No tournament in golf evokes the passion of the Ryder Cup. Consider that at the 2023 edition in Italy, Rory McIlroy, perhaps the game’s most likable player, almost came to blows with his opponent’s caddie. All of the elements are in place for an epic 2025 Ryder Cup. First, there’s the venue, Bethpage State Park’s Black Course, a perennial top-10 entry on Golfweek’s list of Best Courses You Can Play in America. It’s hosted three memorable major championships since 2002. Then there’s the backdrop of New York City, with all that it has to offer. (Manhattan views, courtesy of On Location) Throw in the indignity that the U.S. team not only got beat in Italy in 2023, but has a losing record in the competition since players from all across Europe began competing in the Ryder Cup in 1979. Then mix in the raucous New York sports fans going head-to-head with a large contingent of European fans, and everything is in place for the best Ryder Cup ever. Everything, that is, except for the logistics if you want to attend: everything from tickets to lodging to fighting New York traffic getting to and from Bethpage. That’s where On Location comes in. On Location is the PGA of America’s Official Travel Package Provider, a distinction it has held since the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club. “We’re already seeing a lot of demand, and we’re seeing it from U.S. and European consumers,” said Scott Jernigan, On Location’s chief commercial officer. “We’re really excited about having New York City as the backdrop. This has been one of the strongest Ryder Cups we’ve seen this early, and that’s only going to pick up momentum as we get closer. It’s one of our largest event activations.” That’s saying something given that On Location is the official hospitality partner of more than 150 brands, creating luxury hospitality experiences at the Olympics, Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, Australian Open, FIFA World Cup 2026 and many other events. On Location originally was launched by the NFL to handle travel and hospitality for the Super Bowl, but steadily expanded into other destination sports and entertainment events. In 2020, Endeavor, a global entertainment agency, acquired On Location. Over time, the company’s hospitality offerings became increasingly robust for its clients, who don’t just want to watch live sports – they want an experience. “Since the pandemic, people may go to fewer events, but they’re looking for a unique experience when they do go,” Jernigan said. “That’s what’s we’ve built with the PGA, and I think that really resonates.” (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) As part of its tailored 2025 Ryder Cup packages, On Location has arranged to take care of all of its clients’ needs and wishes from the time they arrive in New York until it’s time to return home. On Location has booked several four- and five-star hotels in New York. Rather than fighting traffic on the Long Island Expressway, On Location also offers clients access to railcars – what the company is calling the Ryder Cup Express – from Penn Station and Grand Central. There will be hospitality areas at each train station, and a bus will meet the trains on Long Island to shuttle clients to and from Bethpage. “It is a long day. I think the train will make it easier,” Jernigan said. “I think that’s one of the unique things that On Location delivers is really thinking through that experience across each of the events we manage.” The onsite experience can also include the 16th hole hospitality suite, with all-inclusive breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, open bar, and athlete meet and greets. For those who do not require hotel accommodations, daily packages are available that include official tickets and a nightly experience. After each day’s matches, On Location has arranged three-hour events at the Grand Central and Herald Square locations of Five Iron Golf, featuring golf simulators, talent appearances, table games, and full-service bars with menus. (Five Iron Golf) “We have a team of world-class experts who think through the fan’s perspective – what would it be if it was my client or my parents on a bucket-list trip,” Jernigan said. “These different elements that go across their entire journey, that’s something that resonates. It’s more of a feeling than just transactional.”
