How to Play The Ryder Cup on a Golf Simulator

The Ryder Cup is coming back to the U.S. in 2025, and this time the stage is none other than Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York. Team USA and Team Europe will battle it out in front of massive crowds, rowdy fans, and one of the toughest golf courses in the world.

Can’t make the trip to New York? No worries. Fire up your golf simulator, grab a few buddies, and bring Ryder Cup weekend straight to your basement or garage. You might not hear thousands of fans chanting “U-S-A” behind you, but you can crank up the volume and let your dog bark at you every time you line up a putt for that authentic pressure.

Why Bethpage Black is Perfect for a Virtual Ryder Cup

Bethpage Black is legendary for its difficulty. It’s long, narrow, and punishes anyone who dares get lazy with a tee shot. The course has hosted the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship, but this will be its first Ryder Cup. At over 7,400 yards, with greens that can make you question why you ever picked up a putter, it’s a beast.

Translation: if you’re looking to challenge yourself on your sim, this is the course. And when you get through 18 holes without losing three sleeves of balls to the rough, you’ll feel like you’ve already won a point for your team.

Setting Up Your Virtual Ryder Cup

You can play Bethpage Black on several popular golf simulator software platforms, including GSPro, E6 CONNECT, and The Golf Club 2019. These programs feature highly detailed recreations of the course so you can experience every bunker, slope, and punishing rough from your own setup. Just load up Bethpage, set the conditions to Ryder Cup intensity, and get ready to see why this course has a reputation for breaking even the best players

Then, play the Ryder Cup formats: foursomes (alternate shot), fourball (best ball), and singles. Alternate shot is where friendships go to die, so choose your partner wisely. Fourball is a little more forgiving, but still tests your strategy. Singles is where bragging rights live forever.

Bethpage Black Quick Facts

Bethpage Black is a par 71 course that has crushed the dreams of countless golfers. It was designed back in the 1930s and has been updated to handle today’s big hitters. The rough is thick, the bunkers are deep, and the greens roll faster than your buddy trying to avoid buying the next round. Simply put, this is not a course you mess around with.

Bring the Ryder Cup to Your Basement

Here’s how to do it.

• Pick your teams. U.S. vs. Europe. Jerseys and flag capes optional, but strongly encouraged.

• Set up your three-day schedule just like the real Ryder Cup: foursomes and fourball on Friday and Saturday, then singles on Sunday.

• Keep score the same way, with each match worth one point.

• Celebrate your victory with a triumphant fist pump and maybe a Ryder Cup trophy replica you ordered online at 2 a.m.

Why You Should Try It

Playing Bethpage Black on your simulator during Ryder Cup week is about more than golf. It’s about the trash talk, the fake pressure, and the thrill of pretending your living room is packed with thousands of screaming fans. You’ll sharpen your game, test your patience, and maybe even realize why pros sometimes look like they’ve aged five years after a Ryder Cup.

And the best part? You don’t have to worry about the Bethpage Black warning sign that famously tells golfers the course is “extremely difficult” and “recommended only for highly skilled players.” On your simulator, the only real risk is knocking over your drink mid-swing.