The Ryder Cup is not like the other golf events – it’s actually really exciting.Rather than four days of strokeplay among 150 players to determine who took the fewest shots, the Ryder Cup is completely different. The Ryder Cup is widely considered the most entertaining event in golf – and it’s backGettyIt has teams. It has matches. It has points. It has fourballs. It has foursomes. It has singles. There is something at stake on every hole – which brings a heightened sense of tension, atmosphere and passion.But because this only happens once every two years, you can be forgiven for forgetting how it all works…How does the Ryder Cup work?The Ryder Cup is a match play competition contested between the USA and Europe with 28 points on offer over three days. Both teams bring 12 players, six who qualify automatically and six who have been selected by the captain, who typically does not play. Think of them more like a coach. In match play, each hole is won, lost or halved based on which team takes the lowest number of strokes. The aim of the game is to win more holes than your opponent and earn a point for your team. Matches are contested over 18 holes, although if one team is winning by more holes than there are left to play, the match does not continue. For example, a match can be won 3&2, which means one team is 3up with 2 holes to play, and therefore wins the point on the 16th green. If the two teams cannot be separated after 18 holes, the match is halved, and both sides get half a point. Overall, whoever gets past 14 points wins the Ryder Cup, and in the event of a draw, the reigning champions retain the trophy. Europe enter this edition as the current holders. Bethpage Black in New York plays host to this year’s edition of the Ryder Cup – which starts on September 26Getty Images - GettyWhat are fourballs, foursomes and singles?On Friday and Saturday, play is split into a morning and an afternoon session, with four matches in each. Eight of the 12 players are put into pairs by their captain and drawn into matches – with four left on the bench. For the 2025 Ryder Cup, the morning sessions will be foursomes and the afternoon sessions be fourballs on both days.In foursomes, two-man teams play the same ball and alternate who hits the shot until the hole is completed. For example, if one player hits the tee shot, their partner must take the second shot, and so on. One player will hit every odd-numbered tee shot, while their partner goes first on the even numbers. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood formed a formidable pairing at the 2023 Ryder Cup in RomeGettyIn fourballs, each golfer plays their own ball, and the best score of the two counts towards the team’s effort. Hence, there are four balls in play, as opposed to the two in foursomes.Captains must consider which players are most compatible and complimentary of each other’s games when choosing their pairings.Then on Sunday, all 24 players across both teams face off in 12 singles matches. This requires little explanation – it’s mano a mano.Each player takes on one member of the opposition team, with 12 points up for grabs to decide who wins the Ryder Cup.