This fall's Ryder Cup should be interesting. Not only is it going to Italy for the first time - a country with very limited interest in the game - there's also the issue of who will be on the U.S. and European teams? The Euros appear to have moved on from the LIV Golf stalwarts who led to a decade-plus of dominance - Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia. The U.S. team could, however, feature LIV golfer Brooks Koepka, who won the 2023 PGA Championship. Whoever tees it up, fans can expect some patriotic displays of emotions from both sides. Neither wants to lose. The Americans haven't won on foreign soil since 1993. The full TV coverage on Golf Channel and NBC Sept. 25-Oct. 1 from Marco Simone Golf & Country Club has yet to be announced.

RELATED: Costa Cruises is offering a 7-night experience that includes tickets to the 2023 Ryder Cup and optional rounds of golf along a Mediterranean route. Click here for details.

How could the Walker Cup - a USGA and R&A-sanctioned championship featuring teams of amateur golfers from America and Great Britian & Ireland - rank higher than a Presidents Cup filled with golf stars? The venues, the competitive atmosphere and history matter. The Walker Cup dates to 1921 with ties to so many legends of the game, including Nicklaus, Woods, Mickelson and McIlroy.

Even if you don't know the names of many of the players, you'll want to pay attention to the venues. The biennial matches are held at prestigious American private clubs such as Seminole (2021), Los Angeles Country Club (2017) National Golf Links of America (2013), Merion (2009) and Chicago Golf Club (2005). Up next are Cypress Point (2025), Bandon Dunes (2028), Oakmont (2032) and Chicago Golf Club (2036). The overseas hosts tend to be Open Championship links - the Old Course at St. Andrews this fall, Royal Liverpool (2019) and Royal Lytham & St. Annes (2015), bracketed by other celebrated links like Royal County Down (2007) and Royal Aberdeen (2011). TV coverage of this fall's Walker Cup Sept. 2-3 has yet to be announced, but any chance to see the Old Course is a welcome one.

The Solheim Cup is every bit as passionate as the Ryder Cup, just on a slightly smaller scale. That doesn't do anything to dampen the competitive spirit between the U.S. and European teams. Much like the men, the Euros relish being the underdogs. They have pulled off some stunning "upsets" that don't feel like upsets with how well they compete and play. The 18th Solheim Cup matches will be held this fall at the Finca Cortesin in Casares, Andalusia, Spain. Golf Channel will deliver nearly 30 hours of live coverage Sept. 22-24. In an effort to move away from the Ryder Cup and enjoy its own spotlight, the Solheim Cup will return again next September 13-15 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va., and continue forward in even years (2026 has been confirmed for The Netherlands).

Golf Packages

Finca Cortesin Golf Experience Package

Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at Finca Cortesin Resort and up to 3 rounds of golf at Finca Cortesin Golf Club (host of the 2023 Solheim Cup).

The Presidents Cup - put on by the PGA Tour - has been bogged down by the International team's inability to give the American team a good scare, let alone pull off the upset. Since the first match in 1994, the Americans have rolled to a 12-1-1 record with only a handful of close matches. The future schedule does, however, feature a nice mix of venues worth seeing (Royal Montreal in 2024, Medinah in 2026, Kingston Heath in 2028 and Bellerive in 2030).

The cool part about the NCAA Championships is you get to root for your college or your conference. The two weeks of back-to-back Golf Channel coverage of the men's and women's championships includes both the individual and team titles. After three years at Grayhawk Golf Club's Raptor Course in Scottsdale, the championships move next year to Omni La Costa Resort & Spa's Champions Course, which is being completely redesigned by Gil Hanse. There's talk of making the Omni La Costa a permanent home for NCAAs, depending on how well the course holds up to today's young bombers.

6 great match-play golf courses

Match play is Tim Gavrich's favorite form of competitive golf, especially on a course that lends itself to the format's unique features. Here's what great match play courses have in common.

The 4 essential match play golf shots you must know

Every shot is important, but one or more of these could be the difference between winning and losing the next time you're on the golf course.

Our 18 favorite match play holes in the U.S.

We've crafted a Dream 18 from the most exciting holes in American public golf.

Our 18 favorite match play holes in Europe

We picked risk-reward holes from 7 different European countries that have represented the Ryder Cup to create the ultimate match play golf course.

The biggest reason to watch the U.S. Amateur (men's or women's) is to see golf's future stars going head to head. Thirteen men's major champions have won both a U.S. Am and the U.S. Open. The second reason to tune in is the courses are almost as compelling as the players. The upcoming men's am will be contested at Colorado Golf Club and Cherry Hills outside Denver Aug. 14-20 (with TV coverage on Golf Channel, Peacock and NBC starting Aug. 16). The women's am will be Aug. 7-13 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. Golf Channel will televise daily starting Aug. 9.

I was lucky enough to attend the 2022 Bank of Hope LGPA Match Play to get a taste of the fan experience. Only a few thousand fans are allowed onsite at Shadow Creek, one of golf's most exclusive "public" courses. Watching on TV is really the only way to see the course, unless you're willing to shell out the $1,000 to play, plus stay at an MGM resort. The watery finishing holes are ideal for match play. It's fun to watch the best women in the world try to gamble their way to glory around a bunch of risk-reward holes.

Articles

6 Min Read

Golf helps Las Vegas bet big on becoming the sports capital of the world

June 9, 2022

A slew of major sporting events - including an ongoing commitment to golf - have made Vegas the place to be for any sports fan.

By Jason Scott Deegan

The 2023 return of the LPGA Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown after a five-year, COVID-induced hiatus wasn't entirely what I had hoped for. Crowds were sparse at TPC Harding Park because of bad weather, and a mediocre showing by the U.S. failed to produce any buzz during the intriguing international team event featuring 32 players from eight different countries all vying to "crown" their nation as champion. Even so, I remain bullish that this competition has the potential to be bigger and better, especially if tournament organizers can find the right venue and get more American gamers playing well. Patriotic golf parties are usually worth your time.

If you're an average golfer like me, I'd recommend watching both the boys and girls versions of the U.S. Junior Am run by the United States Golf Association. Because all the participants are younger than 18 years old, their games are not quite fully developed yet. While they are wildly talented, they don't hit it as far as they will when they're more mature and they might make a few more youthful mistakes than more polished older players. Translation: You might learn a thing or two watching young players who hit it as far as you and make similar mistakes. The added bonus is the chance to see some great USGA venues. This year's boys junior was at Daniel Island Club. Next up is Oakland Hills Country Club's redesigned South Course, which has hosted nine majors in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Most casual golf fans probably haven't heard of the Western Amateur, but it's one of the game's most prestigious tournaments for up-and-coming male players. The 121st edition of the tournament unfolded at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill., where 72 holes of stroke play were followed by four rounds of match play to determine a champion. Weekend coverage was live on Peacock and live via the NBC Sports app. Remember, becoming a GolfPass member includes a membership to Peacock.