Result: 11½ to 3½ Loss

This year’s event took place at Ludlow Golf Club on Friday October 6th and Saturday October 7th. Ludlow was a team of 7 men and 3 ladies, captained by their club professional, Dan Francis. RPGC (8 men and 2 ladies) were represented by Ian and Julie Smith, Peter and Sheena Harrington, Kerry Sargeant, Paul Grand, Toby Hunt, Graeme Syme, Jurek Strelcyn and Richard Owen (2006 team captain). Following RPGC’s resounding win (12:3) last year, Ludlow were clearly looking to turn the tables. Extremely heavy rain the day before, and for the RPGC team travelling up on the Friday morning, made it all the more surprising to see the greens being watered as we arrived at midday. (How nice it would be if our course was underlain by free draining sand and gravel).

The first afternoon’s fourballs did not go RPGC’s way. It was not until the final match, when Jurek and Richard gained a ½, that we got our score on the board. The Ruffian’s dinner took place on the Friday night at a modern restaurant inside Ludlow Castle, and then moved on to the hotel bar where half the RGPC team were staying. The Ludlow crowd, led by their president Michael Hinks-Edwards, made us very welcome in Ludlow and a couple of them tried to drink us under the table on Friday evening.

It was always going to be an uphill task starting the second day in deficit by 4½ to ½. Despite good singles wins by Kerry, Ian and Toby, RPGC lost the match 11½ to 3½ and the cup had to be handed back to Ludlow as worthy winners. Home advantage seems to have taken its toll again and there were suggestions that we should try playing the event at a neutral course next year.

Result: 12-3 Win

This year’s event took place at Richmond Park on Friday July 22nd and Saturday July 23rd. Ludlow brought a team of 8 men and 2 ladies, captained by Michael Hinks-Edwards (an ex. RPGC member) and including their club professional, Dan Francis. RPGC were represented by Paul Appleton, Jon Cooper, Julian Diamond, Paul Grand, Peter Harrington, Toby Hunt, Dave Marsh, Richard Owen (2005 team captain), Ian and Julie Smith.

The first day’s four-balls went well for RPGC, with a 4 to 1 lead built up for the second day. The Ruffian’s dinner took place on Friday night at the Orpheus Greek restaurant in Richmond. The RPGC team left the restaurant shortly after midnight but the Ludlow team stayed on well into the early hours.

Saturday’s singles started at 11am and the momentum built up by the RPGC the previous day was continued. All of the RPGC players played well and the final landslide result (RPGC 12 points, Ludlow 3 points) was the biggest victory in the competition so far. All of RPGC’s players scored points for the team on Friday, Saturday or both days.

At the presentation ceremony after the match, when the Ryder Cup was handed back by Ludlow, we were thanked for our hospitality and promised a stern test next year at the racecourse.

These are photos of Friday evening at the restaurant.