Ever wondered what the difference is between a winning and losing Ryder Cup team party? On Beef's Golf Club, a podcast hosted by DP World Tour player Andrew 'Beef' Johnston, this year's triumphant captain, Luke Donald, gave an insight.
The Englishman, who captained Europe to a 16.5-11.5 victory last week at Marco Simone Golf Club to reclaim one of golf's most iconic trophies, was a part of four Ryder Cups as a player, making his debut in 2004 at Oakland Hills.
The Europeans, led by Bernhard Langer, were rampant that week in Michigan, winning all but one session as they demolished the US 18.5-9.5 in their own backyard.
It was the second victory in a run of three straight that was the beginning of a period of European dominance in the biennial team showdown that transcends golf like no other event on the schedule.
Langer's side contained present and future stalwarts of the Ryder Cup like Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, as well as plenty of big drinkers, it turns out.
On his return to the venue, Donald, who was a captain's pick alongside Monty in 2004, teed it up with an Oakland Hills member who shared with him the story, which has become "folklore" at the club, of the contrasting bar bills between that week's winners and losers.
Speaking on Beef's Golf Club at the end of last year, Donald said: "I went back to Oakland Hills for the first time, I was playing with one of the members and they said, 'You know, you ever heard the Ryder Cup story about the bar bills?'
"And I was like, 'No, I've never heard that one'.
"He's like, 'Yeah - apparently this is folklore within the membership at Oakland Hills - the bar bill for the US at the end of their Ryder Cup was $600'.
"And I said, 'What was the European's?'
"He goes, '$30,000'."
"We like to have a good time. No Bud Lights in our team room."
You've got to hear @LukeDonald's hilarious story about Ryder Cup bar bills 😂Reckon Team Europe spent more than $30,000 in Rome?! pic.twitter.com/jeJxxvukXGOctober 4, 2023
Breaking it down, that's one heck of a party, especially when you consider that's well before huge hikes in inflation took a firm grip of the economy.
We've no doubt Donald and his team had a similarly wild night in Rome on Sunday after their stunning victory. Maybe we'll find out in another 20 years.
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