Potential Ryder Cup pairings based on which balls players play

When Ryder Cup captains make teams for Foursomes play, they have an additional — and not insignificant — consideration that’s not present in Four-balls: the golf ball. Two teammates share a ball for alternate shot, opening the possibility that one must use a ball with which he is unfamiliar.

A high-speed, high-spin player (say, Bryson DeChambeau) playing a ball that’s designed to generate maximum spin is a recipe for ballooning tee shots and draws and fades that are impossible to control.

Before we look at who might be paired together through the prism of the golf ball, let’s take a quick run through the models in play:

TaylorMade TP5: TaylorMade’s softest, highest-spinning TOUR ball. Most workable, mid-launching offering. Highest spinning off wedges.

TaylorMade TP5x: Spins less than TP5. Higher initial launch and firmer feel than TP5. Less greenside spin than TP5.

Bridgestone Tour B X: Bridgestone’s firmest, lowest-launching, lowest-spinning tour ball.

Callaway Chrome Soft X: Firmer feeling than Chrome Soft and lower launching as well.

Callaway Chrome Soft X LS: Both higher launching and lower spinning than Chrome Soft X. More greenside spin.

Titleist Pro V1: Titleist’s softest TOUR ball. Lower flying and spinning than Pro V1x.

Titleist Pro V1x: Firmer and higher-launching than Pro V1. Pro V1x also spins more than Pro V1.

Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot: A lower-flying, lower-spinning version of Pro V1 with a similar feel and greenside performance.

Srixon Z-Star XV: Srixon’s firmer, lower-spinning Tour ball. High greenside spin.

Now, let’s take a look at who plays what and potential pairings based on players who use similar balls.

Who plays what on the U.S. Team?

TaylorMade TP5: Collin Morikawa

TaylorMade TP5x: Dustin Johnson

Bridgestone Tour B X: Bryson DeChambeau

Callaway Chrome Soft X LS: Xander Schauffele

Titleist Pro V1: Harris English, Scottie Scheffler

Titleist Pro V1x: Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth

Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot: Daniel Berger, Tony Finau

Potential U.S. Foursomes teams based on ball compatibility:

DeChambeau-Schauffele

DeChambeau-Johnson

DeChambeau-Berger

DeChambeau-Finau

Spieth-Thomas

Spieth-Cantlay

Spieth Koepka

Thomas-Cantlay

Thomas-Koepka

Koepka-Cantlay

Berger-Finau

Morikawa-Koepka

Morikawa-Thomas

Morikawa-Cantlay

Morikawa-Spieth

Scheffler-English

Scheffler-Morikawa

English-Morikawa

Who plays what for Europe?

TaylorMade TP5x: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia,

Callaway Chrome Soft X: Jon Rahm

Titleist Pro V1: Paul Casey, Viktor Hovland, Bernd Wiesberger

Titleist Pro V1x: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter

Srixon Z-Star XV: Shane Lowry

Potential European Foursomes teams based on ball compatibility:

McIlroy-Fleetwood

McIlroy-Garcia

McIlroy-Casey

McIlroy-Hovland

McIlroy-Wiesberger

McIlroy-Lowry

Fleetwood-Casey

Fleetwood-Hovland

Fleetwood-Wiseberger

Fleetwood-Lowry

Garcia-Casey

Garcia-Hovland

Garcia-Wiesberger

Garcia-Lowry

Rahm-McIlroy

Rahm-Fleetwood

Rahm-Garcia

Rahm-Casey

Rahm-Hovland

Rahm-Wiesberger

Rahm-Lowry

Fitzpatrick-Hatton

Fitzpatrick-Westwood

Fitzpatrick-Poulter

Hatton-Westwood

Hatton-Poulter

Poulter-Westwood