The UK & Ireland Ryder Cup Courses
UK & Ireland Ryder Cup Venues
The Ryder Cup has become an unbelievable part of the golfing landscape over the past 40 years or so since the introduction of Europe to the already existing GB&I v America format.
It was just too one sided and had lost it’s lustre. Notably Seve’s enthusiasm and many others behind the scenes saw that the Ryder Cup was elevated to a match worth watching on a biennial basis.
It certainly gripped myself and I trotted off in 2012, a significant birthday year, to Chicago to watch everything unfold at Medina. And unfold it certainly did, I couldn’t have chosen a better one to attend.
The Ryder Cup though has been around a long time and it has been played at some iconic British golf courses. One of my goals is to play them all, a fair number still to go at but hopefully I can get them ticked off bit by bit. How many have you played?
Here’s the list of courses:-
Moortown Golf Club, Leeds
The very first Ryder Cup (1929) to be held in Britain was at Moortown on the outskirts of the centre of Leeds, about 20 miles from where I live so I have been able to play this one quite easily.
It was only held here once, but it was an excellent win.
Moortown is an excellent, tree lined golf course which if you have the fortune to play it will be enjoyed immensely.
S&A (Southport & Ainsdale), Ainsdale
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club, S&A, became the first golf club in Britain to host the Ryder Cup twice, 1933 and 1937.
The course sits amongst many other great golf courses on the North/West coast of England, where you have Royal Birkdale, Hillside (which was recently the home of The British Masters hosted by Tommy Fleetwood) Formby to name a few. A great coastline for links golf.
S&A still hosts many illustrious tournaments and is a real test of links golf with a difficult opening par 3 hole smothered in bunkers!
Ganton, North Yorkshire
1949 was the year that Ganton hosted the Ryder Cup. Situated between York and Scarborough this course is a real gem.
This is a stunning inland links course. So good that Gary Player said it is the only inland links course worthy of holding The Open, a true accolade.
In the worlds top 80 golf courses, it has hosted The Ryder Cup, Walker Cup and the Curtis Cup. One more name, The Brabazon Trophy, acclaimed to be the best Amateur tournament in the world has been held here and will be again in 2021.
Need I say any more.
Wentworth, Surrey
Wentworth is renowned and revered throughout Britain and the world. Home of the PGA, a fantastic setting in Surrey, some great changes made by Ernie Els in the past few years (though they weren’t universally liked to begin with!) makes Wentworth a must play course. It is extremely fitting that the PGA headquarters has that Ryder Cup history, it was held here in 1953.
Lindrick, Yorkshire
The last of the Yorkshire trio of courses that have held the Ryder Cup. Lindrick Golf Club is a similar layout out to Ganton, gorse bushes, lots of deep bunkers, yes lots of trouble.
It had been 24 years since GB&I had won the Ryder Cup but they did so at Lindrick in 1957. It would be another 28 years until GB&I would win it again.
Royal Lytham, Lytham
Back to that amazing North/West Coastline for two more Ryder Cup events, 1961 and 1977. GB&I were beaten convincingly on both occasions.
Royal Lytham St Annes is a true great of British courses, holding The Open many times.
This is a links test of the highest order, enjoy the battle.
Royal Birkdale, Lancashire
Still on that marvellous coastline, this is the jewel in the crown (though many do differ!) This is where one of the best moments in Ryder Cup history, indeed golfing history occurred.
Jack Nicklaus putted out on the last hole against Tony Jacklin. Jacklin had his putt to half the match, it certainly wasn’t a gimme!!
America had already retained the Ryder Cup, Nicklaus then conceded Jacklins putt to leave the match a 16-16 tie, the closest for a long time. Some of Nicklauses American compatriots weren’t so happy about it though as they wanted to win outright again!
It was though seen as an important, friendly gesture in the history of the Ryder Cup.
Muirfield, East Lothian
Of all the amazing golf courses in Scotland it took until 1973 for the Ryder Cup to be first played there.
Muirfield, an iconic name amongst some brilliant Scottish courses had the honour of being that course.
You could spend a long time in Scotland playing some amazing courses, the well known ones and lots of hidden or not so hidden now gems.
Walton Heath, Surrey
So we get to 1981 and a big turning point in the Ryder Cup, the first one as Team Europe v America.
No change yet in the outcome, an easy win for America, but tides were soon to turn.
Walton Heath is a stunning track, a pure Heathland course with lots of bunkers and natural habitat to deflect you from a good game, it is a real test.
Walton Heath wasn’t top of the list to host the Ryder Cup, the Belfry was, however it was delayed in it’s completion. Walton Heath stepped in and did a great job.
The Belfry, Warwickshire
And so to the Belfry and to massive turning points in the Ryder Cup history.
1985 was the first year and it stayed there for a number of years, being classed as the home of the Ryder Cup.
Europe had some great players all coming to the peak of their careers at once, Faldo, Ballesteros, Lyle to name a few. Sam Torrence who would become synonymous with the Ryder Cup holed the putt to win the cup for the first time for 28 years.
The Belfry is a great place to stay at and enjoy three courses with the highlight being able to play The Brabazon and Seve’s iconic 10th hole.
K Club, County Kildare
I have to say one of those long lasting golfing memories comes from the K Club, 12 of us went in the April following the Ryder Cup, an amazing time was had playing and staying in the hotel.
The Irish crowd is always extremely fervent and vocal. It was no different here.
This was the first Irish course to host the Ryder Cup so again a great piece of history.
We had the Darren Clarke story here as well, a really heartwarming story with so much emotion.
This time around it was a massive victory for Europe, the biggest in fact, 18.5 to 9.5. Yes that’s definitely a victory.
Celtic Manor, Newport
In 2010 the purpose built Celtic Manor hosted the Ryder Cup, this was on the back of a trouncing two years earlier in America under the Captaincy of Sir Nick!!
The 2010 course was a real test for the players, especially with the deluge of water that came down during the tournament. The Pro Shop did very well on waterproofs as the American attire wasn’t fit for purpose…and leaked terribly. A little bit of a faux pax!
The other two course within the grounds, Montgomerie and Roman Road are enjoyable to play as well.
Gleneagles, Perth & Kinross
This has to be very near the top of my list for golfing resorts, the place just oozes class. 2014 saw the Ryder Cup played on the PGA Centenary course.
It was a great tournament with an exciting finish. Jamie Donaldson stiffing an iron to tap in distance to secure the win for Europe
Three golf courses, one modern, two very traditional make up the golfing paradise that is Gleneagles.
If you get the opportunity treat yourself once in your life.
So that is the list of UK Ryder Cup courses. 7 have been played, 6 still to be played.
How many have you all played? There are 13 great courses to be had here, completing them all would have provided hours and hours of fun.
Let’s hope for a close European win at Whistling Straits in September 2021.
Paul
