Before we snobbishly sneer at American golf nuts, we must address this particular group of European fans

With my fan’s hat on, I was only about 13 seconds into the first session of the 2025 Ryder Cup when I was reminded of a key reason why I want Europe to win.

The red, white and blue facepaint, the U-S-A chants, the head-to-toe suits with star-spangled top hats. They get under my skin. They relish it, and good luck to them.

One fan in the first-hole grandstand on the first morning at Bethpage reminded me of Lieutenant Dan in his caveman phase in Forrest Gump, screaming to the sky while tied to the top of a ship’s sail in the middle of a storm.

But for my fellow Europeans who snobbishly sneer at the American fanatics every two years, sipping our tea with our little fingers pointing to the sky, we have less and less right to do so with each passing Ryder Cup.

The behaviour on both sides has become more cringey, the outfits have become more outlandish, and the chants are more unbearable. And I’m afraid to say from where I’m standing, the Guardians of the Ryder Cup are the living embodiment of said cringe.

For those who haven’t heard of them, they have a website. On this website, they describe themselves as ‘a group of incurable golf fans dedicated to supporting Team Europe to Ryder Cup victory via the power of song.’

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The banner at the top of the website has four different song tabs for the last four Ryder Cups. Let’s take a look at the 2025 banner first.

They have written two chants for European debutant Rasmus Hojgaard, the first one is to Cliff Richard’s ‘Christmas Time’:

Rasmus time,
Shooting sixty-nine,
Golf fans singing slightly out of time,
He’ll raise Europe higher and light up the tee,
It’s time to rejoice in the Rasmus we see

I think we have seen enough. If you want to dive in, some other highlights are a Ludvig Aberg chant to ‘Achy Breaky Heart’, a Tyrrell Hatton chant to ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ and a Scottie Scheffler chant to ‘That Don’t Impress Me’ by Shania Twain.

I couldn’t ignore this, actually. Can you guess who this song is about?

Bob the golfer
Can he win this?
Bob the golfer
Yes he can!

I’m sure all of these gentlemen are great to have a beer with. Maybe I’d enjoy myself. I’m sure I would. Why don’t we convene at Adare Manor in two years, leaving the awful blue/yellow outfits and plastic sunglasses at home?

However, if they started harmonising in the corner of the pub, I’d be out the door quicker than Rory McIlroy’s ball speed.

If you haven’t come across their website before, you may well have seen them at the front row of the first tee of the Ryder Cup in years gone by, making themselves the centre of attention and imposing their cringe-inducing harmonies upon the rest of the crowd.

I’m boring. I’ve made that much clear here, haven’t I? I cling to the last pieces of the Ryder Cup that still resemble traditional golf.

Bethpage will probably see fans who would love to rip those pieces from my hands, chanting and singing.

The Guardians of the Ryder Cup are those fans, and I just can’t help but wince and scrunch my face at the sound of their school fair tunes.

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Are some European Ryder Cup fans as rowdy as the Americans at the Ryder Cup? Has the Ryder Cup hostility rubbed off on everyone? Tell us on X!