Underrated Madrid deserves 2018 Ryder Cup, sans Sergio Garcia

Madrid is one of the great underrated cities in Europe. You rarely see it mentioned in the same breath as Paris, London or what too many assume is its Spanish superior Barcelona.

It’s taking a step toward changing that with the announcement today that it’s bidding for the 2018 Ryder Cup.

Here’s hoping that Madrid gets it and more people start discovering Spain’s other jewel. One of my all time favorite vacations took place in Madrid. Now this was well before I started at TravelGolf.com, before I could get on some of the best golf courses in the world for work, so I’d be lying if I said I experienced a lot of the area’s golf firsthand. This all came before 9-11 too, definitely back in a completely different economic time, so I can’t say that everything is the same.

But what I remember most about Madrid is how incredible the food was and how cheap even the best of the best restaurants were. One night we had a nine-course tasting menu with wine for less than $100 American. It’s one of the great walkable cities too and unlike in Paris or Brussels, the people actually at least pretend like they are happy to have tourists there. I got this incredible handmade suit from a local tailor at a great price that the guy finished in less than five days and I still have some of the dress shirts I picked up at the same shop that make a mockery of the $75 same-as-everyone-else’s dress shirts that so many American businessmen wear.

Madrid would be a great Ryder Cup host - with a new course being built out in the suburbs with the event in mind. Of course, it’d be even better if Sergio Garcia wasn’t a major factor by then. Then, the Spanish wouldn’t have to watch their own Gag Garcia cough another big one up.

Of course, WorldGolf.com’s own Brandon Tucker will probably predict that Sergio will have broken Tiger Woods’ majors record by 2018.

Then again, Garcia is the most compelling figure in golf. Like Madrid is the most underrated city in Europe.