Golf fans received a rare treat this year as they got a glimpse of two iconic golf courses on Long Island. Sebonack hosted the U.S. Women’s Open in June and the best amateur golfers in the world congregated at National Golf Links of America for the Walker Cup Match.
National Golf Links held the first Walker Cup in 1922 and the 2013 Walker Cup was only the second time a national golf tournament was held there. Over the years it has successfully maintained its reputation as the “snootiest golf course in America.”
Augusta National may have cause to join the most reclusive golf club list, but they annually allow the great unwashed and media types to tromp about the hallowed grounds every April.
Seminole Golf Club in Juno, Florida is also at the top of the snooty list. It was designed by famed golf course architect Donald Ross and opened for play in 1929. It has never hosted a USGA or PGA event in its history.
Adding to the mystique of the club, Ben Hogan prepared for the Masters every year with a stop at Seminole to visit his good friend Claude Harmon, the long-time head professional at Seminole. Any mention of Ben Hogan adds credibility and an aura of wonder to all things golf.
Tim Rosaforte announced in Golf Digest that Seminole would host the 2021 Walker Cup Match.
The Walker Cup is a biennial competition that pits a 10-member team of the top amateur American golfers versus a team from Great Britain & Ireland. Many of the top players currently on the PGA Tour first earned their stripes on a Walker Cup team.
Even though the team from the U.S. Walker Cup team is 35-8-1 and has dominated in the past, the teams have split the last ten meetings since 1995, with five wins each.
The next Walker Cup is to be held at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 2015. In 2017 it will travel to Los Angeles Country Club and to Royal Liverpool for the 2019 match.
The Walker Cup provides an excellent opportunity for the best amateurs in the world to compete against each other. They learn more about their own game by testing their golfing skills against the best players over the best golf courses.
Seminole will provide another excellent venue to showcase the Walker Cup and give the golfing public a glimpse into one of the most reclusive golf clubs in the world.