A salute to Continental Europe's Ryder Cup venues - past and future
By David Brice, Golf International Inc
The Ryder Cup, for so long an "Old Boys Club" event, staged between a team from Britain and Ireland and the other from the USA, has made big strides forward over the past 30 years or so. Now battled out between a true European team that extends far beyond The British Isles, it includes nationals of any European country with players good enough to compete. At least there is acknowledgement that Britain and Ireland no longer monopolize European golf and the event is a better and more exciting event as a result. It's no coincidence that Europe has won each of the last three Ryder Cups and is the odds on favorite to make that four in a row at Valhalla this week.
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It was 1975 when the Britain and Ireland Ryder Cup team became the European team, but it took a further 22 years before a venue outside of Britain was accepted as a Ryder Cup venue and Spain's prestigious Valderrama Golf Club took the honors in 1997. Since then only Ireland's K-Club has had the privilege, but things look very British again for 2010 and 2014, when Wales' Celtic Manor and Scotland's Gleneagles will host. At least England's stranglehold on the European leg of the Ryder Cup has been broken and the event ventures into parts of the UK where the golf is exceptional and in the case of Wales, virtually unknown.
When Spain was first chosen to host the 1997 Ryder Cup Matches, with Seve Ballesteros leading the European team, the announcement received something of a ho-hum reaction from the golfing public. The selection gave the appearance of being political and in many ways, a token tribute to the great Seve, arguably Europe's first golf super-star.
By the end of the matches, a shocked world-wide audience was talking not only about the brilliance with which the non-playing, Spanish captain had so masterfully navigated his team to success, but of the superb layout at Valderrama that had been his stage.
Spanish golf was being discussed in the same breath as golfers had previously only afforded Scotland and Ireland - Valderrama was the name on every golf aficionado's lips. Was this a new super course to rival St. Andrews, Augusta National, Ballybunion and the other trophy layouts of the world?
From this side of the Atlantic, little attention was paid to The European Tour in the 1990's. Had that not been the case, American's would have known that Valderrama had long been the established, regular venue for The Tour's grand finale of the season and arguably, it's most important event, The Volvo Masters. Neither did they know that Valderrama had held the enviable position of Continental Europe's number one ranked course for half a dozen consecutive years, a regal title which it still retains today, more than 16 years after it was first awarded.
Since the 1997 Ryder Cup, golfers the world over have learned that magnificent Valderrama is not an isolated course, but is surrounded by a plethora of other outstanding layouts, many of a similar extraordinary caliber. This is Spain's Costa del Sol, an amazing golf Mecca that has become Continental Europe's golf headquarters.
Perhaps one of the less often discussed but very important functions The Ryder Cup provides everyday golfers, is the opportunity to see and be exposed to the world's best courses, all of which are available for them to play. The same can't be said of any other world sport -- it can't be said of soccer, nor baseball, American football, rugby, cricket or basketball - it's unique to golf. It will happen at Valhalla this week, with the inevitable benefit of attracting more golfers from around the globe to Kentucky, as it did to Ireland and Ireland's golf courses in 2006. The same will apply to Wales for their hosting of the 2010 Ryder Cup, Scotland in 2014 and for all who follow.
International tourism is a major generator of revenues for most countries of the world. But even more important in this day and age, international tourism also provides the added benefit of bringing a better understanding between the peoples of our world. As we have all witnessed in recent years, politicians, even our own, may not be the best to whom international relations should be exclusively entrusted and the so-called, grass roots has an important role to play. The game of golf could be a leader in this area and The Ryder Cup can spearhead golf's international role.
No announcement has yet been made on European venues for The Ryder Cup beyond 2014, but one thing is certain, all things being equal, the competition to host will be hot. There's a lot at stake, not just for the selected courses and the countries in which they are located, but also for even greater reasons beyond the obvious. It's an opportunity to select a course on Continental Europe and perhaps one already used and thus already proved to The European Tour as a good international venue.
High on the list must be Spain and a repeat hosting by Valderrama, or why not one of the other top class layouts located along the golf rich, Costa del Sol? La Reserva, Finca Cortesin and San Roque New Course are all well deserving of consideration.
Portugal is another destination, where the Lisbon Coast and The Algarve regions each boast a selection of very worthy courses and importantly, the hotel infrastructure capable of accommodating the masses attending a world spectacle. Both regions already host important European Tour events and their courses have a proven ability to cater to international tournaments of Ryder Cup caliber -- and they do it rather well.
It's an opportunity for everyone to take a wider vision and look beyond self-interests, thinking even more internationally and consider the contributions The Ryder Cup might be able to make to the world situation.
For more ideas and suggestions on making Ryder Cup venues, past, present and future, a part of your European golf trip, click here.
©2008 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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