“There’s so much emotion with the Ryder Cup,” Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann tells me, “that even after being at the Olympics, I wouldn’t miss coming here.” I’m sitting with the freshly-minted CEO in his company’s special exhibit at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Chaska, Minnesota. Omega, of course, has staked a lot in golf marketing over the past few years, being Official Timekeeper and Patron of the U.S. Professional Golfer’s Association and having two high profile golf ambassadors in Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia. The Ryder Cup is one of the biggest events in golf, so it’s only natural that Omega would be here in some capacity too.
Omega’s temporary installation at Hazeltine features a number of exhibits highlighting the company’s history of involvement with sports like sailing and golf, the Olympics, and space exploration. Alongside Omega’s latest watches are vintage examples, including a beautiful ref. CK2913 Seamaster 300 and a CK-2998-5 Speedmaster – pure eye candy that, alas, had to remain behind glass. There’s also a putting green so visitors can try their hands at sinking a 12-footer.