The International Team Tournaments

There are four major international team tournaments: the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup, the Curtis Cup and the Solheim Cup.

The premier international competition is the Ryder Cup, which is played every two years between the  professionals of the USA and Europe. The first two unofficial matches, between the USA and Great Britain and Ireland only, were played in 1921 and 1926 at Gleneagles and Wentworth, with Great Britain and Ireland winning comfortably. After the second match, the Ryder Cup was presented by Sam Ryder, a golfing enthusiast from St Albans, England, and a friend of the "Great Triumvirate", Taylor, Braid and Vardon.

The cup was to be played for every two years on a home-and-away basis. It is believed that Abe Mitchell, another fine professional of his day, suggested to Sam Ryder that the competition become a regular event. Mitchell's statue is on top of the trophy.

The Ryder Cup was first played for in 1927 when the Americans won on home soil at Worcester, Massachusetts, by 9 1/2 points to 2 1/2. For many years it was dominated by the Americans, who won seven successive matches from 1935 before losing to Dai Rees' team at Lindrick in 1957. There was a dramatic tied match at Royal Birkdale in 1969 but apart from that the US domination of the event was such that it dropped out of favor and started to lose popular support.

All that changed in 1979 when it was decided that the Great Britain and Ireland team should also include the leading European players. The tournament is now played between the USA and Europe, and has produced a series of thrilling encounters, with the first US defeat for 28 years in 1985, a tied match in 1989, a one-point victory for the USA in 1991 and a one-point victory for Europe in 1995. It is contested with a ferocity that belies the belief that professionals play only for money, and competition for places in the team dominates the professional tours.