For a number of European golfers, the Lake Nona club has become something of a base when we are playing in the United States. It's only a few minutes' drive from the airport and about a third of the Europe Ryder Cup team have homes there - Nick Faldo, our captain, also lives there when he is staying in Orlando.

Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter are close neighbours of mine, and Graeme McDowell's house is only a few minutes away. Poults gave a barbecue last Sunday and Kate and I, Nick and Valerie, his ex-wife, plus Henrik Stenson and Emma, his wife, were among the guests. Although it was an informal affair, it did a bit for our team-bonding.

We had a couple of hours together. It was a good opportunity to ask Nick questions and for him to ask us things, too. It helped us get to know one another a little better and to talk about the coming week. Yesterday morning, Poults, Henrik and I flew to Louisville airport in time to meet our team-mates as they arrived from London. Here is my take on the Europe team I hope will win the cup on Sunday evening...

Nick Faldo Our generation looks up enormously to Nick, our captain. Six majors is the benchmark. At that barbecue last Sunday, I noticed how sensibly he ate. I don't have a nickname for him. It seems a bit disrespectful to call someone who is older and so much more successful by a cheeky nickname.

Paul Casey I call him The Space Man, which dates back to his days at Arizona State University when he was known as Space Man Casey. I'd like to play the four-balls with Paul because he is very strong and gets lots of birdies. He is experienced in the Ryder Cup. I expect him to take the lead in any pairing he is playing in.

Sergio Garcia One of the hottest players in the world. I hope I might play with him. His game is perfect for foursomes because he is a brilliant driver, hitting the ball straight, and he gets a lot of birdies, which is good for four-balls, too. His nickname is El Niño, but I call him Serge or Sergio. Has boundless confidence.

Padraig Harrington All the adjectives you hear about him are true. He is steely and gritty. We will look at him as our leader. I would much rather play with him than against him. Was pleased to beat him at Valderrama last year. Had dinner with him in Orlando recently and found him to be a genuinely nice guy.

Miguel Angel Jimenez A legend for want of a better word. A very cool character. He cooked a massive paella for everyone at a dinner we both attended in Miami recently. He has things in perspective. Golf is not a matter of life and death for Miguel Ángel. His English is not fantastic, but he has lots of charisma.

Henrik Stenson Got to know him well lately and he has a wicked sense of humour. Delivers the punchlines with a straight face. He loves a practical joke and his humour could be a calming influence this week. Can't see his eyes because he always wears sunglasses. Helped by having such a professional caddie as Fanny Sunesson.

Lee Westwood One of the best ball-strikers on our team. Been successful with Sergio in foursomes and four-balls in the past three Ryder Cups. We have not mixed with one another much and I have never been with him in a team environment. His Ryder Cup record of winning over 60 per cent of his matches is amazing.

Graeme McDowell G-Mac has had a really solid year. I played a practice round with him before the USPGA and I was surprised at how straight he was off the tee. He is putting well, too. A good foursomes partner for someone who is as straight as he is. Another Lake Nona resident.

Ian Poulter I am looking at Poults as I speak and he is wearing pink. Give him a sniff of the lead and he always seals the deal. A lovely character with remarkable self-belief. Our pairing in the foursomes in the World Cup in China last year was a great success. We must be a possible foursomes pairing again this week.

Robert Karlsson I don't know Robert well and from a distance he seems the quintessential tall, silent Swede. His consistency has been remarkable this year, with top-ten finishes in the first three majors. He has an eccentric side and tends to do things his own way.

Oliver Wilson Ollie and I played junior golf for England and so it is nice that we have made the transition to the Ryder Cup. I watched him at the BMW PGA Championship and, although he lost to Jiménez, he didn't put a foot wrong. That he has made the team without winning means he has played well for a long time.

Soren Hansen A really nice guy. We played together on the last day of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles last month and I was surprised at how long he was, 20 yards past me. He is quiet and speaks good English and you often see him reading a book. He is inclined to be introspective, but he is a genuine guy.