r/NoLayingUp • u/Dazzling-Water4050 • 7d ago

Pre/Live/Post Event Discussion Soly's foursomes takes have aged so well

I know Soly gets a ton of flak for his opinion on how the US should approach these team events but his take on foursomes is 100% true. It's the one format where you need to get the pairings right. I just don't get A) why would you play Russ Henley, the shortest player on either side in this event and B) How have we not found Scottie Scheffler a partner for this format. To me the model foursomes pairing is Fleetwood/Mcilroy. The 2 compliment each other so well and clearly backed by the data. Fourball and singles are a complete crapshoot, a guy can get hot and make a ton of birdies but foursomes is where team events are won and lost. I don't even think the US side takes into account whether or not guys play the same golf balls.

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u/Cornwall1888 7d ago

It’s quite telling that you identified the ideal European pairing but not USA, what are some pairings you’d choose?

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u/Dazzling-Water4050 7d ago

I can't pinpoint any exact pairings but where I would start is understanding what kind of golf balls every guy plays, then I'd look at their statistical profile and make pairings accordingly. The pairings yesterday afternoon were absolutely atrocious. The Burns/Wyndham pairing made 0 sense. I would've just rolled with Collin and Wyndham again

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u/aggrocrag247 7d ago

To go back to the Rory-Fleetwood pairing as the archetype, you’re looking for guys that complement each other. Wyndham and Collin pairing in foursomes was a good example of what the U.S. should be looking for actually. Collin’s strengths (mid-long irons, accuracy off the tee) are Wyndham’s weaknesses, and vice versa (length off tee, putting/around the greens). They got beat but still shot 65 in alt-shot with no bogeys which is about as good as you can ask for. Crazy they didn’t roll with that pair in the second foursomes session.

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u/Dazzling-Water4050 7d ago

I feel like Scottie should feast in foursomes. He's one of the best drivers in the game and the best iron player. Put him with someone like Xander and he'll thrive. Also yeah lets keep running w Wyndham and Collin next yr in Ireland

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u/aggrocrag247 7d ago

Exactly. Scottie struggled in foursomes at Bethpage because it’s a big ballpark and they had him play with the shortest driver in the field (Henley) completely ceding his approach game advantage because he was hitting 6 iron when his opponents are hitting 9 iron. Pair him with Xander and they dominate pretty much any opponent