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Local golf fans watch Ryder Cup from sailboat off 17th hole

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HAVEN, Wis. — Tens of thousands of golf fans are watching the Ryder Cup on the course at Whistling Straits, but there is a place offshore to watch some of the tournament.

TMJ4 caught up with some golf lovers on a sailboat - where they have a unique view of the Ryder Cup from Lake Michigan.

Bob Arzbaecher has two passions in life, sailing and golfing. This week he's able to enjoy both from his 40-foot sailboat named Sociable.

"This morning is a good example. We spent the morning watching the matches at the golf course, and this afternoon we will be spending the time on the sailboat," said Arzbaecher.

TMJ4 caught up with his crew at the Sheboygan harbor. A beautiful day for sailing, but Arzbaecher says the view of the golf course is limited.

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"You can see the tee shots - sometimes you see the ball," said Arzbaecher. "17th's got a tilt and you can sometimes see the putts."

This is not the first golf outing for the Sociable and crew. Arzbaecher describes a funny experience back in 2015 with the PGA Championship.

They were sitting off the 17th hole when they spotted golfer Luke Donald wearing bright orange pants.

"I got the crew together and we all said: 'One, two, three: Nice Pants Luke!' Which got a roar from the grandstands and Luke gave us a thumbs up."

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It's not just all fun and games - they're all in on seeing Team USA win the cup.

Sociable is a floating scoreboard. "Yeah we have a funny system, we have both a Euro and a American flag," said Arzbaecher.

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Ryder Cup fans can look out to see if the American flag or Europe flag is on top.

Arzbaecher says having the Ryder Cup in our backyard is a huge win for Wisconsin.

"I think it's phenomenal what Herb Kohler has done in building out golf in Wisconsin," said Arzebaecher. "What he has here and to have this Ryder Cup, this course was really built for that."

Arzbaecher and his crew will be back on board Saturday and Sunday if the weather is good enough for sailing.

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