Team Europe Using VR Headsets To Simulate Rowdy New York Fans Ahead Of Ryder Cup At Bethpage

The European Ryder Cup team is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to their preparations ahead of their battle against the Americans at Bethpage Black in New York.

Since the moment the Europeans embarrassed the U.S. team in the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy, one of the biggest talking points heading into the 2025 event has been about how rowdy and over-the-top American supporters will be. New York fans aren't exactly known for being the most welcoming of bunches in other sports, and that persona at Bethpage could be an advantage for the U.S. side.

To try and get their brains acclimated to what may be waiting for them when they arrive on site, the European squad is using virtual reality headsets that dish out insults and criticisms they'll almost certainly hear during the event.

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald handed out the headsets to players at this week's BMW PGA Championship, and Rory McIlroy confirmed that you can get the devices to say just about anything imaginable.

"It is just to simulate the sights and sounds and noise," McIlroy said after this week's tournament. "That’s the stuff that we are going to have to deal with. So it’s better to try to desensitize yourself as much as possible before you get in there. You can get them to say whatever you want them to say. So you can go as close to the bone as you like."

The Ryder Cup trophy is seen at the Bethpage Black Course.(Photo by Gary Kellner/PGA of America via Getty Images)

This is a similar tactic to what we see in college football all the time. Visiting teams routinely practice with recordings of the opposing band playing, fight songs blaring, or just very loud crowd noise.

At the end of the day, those are just mental reps, and McIlroy is well aware that the headsets are very much just a simulation, as nothing can fully prepare you for what may come during the actual event.

"We are doing everything we can to best prepare ourselves for what it is going to feel like on Friday week," McIlroy continued. "But nothing can really prepare you until you’re actually in that. You can wear all the VR headsets you want and do all the different things we’ve been trying to do to get ourselves ready but once the first tee comes on Friday it’s real and we just have to deal with whatever’s given."

Team Europe is looking to win what would be their sixth Ryder Cup in nine attempts later this month with day one of the event set for September 26.