The 2025 Ryder Cup is just around the corner – but where did it all start? Our team at gimmeballs have done the research and put together a complete guide to the Ryder Cup’s history. This event has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1927, to become the huge celebration we know today.
Read on to learn the fascinating history of the Ryder Cup, as well as what we know about this year’s edition of the tournament.
What is the Ryder Cup?
The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s biggest golfing events. It is played every other year, and features 24 of the best golfers from Europe and the United States.
Unlike many other big golfing events, the Ryder Cup is played in teams – so instead of a single individual claiming victory, each tournament is won by either Team Europe or Team USA.
What is the history of the Ryder Cup?
The Ryder Cup was started by Samuel Ryder, an English businessman with a passion for golf. He first held a golf tournament between Great Britain and America in 1926. However, this isn’t considered an official Ryder Cup game, as no cup was awarded. The Ryder Cup officially began in 1927 at Worcester Country Club, Massachusetts, where the USA won by a score of 9.5 to 2.5.
The Ryder Cup continued like this, with a tournament every other year for a decade. Unfortunately, this tradition was halted by World War II, and with the death of Samuel Ryder it seemed unlikely to return. This could have been the end of one of the world’s most celebrated golfing traditions.
In an unexpected twist of fate, though, the game was revived by Rober A. Hudson – an Oregon fruit grower who decided to follow in Samuel Ryder’s footsteps. With the spark reignited, the Ryder Cup continued as it was always meant to. There were a handful of format changes over the years, with the most significant arriving in 1979. This was the year that the British team expanded to become a European team. This allowed more top golfers to participate and allowed the USA’s rivals to draw from a larger talent pool – which was becoming necessary as America hadn’t lost for well over a decade by this point.
DID YOU KNOW? From the tournament’s inception until the end of the 20th century, the Ryder Cup was only played in odd-numbered years. Then the 2001 tournament was delayed until 2002 due to the 9/11 attacks, and for a while after that, the Ryder Cup took place only in even-numbered years. But then the coronavirus pandemic struck and the 2020 edition had to be postponed until 2021, so now the Ryder Cup is back to happening in odd-numbered years again.
That brings us to today! After several changes, and two unlikely benefactors, the Ryder Cup is still going strong. Two teams of twelve, from America and Europe, go up against each other every other year to demonstrate the very best of their golfing talents.
Why is it called the Ryder Cup?
The Ryder Cup is named after the event’s original founder, Samuel Ryder. He made his fortune by selling seeds much more cheaply than his competitors at the time, at only a penny per packet. When his friend suggested he take up golf for his health, he couldn’t have known that it would eventually lead to one of the world’s biggest golfing events.
Do Ryder Cup players get paid?
Generally, Ryder Cup players are not paid, though this has varied somewhat over the years. In 1999, when Tiger Woods began to question where all the profits of the event were going, Team USA players were given some say over which charities the profits were donated to.
For the 2025 Ryder Cup, the American PGA has announced that each American player will receive $500,000 (with $300,000 of that going to a charity selected by the player). The remaining money is a stipend, though some players have reportedly said that this will also be donated to charity.
As for Team Europe, there are no plans for them to be paid to play in the Ryder Cup.
Who won the Ryder Cup in 2023?
The last Ryder Cup, held in Italy in 2023, was won by the European team. Captain Luke Donald (who will be returning this year) led the team to a decisive victory with a score of 16.5 to 11.5. The team included Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and several other well-known golfers.
Can women play in the Ryder Cup?
Unlike The Open, which has allowed women since 2006, the Ryder Cup does not allow women to play. Female golfers play in the Solheim Cup instead, which is held on alternate years with the Ryder Cup. The last Solheim cup was held in Virginia in 2024, and the next will be in the Netherlands in 2026.
When is the Ryder Cup?
The Ryder Cup will be held at Bethpage Black Course in New York on 23rd – 28th September 2025. If you’ve had enough of history and are ready to look to the future, you can watch live or follow along with this year’s event at home.
Get ready for the Ryder Cup!
The Ryder Cup is fast approaching! If you’re excited about golf, then why not hold your own mini Ryder Cup with our Ryder Cup golf balls? We’ve got a selection of the best golf balls used by the pros who will be playing at Bethpage this September.
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