European Tour Pros Explain Why Their Country Is The Best

Ping has launched 'Pitch Your Pride' – a new social media series fronted by Golf Monthly columnist Wayne Riley

Lee Westwood
Lee Westwood features in Ping's Pitch Your Pride series
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ping has launched 'Pitch Your Pride' – a new social media series fronted by Golf Monthly columnist Wayne Riley

Ping has launched a new social media series fronted by Golf Monthly columnist Wayne Riley after the success of the brand’s ‘Round with Radar’ franchise.

The latest social media video series, ‘Pitch Your Pride’, sees Lee Westwood, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Brandon Stone and Gregory Havret make a case for their nation’s treasures in various categories, ranging from cities to golf courses and food.

The aim for the four Ping European Tour players is to convince Radar their selection should come out on top.

“I enjoyed doing the series and working with Lee, Brandon, Gregory and Miguel – it’s a good concept and they’re all good guys who are all passionate about their home nations. And I got to choose the winners, so what’s not to like!” says Riley.

“It was seriously tough selecting which pitch came out on top for each category. How do you choose between London and Paris? And the food? All those countries do it so right. When I first started playing golf in Britain in 1984, the food was awful! But it’s unreal how it’s come along since then. I love South African BBQ and Spanish gastronomy, too. I feel a big lunch coming on!

“The European Tour is extremely multicultural and it was fun to do a series that reflected that. Every week we have different cultures, different cities and different styes of golf course. It’s what makes the tour so special.”

Each year, the tour stages several events in Spain, South Africa, England and France, so the discussion around which nation has the best golf courses was always going to be polarising.

“I had to remind them all that Australia clearly has the superior courses!” he jokes.

Riley has been with Ping for a number of years and he’s enjoyed getting involved in some of the brand’s forward-thinking viral campaigns over the last few months.

“It’s been great working together. They’re a classy company and the product is great. I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t. It’s like Golf Monthly – it’s got the history and the prestige.”

To see all the Pitch Your Pride videos, visit Ping Europe’s Twitter feed (@PingTourEurope) every day this week

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x