Golf influencer shocked by Uber prices at Ryder Cup
Cailyn Henderson shared screenshots showing rides from the Ryder Cup to Times Square priced as high as $1,077, then found cheaper options such as Lyft for the following day amid heavy demand.
Golf influencer Cailyn Henderson said she was stunned by Uber prices when leaving the Ryder Cup site Friday night. Screenshots from the ride-hailing app showed fares ranging from about $440 to $1,077 for a 33-mile ride from Farmingdale on Long Island to Times Square in Midtown Manhattan. “I looked at my friend and I’m like, "Are we joking?"” Henderson, 25, told The Post from the Ryder Cup early Saturday. Henderson attended the event with pro golfer Madison Pool.
They tried to book an Uber at about 6:30 p.m. but scrapped the idea as soon as they saw the price tags. “When we came [there] from Times Square, it was like $190 to $200. And that was during rush hour too. That’s why I was so shocked at the price. I’m like, ‘Who’s gonna pay this?'” Henderson said. The 33-mile trip from the Ryder Cup grounds in Farmingdale to Midtown Manhattan is a corridor that the event drew intense demand along with thousands of attendees seeking rides home.
The scene around the Uber queue underscored the moment. Henderson described a crush of potential riders, noting a long line that suggested wait times well into the evening. “I see probably 250 people waiting in line just to even get an Uber, so we were probably going to be there for two hours just waiting,” she said. She added that the app itself offered no concrete wait time, only continuous loading as people waited their turn for a ride. Henderson, who has been playing golf since she was a child, said the moment highlighted how demand can outpace supply at large, high-profile events.
Despite the surge in prices, Henderson and Pool later found a more affordable way home. The influencer’s work with DraftKings for the Ryder Cup helped shave about $350 off a return trip. The two stayed at a nearby home rented for the event by DraftKings, and from there they rode to Manhattan for about $90 on an Uber, a notable drop from the earlier quote. The arrangement provided a practical example of how partnerships tied to major events can influence transportation costs for participants and staff. 
Henderson and Pool acknowledged the relief of a lighter fare on the return leg, and they found a different pricing dynamic for Saturday’s matches. For the next day’s events, they opted for Lyft rather than Uber and found it cheaper — “and it was half the price,” Henderson said. The shift underscored the practical realities riders face when major events drive demand and drive up prices on certain platforms.
The 25-year-old player-influencer is from Carmel, Indiana, and she said her Midwest roots make the New York price surge particularly striking. “Being born and raised in the Midwest, I’m so not used to New York prices,” she said. “If I’m in Indiana, I’m going to get an Uber for $18.” The Ryder Cup episode offers a window into how large, spectator-heavy events can ripple through transportation choices, affecting both attendees and anyone traveling to and from the venue for related events.
Henderson has been playing golf since age 3 and has built a following through social media by sharing insights from the sport and its culture. Her Ledger of experiences around the Ryder Cup illustrates the broader, practical challenges fans and participants encounter beyond the fairways and greens. The Ryder Cup itself drew a mix of fans, players, and media, and the transportation demand amplified the typical ride-hailing patterns seen during big sports weekends. The episode also serves as a snapshot of how brand partnerships and event logistics can intersect with everyday services like ridesharing, shaping how people move during high-profile sports gatherings.
In sum, Henderson’s experience at the Ryder Cup highlighted the volatility of on-demand transportation during major sporting events. While Uber prices spiked dramatically for a one-way trip, the following day’s use of Lyft demonstrated an alternative path to navigate similar distances when demand rebalances, offering a practical takeaway for fans planning travel around large tournaments. The incident also adds a small, real-world angle to the conversations around pricing, demand, and mobility at major sporting events.