The biennial showdown between the United States and Europe gets underway Friday from the historic Bethpage Black Golf Course, one of golf’s most celebrated public stages.

The 45th Ryder Cup will see five sessions on the course over the three days in New York: two Foursomes, two Four-ball, and then the final Sunday Singles. While the latter two see a golfer playing their own golf ball, Foursomes throws an added requirement into the thinking. The alternate-shot format means that with one ball in play on each hole, captains and team members must determine which model to play. It’s a conundrum that has their brains stirring.

“I'm laying in bed thinking about golf balls that the guys play, thinking about pairings, certainly amped up,” U.S. Team Captain Keegan Bradley said.

While the one-ball rule isn’t in effect at the Ryder Cup, meaning players are allowed to play a different type of ball on each hole in Foursomes, determining which one and where is still important.

“The ball is the biggest thing in Foursomes,” European Vice-Captain Edoardo Molinari said to Global Golf Post ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup, where golfers supplied golf balls from other players to gain feedback and practice whether they could play with them. “Some pairings look great on paper, but the balls are so different that none could switch. It has been a long and taxing process, more than I would ever have imagined, but now we have very good possibilities.”

At Bethpage, ahead of play starting, Shane Lowry added, "You know, we've got a lot of faith in Luke Donald and his backroom team to lead us in the right direction. Yeah, I guess, in Foursomes, certain golf balls have a big say in it. Or if you're not comfortable playing with a golf ball, it is going to matter."

This time around, the Europeans have match-ups across the board, with only Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood playing a golf ball that isn’t used by someone else on the team. However, up until the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this year, McIlroy had been using the TaylorMade TP5x, so he is familiar with how the ball performs and was undefeated with Fleetwood in Rome during Foursomes play.

For the Americans, it’s a different story. Five members of Bradley’s squad play a golf ball that isn’t used by someone else on the roster. J.J. Spaun (Srixon Z-Star Diamond), Xander Schauffele (Callaway Chrome Tour), Collin Morikawa (TaylorMade TP5x), Ben Griffin (Maxfli Tour X) and Sam Burns (Callaway Chrome Tour X) are the outliers with unique golf balls.

So where does it matter most? While off-the-tee performance will take a hit, as launch levels will change and affect carry distances, approach play and around the green will take the biggest impact, and golfers will look to find the right fit.

“Statistically, last year at the Presidents Cup, I had a couple guys that I was paired well with, like odds and evens, for alternate shot, and Tony Finau was one of the guys,” said Russell Henley at Bethpage. “But he is the highest – he plays the lowest spin, lowest launch ball because he's one of the highest spin players, and I play the highest spin, highest launch ball, so we're like on opposite ends of the spectrum.

“For me to hit one of his balls with my driver would have been – I don't know if I would have been able to spin it over 2,000 RMPs. It is a big deal. I think especially into the greens, you see – if you're seeing a lot different spin rate. Like a guy like me who really emphasizes on controlling the ball with my irons, if I don't know how much the ball is spinning, if it's spinning way less, it's going to be really tough for me to figure that out. Absolutely, it makes a big difference.”

Adding the option of a different golf ball has had positive effects for players, though. Ask Robert MacIntyre, who changed his golf ball entirely after the 2023 Ryder Cup and has since gone on to win twice on TOUR with the Titleist Pro V1.

“I remember the 7-iron I hit into the 10th in Rome and Rosie (Justin Rose) hit the exact same shot,” MacIntyre told Titleist. “I got up there, he’s right next to the hole, and my ball’s run through the green and I’m like ‘my balls not stopping quick enough,’ so on a Zoom call, I said ‘guys, I think I need to change golf ball.’”

The golf balls on display at Bethpage Black can be categorized into four types, making it easier for captains to create pairings without requiring teammates to play the same brand of golf ball. While there will be differences between the companies, determining the launch angle, spin rate and feel around the greens, the balls can be grouped.

Will the captains look to this for similarities when finding Foursomes matchups? It will be a key part of the week, with the trends telling the story. Over the last five years, the winning side has always come out on top in Foursomes, but not always in Four-ball. Europe fell in Four-ball to the U.S. in 2023 and 2014, and tied in 2018, despite winning all three Ryder Cups, while the U.S. tied the overall Four-ball sessions in 2016 but still went on to victory at Hazeltine.

Could we see Captain Bradley picking the likes of Justin Thomas with Griffin, or will Captain Donald continue with the winning duo of Lowry and Sepp Straka from Rome? And, will finding the right formula in Foursomes be the recipe for victory again this time around at Bethpage?