links

Taking our siler medal in the list of most challenging golf courses is the Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland.

On the merciless North Sea Shore, this Scottish golf course swiftly earned the nickname Carnasty following the 1999 Open Championshp, reducing golf champion Sergio Garcia to tears.

It birthed the term Carnousite effect due to it being riddled with dangerous pot bunkers; the name refers to the psychic shock that occurs when an individual with unrealsitic expectations encounters reality. 

A famous Carnoustie effect was is the 1999 Open when Jean Van de Velde had a breakdown, involving a visit to the notorious Barry Burn, taking seven strokes to finish he hole, and losing the playoff to Paul Lawrie.

Did You Know:

• English golfer Tommy Fleetwood currently holds the golf course record of 63.
• Established in 1842, Carnoustie is among the world's oldest golf courses.
• According to Golfweek, it's the most challenging open rota course.
  
  

1. The Ocean Course

The Ocean Course in South Carolina is our top pick for the most difficult golf course.

Constructed by golf architect Pete Dye (dubbed The Marquis de Sod due to his excruciating cousrse designs), it is not surprising that the Ocean Course is number one on our list. The golf course's immense sand dunes, prickly marshes, laborious pot bunkers, and exceptionally quick greens are regularly proven to render even the world's most exquistie golfers into crumbling hackers (bad golfers).

In the 1991 Ryder Cup, which was presented on the Ocean Course, elite golfers such as Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples, and Payne Stewart won holes with double-bogeys.

Did You Know:

• The Legend of Bagger Vance starring Will Smith, Charize Theron and Matt Smith was filmed here.
• In 2012, it hosted the most challenging PGA Championship Round.
• German golfer Alex Cejka has the course record of 63 achieved during the 1997 World Cup.

Can you prevail over the world's top five most challengign golf course or will you continue to golf on your own greens?