Accommodation, travel, best grandstands - tips for visiting the Ryder Cup 2025

Preparations for this year's Ryder Cup are in full swing and construction of the grandstands and hospitality areas began at the end of May - after Memorial Day. We have put together some tips for all golfers who have purchased tickets for the Ryder Cup and will be experiencing the mega-event live on site.

Travel and accommodation at the Ryder Cup

The best way to travel from Germany is via one of New York's airports - whether JFK (which is currently undergoing extensive modernization), La Guardia or Newark is not least a matter of price and taste. If you have not already done so, it is essential that you observe the entry regulations. If you do not have a visa or are a member of the Global Entry Program, you should apply for an ESTA online - preferably directly via the official website of the Department of Homeland Security. Alternatively, you can also use service providers, for which additional fees apply. When it comes to accommodation, New York and Long Island are not exactly among the cheapest regions in the USA, and hotels and AirBNBs will be charging surcharges around the Ryder Cup. Whether you stay in downtown New York or on Long Island depends not least on the activities you have planned. From New York, Long Island is very well connected by both rail and road. If you live on Long Island, you should note that the roads in the west of the island are wider, but this is where all the traffic from New York and other parts of the USA comes in. If you are staying east of Bethpage, it should be a little quieter, but the roads here are not as well developed and if you want to go to New York, for example, you will have to pass through the Bethpage bottleneck for the Ryder Cup. Either way, it will be crowded and you should plan enough time for your arrival and departure.

Travel to the Practice Days and Ryder Cup tournament days

If you are staying overnight in New York, the best way to get there is by Long Island Railroad. Shuttle buses will take spectators from the train station, which is only about a mile away from the tournament venue, to the tournament grounds. Those wishing to travel by car must book a parking space at Jones Beach in advance for a fee. Shuttle buses will also run from there. Cabs and ride-sharing services will of course also be available.

Good vantage points on Bethpage Black

Tickets for the 2025 Ryder Cup sold out in just 45 minutes. In other words: it's going to be packed! Every visitor should therefore consider in advance whether they would rather see all the groups on the day from one or more fixed stations or decide on a group of players and walk along with them. If you would like to accompany a play group for the entire tour, please note: Bethpage is a classic out-in design, so you don't actually return to the clubhouse until the last hole - and the course is very hilly, so walking along can be quite strenuous, especially in warm weather. Due to the match play format, one of the exciting questions is always up to which hole a match will last - theoretically, it can be decided as early as hole 10. At Bethpage Black, the final holes also set the stage for exciting decisions, but other stations on the course are also worthwhile. Here are a few tips:

• Tee off hole 1: for the Ryder Cup, the first tee is moved to the side and framed by a large grandstand together with the 18th green. This is where the players are greeted and the atmosphere is extremely emotional - but the request is also correspondingly large.

• Fourth green and tee-off hole 5: Hole 4, a Par-5, is one of the most beautiful holes, starting directly below the third green and stretching uphill. On the way to this hole, you should therefore always enjoy the view from the fourth Tee towards the green. The green is again close to the fifth tee, so you can experience a good combination of approach, Putt and tee shot here.

• Hole 8: This hole is perhaps the most attractive Par-3, as the green is bordered by a pond on the front left and the green is framed by hills like a small stadium. Here you can see a complete Tee to Green. Alternatively, you can also combine the green of the monster Par-4 on hole 7 with the tee shot on this Par-3.
• Fairways 9 to 12: greens (9 and 11) and tees (10 and 12) are less than 100 meters apart, so you can easily commute between the individual fairways.
• Hole 14: another Par-3 - in the area of the deciding fairways. The slope in front of the green can quickly bring about a decision here.
• Fairway 17: Of course, the magnificent fairway 15 with its steep slope towards the green and fairway 16 are also predestined for match play decisions, but the space for spectators around the greens is somewhat limited. However, if a match makes it to 17, great cinema awaits: the course is framed by stands similar to a stadium, and a video screen measuring over 20 meters ensures that events from other holes can also be seen. All matches that make it this far are sure to be cheered on loudly in the final.

Public viewing downtown New York

If you didn't get tickets for certain tournament days, you might be lucky enough to get a seat for the public viewing in New York. There will be a large fan zone at Rockefeller Center. There, visitors can expect a replica of the grandstand on the first tee/18th green, sponsor activities, interactive experiences and a big screen. NBC will also be on site.