Americans Livid at ‘Overpriced’ Ryder Cup Fan Kits Released by the PGA 3 Weeks Before Event

Most golf fans won’t be lucky enough to witness the Ryder Cup action live at Bethpage, but that doesn’t mean they cannot elevate their viewing experience at home. To spice things up, the PGA of America has come up with a plan to offer the exciting collection named “Party Kits,” but the eye-popping pricing is what left the fans in an outburst of anger.

The competition of the best American players against the best European players is a once-in-two-years opportunity for the fans. So, the PGA of America is offering the Ryder Cup Live kits for the fans at home. With two different options to choose from: the ultimate kit offers 100 cocktail napkins, coasters, commemorative cups, drink stirs & skewers, and flag toothpicks; 20 table tents, 3 bar menus, 2 ‘quiet please’ paddles, three window clings, one wall flag, one hanging pennant, one pillowcase banner, and a customizable digital promotional assets for home. Sounds great as a fan, but all of these cost $1,081. Don’t be shocked, as this is the original price shared by the PGA of America.

On the other hand, the At Home kit, which includes cocktail napkins, coasters, cups, hats, and more, costs $343. Well, the PGA of America is targeting all avenues to utilise the opportunity. While on the other side, the European team’s Ryder Cup merch for 2025 and 2027 is up for sale, including t-shirts, hats, and head covers, but nothing similar to what the PGA of America is offering. Earlier, the price of a single-day ticket at Bethpage Black caused a storm among fans, as it cost $750. Compared to the 2021 edition in America, the cheapest ticket was $185, which is now three times more expensive.

However, the attempt to create something special for fans at home was initiated by the Masters a few years ago. Initially, the “Taste of The Masters,” was a $150 purchase for fans in 2021. The kit offered BBQ pork, pimento cheese, and cups. However, the purchase was considered value for money. Now, after the price of Ryder Cup kits, fans are in a dilemma about whether an extra digit has been added by mistake.

As soon as the Sports Business Journal post went live, sharing the details, the fans stormed into the comment section, discarding the kits despite their love for the Ryder Cup.

Fan outrage over the PGA of America’s Ryder Cup kit

In an attempt to make home viewership memorable, the PGA of America has invited backlash with its steep pricing for the kits. The proof of which is the shocking reactions from the fans.

One fan on the post wrote, “Let’s copy The Masters but do a worse job. 😅.” The Masters offered two kits, the Classic kit costing $99.95, which serves 4-6 people, and the Large Hosting Kit, which serves 12-14 people, costing $179.95. The list of items in the Masters’ kit included egg salad, pimento cheese, plain potato chips, barbecue chips, and much more. However,  the Ryder Kits are priced five times higher, and they are not even offering anything similar to that.

Another fan joined by writing, “The @PGA of America instantly became dead to me when their ticket prices for this year’s RC, which should have been around $1,200 for all six days based on 1999’s prices at Brookline, plus inflation, were instead around $3,300. My son and I could afford $1,200. Not $3,300. Go Team Europe!” The 2019 PGA Championship was hosted at Bethpage Black, with a ticket cost of $110; for the 2021 Ryder Cup edition, the cost was approximately $350. But now the prices after one edition are just double for a single day.

While another fan joined with a calculator, writing, “That’s overpriced by about $1000.” The kit, which includes most of the paper items, is easily accessible to fans for approximately $100 at Walmart or any other store. Considering that option, the fans are opposed to the extraordinary pricing charged for the kit.

Even other fans speculated about its success. He wrote, “Wonder how many they will sell. 2? Maybe 3?” Well, the Masters Home Kits achieved a speculated number of $70 million in 2024 with the budget pricing and a load of options to address people’s requirements. However, with these overpriced kits, the fans are sure it will not be a successful attempt.

Another fan commented, “This unchecked and wildly out-of-touch greed is making the best competition in the sport start to seem like the absolute worst event in all of sports.” One more shared the same sentiment: “Nothing makes people hate golf more than corporate class bull shit like this.” Each move by the PGA of America was widely criticized, first for the overpriced tickets at $750. Then, the volunteer charges $350, which covers the uniform and food, which was introduced this year. Before the 2025 editions, the volunteers could enrol and help the organizers for free. Now, it costs to even help out, which has sent fans into a frenzy.

Will you be interested in buying the Ryder Cup Ultimate kit for $1,081? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.