Golf Books #38 (Cracking the Code: The Winning Ryder Cup Strategy)

The U.S. Ryder Cup team ended nearly a decade of European dominance in 2008 by laying aside their individual pursuits for a single week and bonding like brothers on golf’s greatest stage.

Inspired by team-building techniques used by Navy SEALs, Ryder Cup captain and ABC commentator Paul Azinger divided the 12-man team into small groups, or pods. Then, with guidance from corporate team-building specialist and licensed family therapist Ron Braund, he placed golfers based on their personality types, rather than their golf games. The relationships among teammates created an atmosphere where Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, and the other U.S. golfers could perform at their highest levels.

In Cracking the Code: The Winning Ryder Cup Strategy: Make It Work for You, Azinger and Braund tell the compelling story of how the U.S. team members, half of them Ryder Cup rookies, overcame their underdog status to bring the cup back to America. In the telling, they offer team-building techniques that apply to sports, business, and beyond.

Paul Azinger served as captain of the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team, leading it to its first win over the Europeans since 1999. He was also a member of four Ryder Cup teams (1989, 1991, 1993, and 2002) and has won 14 worldwide professional championships, including the 1993 PGA championship. Shortly after the 1993 Ryder Cup, Azinger was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his right shoulder. His first book, Zinger, tells the story of his fight against cancer. He overcame that battle to win the 2000 Sony Open in Hawaii. Azinger and his family live in Bradenton, FL.

Dr. Ron Braund is a corporate consultant and family business adviser for several multibillion-dollar companies. As a relationship specialist, he has over 30 years’ experience in counseling, family therapy, and ministry. His previous books on relationship topics include Understanding How Others Misunderstand You and The Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer? He lives in Atlanta, GA. (source)