In 1933 and 1937 the Ryder Cup was held at Southport & Ainsdale. In 1933 Walter Hagen was captain of the American team which lost 5½ to 6½. In 1937 Walter Hagen was again captain, and this time with Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead in the team won 8 to 4. Today the spike bar is called the Ryder Bar cluttered with photos and scorecards from these two epic battles.
With an overview from the mansion-like clubhouse, the S&A begins with a fantastic par 3. The course is a neighbour of Hillside and the railway between Southport and Liverpool separates the two courses. The landscape is amazingly beautiful, an inland links course with sand dunes, gorse, heather and billowing high grass. The course immediately gets going among the sand dunes. Every hole has its own character. The 3rd is a par 4 with elevated tee and slippery green.
Third green, S&A
The 4th – a short par 4 – is 313 yards, with a number of waiting pot bunkers just at the perfect distance for a long iron. The 5th, a par 4 which requires two long shots towards an elevated green. The course is in splendid condition. Last night’s heavy rain has only left its mark on the bunkers. On the other hand the rough is lusher than ever. On the 7th, a par 5 dogleg to the left, we let loose and land the ball on the green in 2. The 8th and 10th are two par 3s of lesser character, but still work as breathers and allow one to recharge before the 9th – a par 4 of extremely challenging nature. The ladies in front of us decide to play only nine holes and we can unhindered carry on. The course swings up to the edge of some woods that create an extra dimension. The 12th – The Warren – is partially blind to start with, but once underway shows itself to be a masterpiece, 407 yards weak dogleg to the right with all the courses elements; sod-walled bunkers, gorse, flowering heather, and stately pines all laid out just so – links porn in absolutely Links75 class.
12th hole, S&A
Just like earlier we find a hole of lesser character to catch our breath and absorb impressions in the form of the 13th – a par 3. Once again on the 14th the course strikes back and we are hard-pressed to make birdie. The 15th – 333 yards – demands extreme precision to avoid a series of bomb-crater like bunkers to approach the green. The 16th – the courses highpoint – is 510 yards straight alongside the railway, and 300 yards away is a longitudinal rise with accompanying bunkers and 4-yards high sleepers! The marker post behind the green is as high as a 3G-mast, but still can’t be seen when we take our stance behind a bunker. A hole that gets us to already long for another round at Soutport & Ainsdale. Mr J wins 3 and 2. The concluding 17th and 18th holes feel like a royal promenade in the sunshine towards the waiting clubhouse, where one could sit every afternoon with a cocktail from the Ryder Bar.
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