Ego or Humility—What Wins the Ryder Cup? with Kyle Porter of Normal Sport
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S1 E259

Ego or Humility—What Wins the Ryder Cup? with Kyle Porter of Normal Sport

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What wins the Ryder Cup—ego or humility?

In this episode of The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf, host Matt Considine welcomes back Kyle Porter, founder of 🐑 Normal Sport and longtime voice in golf media. Together, they dive into the cultural contrasts between American and European Ryder Cup teams, the balance between confidence (ego) and selflessness (humility) required to win, and how Keegan’s unlikely Captaincy and even more unlikely moves thus far might have shifted the future of U.S. team golf for good.
The conversation explores:
  • Ego vs. humility in the unique pressure of team golf
  • How American individualism and European collectivism shape Ryder Cup outcomes
  • The influence of leadership and culture on team dynamics
  • Why foursomes vs. four-ball formats demand different mindsets and psychological pairings
  • Keegan Bradley’s surprising humility and what it signals for U.S. Ryder Cup culture
  • The emotional toll of competitive golf and what it reveals about players as people
Connect with our guest
🐑 Kyle Porter — Normal Sport
Website: https://www.normalsport.com
🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/kyleporterns
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyleporterns
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-porter-71874848/

Join the NewClub community
🌍 Website: https://www.newclub.golf
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newclubgolf/
🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/newclubgolf
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@newclubgolf
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newclub

Links & Partners
🏌️ Titleist: https://www.titleist.com
🌐 Golf Blueprint: https://www.golfblueprint.com
🐝 NewClub: https://www.newclub.golf

Listen to The Bag Drop
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🎧 Transistor: https://thebagdrop.transistor.fm/

Connect with Matt & The Professor
🎙️ Matt Considine — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/consequential85 | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consequence18/ | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-considine-103bb21/
📚 Dr. Kevin Moore ("The Professor") — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/kevcmoore | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevcmoore | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-moore-177b30b3/

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
08:22 American vs. European Team Dynamics
18:14 Ego and Humility in Team Golf
27:47 Keegan Bradley’s Leadership
37:00 The Emotional Toll of Competitive Golf

What is NewClub?
Founded in 2017, NewClub is the premier private golf society in the United States. It blends the community and access of a private club with the variety and affordability of public golf. Members enjoy thousands of reserved tee times, competitions and events at exceptional partner courses across our local chapters, as well as signature trips and exclusive perks. NewClub is revolutionizing golf membership, making the game more meaningful for those who love it.

What is The Bag Drop?
The Bag Drop features weekly stories from the questions, community and characters shaping golf today. Produced by NewClub Golf Society, each episode blends our untamed curiosities with expert insights for passionate golfers at all levels. Special guests from clubs, courses and every corner of golf’s broad landscape join us for thoughtful, in‑depth discussions on all things golf.

Creators and Guests

Matt Considine
Host
Matt Considine
Founder of NewClub and our resident feel player. Matt’s junior golf career led him to the University of Akron where he met our co-host. During his junior year, Matt Studied abroad in Ireland and discovered golf societies. Subsequent trips to Scotland fed his passion for the history, ideals, and culture of accessible, affordable, and sustainable golf, a concept he would later bring to the U.S. with NewClub. Known for his interviewing style, quick wit, and compelling storytelling, Matt brings thoughtful, reflective conversations to The Bag Drop. His professional journey before NewClub included multiple leadership positions in growth-stage startups, where he managed teams responsible for more than $250 million in revenue. Matt actively gives back to the game as a Board Member of the First Tee of Akron and past chair of the Evans Scholar Foundation. Proudly based in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, Matt finds inspiration in family life with his wife, their three children, and their golf dog, Gypsy.
The Professor
Host
The Professor
NewClub's Chief Ambassador and every golf sicko's favorite educator. Kevin is a thoughtful and deeply curious host. His studied, constructivist approach adds intellectual enrichment and balance to the show. As a professor of Math Education at the University of Georgia, Kevin's background in applied mathematics and cognitive psychology uniquely informs his insights on golf strategy and performance. Originally from Ohio, Kevin was a Division I collegiate golfer at the University of Akron, where his passion for understanding mathematical thinking began. After earning his doctorate from Arizona State University, he combined his analytical expertise with his love for golf by co-founding Golf Blueprint, an organization aimed at helping golfers optimize their games through data-driven strategies. Kevin enjoys balancing deep philosophical discussions with simple pleasures, such as indulging his sweet tooth, cheering on college football, and spending relaxed evenings with his friends, his wife, and their beloved dog, Nole.