One of sport’s bitterest rivalries resumes in Valhalla, Kentucky, next week when the United States play host to Europe for the 37th Ryder Cup.

What was once a genteel and rather inconspicuous affair, first played in 1927, has since grown into a monstrous confrontation riddled with controversy and enveloped by a rivalry so intense that it extends even to the outfits worn by the Gwags (golf wives and girlfriends).

The war of the wardrobes — a key part of the team’s psychological battle — will get under way at the opening ceremony in Louisville on Thursday when the European Gwags step into the spotlight wearing outfits designed by Valerie Bercher, Nick Faldo’s third ex-wife, and Paul Costelloe, the self-styled “Giorgio Armani of the UK”.

Costelloe said that the Americans would be up against 30 tailor-made pieces, first seen by The Times. They were “all in neutral shades because the stark light in Kentucky will make bright colours look silly”, he said Bercher added: “I think it’s important that all of us have the chance to keep our own sense of individuality so we worked on a variety of different items in the wardrobe so that the girls can mix and match their outfits.”

Her remarks will no doubt be interpreted as a dig at the American Gwags, who tend to line up like Stepford Wives: all white teeth, blonde hair and matching outfits. The verbal sparring between the actual players started earlier than usual this year when Paul Azinger, the US captain, described Faldo, his European counterpart, as a “prick” during a newspaper interview in April. He later said that the word had been taken out of context, which prompts the question: in what circumstances might “prick” be considered a compliment?

Azinger also said: “The bottom line is that the players from his generation and mine really don’t want to have anything to do with him.”

This is spicy stuff for a sport that takes such pride in its deference to courtesy and etiquette. Mark James, a former European captain, memorably called the competition “the bear pit”, a reference to a notorious incident that took place at Brookline during the 1999 Ryder Cup. On the final day of the contest Justin Leonard sank a 45ft putt to give the US an advantage, but not outright victory. The American players and Gwags responded by running on to the green, jumping up and down and whooping in the way that only Americans can, even though Leonard’s opponent, José María Olazábal, still had his putt to take.

The US players did not break any rules, but they transgressed the unwritten rule underpinning golf: discretion and balance in all things. Needless to say, Olazábal missed his putt, the US won and the Europeans fumed. Sam Torrance, a former European captain, said: “It was the most disgraceful and disgusting day in the history of professional golf.”

Since 1979, the score is 8-6 to Europe, with the Europeans having won the last three. Their success has been particularly striking given that they look the weaker team. The reason for this may be based on the desire to bring the Yanks down a peg or two. For many at least, it is no bad thing for the US to be given a dose of sporting humility. Whichever way you cut it, this competition is not about Europe; it is about giving the world’s top dog a bit of a kicking.

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