In its eight decade history to date (see below), the Ryder Cup, regarded as one of the world's great sporting events, has never been held in Wales. Now, the 38th Ryder Cup match is to be played at The Celtic Manor Resort in the Usk Valley on the outskirts of Newport in South Wales from the 1st to the 3rd of October 2010.
Celtic Manor Resort, Newport is close to The Glamorganshire Golf Club here in Penarth, near Cardiff, only 25 miles (40 kms) away. Our Members are already looking forward to playing their part in this major international event on the golfing calendar, and to offering a warm Welsh welcome to the many visitors to this area from all around the world.
We hope sincerely that visiting golfers will take the opportunity to come and enjoy our hospitality and the experience of playing at a Club which is steeped in history and holds a unique place in the annals of golf.
The Glamorganshire was founded in 1890, and is the fourth oldest club in Wales. It was here in September 1898 that the Stableford scoring system, now utilised and revered, particularly by amateur golfers, the world over, was first tried by its creator, Dr. Frank Stableford. The Glamorganshire also provided the impetus and many founding members for the famous Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, and the inspiration and expertise for the creation of several other South Wales Clubs.
Come and join us on our golf course - a fair test of golf, with stunning views over the sea - and for a drink or two afterwards in our clubhouse with its excellent facilities. We will be pleased to arrange golf matches against visitors from other Clubs. Our Members may even be able to fix you up with accommodation - email us to see what's available!
Happy golfing!
Ifan Davies, Club Captain 2009 - 2010
Ryder Cup House Rental
Thousands of golf enthusiasts from all over the world are expected to visit South Wales during the 2010 Ryder Cup, 1st - 3rd October, at Celtic Manor, Newport. Many of them will want to extend their stay to make a holiday of it. Accommodation is in short supply, with most hotels in the area already fully booked. Why not consider renting out your property or taking in paying guests?
Ryder Cup History
Although the Ryder Cup, as we now know it began in 1927, its forerunner existed in an unofficial form several years earlier.
The first informal match was held in 1921, when GB and Ireland won 9-3, but the second unofficial match at Wentworth Club in 1926 was even worse for the Americans, who had travelled over for Open qualifying.
In the gallery for that meeting was English seed merchant and entrepreneur Samuel Ryder and the germ of an idea began to grow.
"Why can't they all get to know each other?" said Ryder, who took up golf at the age of 50 in attempt to stave off ill health.
"I will give £5 to each of the winning players, and give a party afterwards, with champagne and chicken sandwiches."
Later that evening in a pub, British team member George Duncan turned to Ryder and said: "This is wonderful. It's too bad we don't have a match like this which is official."
That was all it took. "Why not?" was Ryder's response. He commissioned the design of the gold chalice that bears his name and the likeness of British star of the time Abe Mitchell.
An appeal for £3,000 to finance the first British Ryder Cup team was met with apathy and fell £500 short of the goal, but Ryder made up the deficit.
The inaugural match took place at Worcester Country Club, Massachusetts, in 1927 and the US won 9½ - 2½ - beginning nearly six decades of dominance.
Ryder lived to see two Ryder Cups on home soil but in January 1936 he suffered a massive haemorrhage and died aged 77. He was buried with his favourite five iron.
After an interruption for the war - during which exhibition matches were played instead - the Ryder Cup resumed with a seventh meeting in 1947 at Portland Golf Club, Oregon.
The first tied match took place at Southport's Royal Birkdale in 1969 with 17 of the 32 matches going down to the last hole
It was also memorable for one of the great instances of sportsmanship when Jack Nicklaus, playing in his first Ryder Cup, conceded a two-foot putt to Tony Jacklin after making a four-footer for par on the last green.
American captain Sam Snead was furious with Nicklaus for conceding the putt and refused to speak to him all evening.
In 1973, the Ryder Cup was contested for the first time in Scotland at historic Muirfield, and six years later players from continental Europe were welcomed into the fold as the USA's stranglehold continued.
This was as a result of the emergence of the professional golf scene in Europe, although who can say to what effect multiple major winner Jack Nicklaus' complaints to the PGA of Great Britain about the need to improve the competitive level of the contest had?
British PGA president Lord Derby was convinced: "It is vital to widen the selection procedures if the Ryder Cup is to continue to enjoy its past prestige."
The first two Europeans to make the overseas squad were two Spaniards - Severiano Ballesteros and Antonio Garrido in 1979. Ballesteros went on to become a Ryder Cup legend, especially after teaming up with compatriot Olazabal for their all-partnerships.
From the 1980s onwards the battles became more intense, firstly with the inappropriately dubbed 'War on the Shore' at Kiawah Island in 1991.
With the spectre of the Gulf War hanging over the tournament Corey Pavin and Steve Pate ignited controversy by wearing camouflaged caps during the Saturday fourballs.
Pate was indirectly involved in another incident on the Sunday when US team captain Dave Stockton failed to tell his European counterpart Bernard Gallacher he had withdrawn the player from the singles.
Eight years later at Brookline the Americans, buoyed by a raucous home crowd, courted controversy yet again when Justin Leonard holed a 50-foot putt which virtually clinched victory, sparking wild celebrations as most of the US team, plus wives, ran on to the green.
However, Olazabal had a 20-footer to halve the hole and remain all-square but, with the Americans dancing across his line totally oblivious to the fact, it was no surprise he missed.
The Spaniard won the next hole to halve his match but it was not enough to prevent the Americans winning back the Ryder Cup.
Some would suggest that signalled the point of no return for the contest but, in recent years, there has been a concerted attempt to reintroduce the values which Samuel Ryder held so dearly.
The competition was interrupted for a second time in its history after the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York in 2001 but although it was put on hold organisers quickly agreed to reschedule the following year - and every even-numbered year afterwards - with the same players.
Europe then won three Ryder Cups in a row before Azinger's class of 2008 halted the slide by winning the last Ryder Cup match 16½ to 11½ at Valhalla, Louisville, Kentucky.