Behind the scenes: Ryder Cup Europe's practice trip to Bethpage Black

Ryder Cup Europe have spent the last two days onsite at Bethpage Black as Luke Donald's 12-man team prepare for the 2025 contest in just over a week's time.

FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 15: (Top L-R) Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, Rasmus Hojgaard (Bottom L-R) Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, team captain Luke Donald, Tommy Fleetwood, and Viktor Hovland of Team Europe sit for the official team photo ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on September 15, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

This year, that included an away practice trip for Team Europe to the 2025 Ryder Cup venue Bethpage Black, marking a first for a European team.

Donald had previously shared how important that trip to Rome was in 2023, and opted to do it again two years later.

With the exception of Sepp Straka who joined them there, 11 of the 12 men headed to New York directly from the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, along with Vice Captains and several other members of the back-room staff.

With an opportunity to practice together and have dinner, Donald laid out the plan last week at Wentworth.

"We plan to play nine holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday," he said. "We'll go into the city for a fun dinner Tuesday night. Because we don't get to go into the city during the week of the Ryder Cup. It's obviously on the doorstep, but it's just far enough away and so busy that week. It's nice to experience where we are, that New York kind of vibe."

Rasmus Højgaard is the sole rookie in the most unchanged European side in Ryder Cup history, but that doesn't mean this Ryder Cup is just a rinse and repeat situation for Donald..

While the practice trip hasn't given away much so far, what Donald has shared is that we may see very different pairings from the ones we saw during Europe's triumphant victory at Marco Simone two years ago.

"There will be lots of different groups, different pairings playing together," he said. "Again, these things are never always set in stone. We always have a plan in place and another plan if things go in a different direction.

"So we'll try and have a lot of options for the week. But obviously myself, Edoardo, the other vice captains, we've already had many conversations about that and started to figure it all out. It's two years since Rome, and so excited about the continuity and having a team that is very similar to Rome. I think that's a massive benefit for us. But players change.

"Look at someone like Bob (MacIntyre). He's become a much better player in the last two years. I didn't see a similar option for foursomes but potential is there this time around because of the way he plays the game now.

"Again, you have to always consider sort of those things that not everyone is playing the same. People shift whether you are a good driver or approach player or a putter. Those things move around in your career, and so you adapt to that.

"I feel amazingly proud of these guys and how well they have played,. Obviously a lot of continuity from Rome. It's unusual to have so many people coming back but just shows how good these players are.

"Even though we have a lot of continuity, this is a different animal, to play away in America. We understand how difficult that is. I've looked at it from very different angles to try and get us prepared for this amazing challenge ahead.

"As I said, it's a different animal. It's a different challenge. Obviously having the chance to do it again doesn't mean we're going to do the same things we did in Rome. That's about implementing new techniques. I've really tried to look hard at exactly what this will require.

"I'm very aware that we have lost three of the last four away Ryder Cups by significant margins, and it's a tough challenge. It's a tough environment. But I've tried everything I can to give our team the best opportunity.

"Just because we have a very similar team doesn't mean we are going to roll out the same pairings or the same line-up in foursomes and fourballs. I think over a two-year period, these players do change. Their profiles change, and we'll adapt to that.

"This certainly isn't a question of rinse and repeat from Rome. Again, I've mentioned this many times, the strategies and the thought processes and I'm trying to come at in this one is quite different to what we did in Rome. So again, it's nice to have a continuity within the team, the memories, the experiences that we got to celebrate together.

"Again when it comes to this Ryder Cup, it doesn't necessarily mean we are going to have the same partnerships."

Following the practice trip, Donald explained that while they aren't all doing the same thing, some of the team will be sticking together ahead of next week.

"So between the event, yeah, some people are sticking together up in New York," he said. "Some people are going to work with their coaches. Some people are going home. It's not all 12 together doing the same thing. I think it's important; you don't want to... they are together a lot this week. If you are all together next week and the week after, maybe that's a little overkill.

"Some of them will be together playing some courses up in the New York area, but it's really up to them. As long as they are not flying back to Europe and have to deal with jet-lag, I don't really mind what they do. Yeah, they all good plans in place."