Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle

All the elements that make the Ryder Cup so special were on display during Friday's morning matches at the Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle just outside Dublin. My first Solheim Cup experience has been a fun one. 

The best part? All this excitement comes without the hassles of the massive crowds you see at the Ryder Cup. There were no traffic jams heading to the venue. You could watch as much golf as you wanted, almost from the front row.

And there was no problem moving from place to place to see the action. I always thought the Ryder Cup couldn't be beat for atmosphere – and it can't – but the Solheim Cup comes pretty close.

"It's unbelievable," said Bonnie Brandt, who traveled with 32 friends from Albuquerque, N.M. "I hear it gets rowdier and rowdier as we get into the weekend."

Solheim Cup crowds are smaller than the Ryder Cup, obviously, but they're no less into it. Everywhere you look, people are decked out in red-white-and-blue or European blue. Everything in Sharon Talarico's wardrobe showcased the American flag: her bejeweled hat, red jacket, blue sweater and colored scarf.

"I love the exuberance," said Talarico, who lives in Richmond, Va. "Golf is a little tame for me. The Solheim gives you a chance to cheer and wear bling. You are all allowed to display favoritism."

There are more women than men, too, by a wide margin. That's not a bad thing.

"There are a lot more females here," said Brandt, who is already planning on attending in 2013 at the Colorado Golf Club. "They are all buddy-buddy. At a Ryder Cup, you tend to get pushed (around). Here everybody is more friendly. You let the smaller person move in front. It is much easier to move around."