Providing medical care at mass gathering sporting events: the 2023 Ryder Cup experience

The Ryder Cup is a men's golf competition and one of the most high-profile sporting events worldwide, presenting significant challenges for healthcare providers, especially when hosted in non-urban areas. Medical professionals must address sport-related illness and injuries in elite athletes, exacerbations of pre-existing conditions in spectators, and occupational health issues among staff and volunteers. Proper healthcare planning and infrastructure are crucial to reduce the burden on local hospitals and ensure timely care for everyone involved. Aim of the study is to describe the medical plan and assess its effectiveness, along with patient care records to report the epidemiology of illnesses and injuries at the 2023 Ryder Cup.

The Medical Emergency Services at the 2023 Ryder Cup required careful planning including communication, infrastructures, a field hospital and multiple first aid stations. On-field resources such as patrol crews and transport vehicles ensured rapid response. A multidisciplinary team - including specialized physicians, nurses, and technicians - provided medical care. This retrospective observational study evaluates the medical plan and electronic patient care records.

During the six-day event, medical teams treated 513 patients, with a Patient Presentation Rate of 16.5 per 10,000 attendees. Among them, 43% required care at the Main Hospital, while mobile first aid teams (37%) and fixed first aid stations (21%) managed the remaining cases. At the Main Hospital, the most common reasons for assessment included trauma (35%), cardiovascular symptoms (14%), and heat-related illnesses (11%). Minor cases were treated with wound care, cryotherapy, and basic medical assessments.Diagnostic procedures were performed as needed, with 13% of patients undergoing electrocardiogram, 5% receiving point-of-care blood tests, and 4% undergoing ultrasound examinations. The median length of stay at the Main Hospital was 28 min, with 13% of patients requiring extended observation.Most patients (81%) were discharged on-site, while 14% were referred to local ED or specialized medical facilities. The hospital admission rate was 1.0 per 10,000 attendees, with primary reasons for referral including the need for advanced imaging or prolonged observation.

The 2023 Ryder Cup medical response system demonstrated the effectiveness of a well-organized on-site healthcare infrastructure in managing mass-gathering emergencies. Future events can benefit from refining medical protocols, enhancing data collection, and strengthening collaboration with local healthcare institutions to optimize patient care and resource utilization.