Cracking the Code

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.