The Slam Podcast: Does it actually matter who the Ryder Cup captains are?
Award-winning journalist Richard Gillis joins The Slam to discuss the role of the Ryder Cup captain and how important they actually are…
In the latest edition of The Slam Podcast – in association with Callaway – Matt Coles and Matt Chivers are joined by award-winning journalist and author Richard Gillis.
Richard wrote The Captain Myth: The Ryder Cup and Sport’s Great Leadership Delusion, published in 2016, which re-thinks the role of the Ryder Cup captain and how important they actually are.
With an array of interviews with an abundance of golfing figures, Richard considers the idea of the good and bad captain – the inevitable labels given to the winning and losing leaders at the Ryder Cup.
Richard joins the team to discuss how captains have been perceived in previous iterations of the event, when often their fate has been determined by flip-of-a-coin moments, such as Justin Rose’s memorable putt when facing Phil Mickelson at the 2012 matches at Medinah.
Do we just seek a story of romance surrounding who wins? Or does the best team simply win most of the time?
He also delves into the business side of the Ryder Cup and ponders its future if money becomes the primary object of the event. One day, could it be held every year? Or, could it become a four-day tournament?
You won’t want to miss this special Ryder Cup preview!
The Matts also previewed the huge week in Rome and revealed the European pairings they would go with for the first foursomes session on Friday morning.
Will Luke Donald opt for experience over rookies, or will the Englishman put trust in his most fresh-faced team members?
Listen to this Ryder Cup captains 2023 Slam Special right here!
Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
