The 36th Annual Ryder Cup Tournament will be held 24-26 September 2006. This year will see Ireland host the Ryder Club for the first time. The prestigious tournament which sees Europe’s best golfers take on the US, will come to the magnificent K Club in County Kildare and be played on the challenging Palmer course, designed (and considered by many to be the best work by) Arnold Palmer.

Certainly a course worthy of such an honour the K Club’s Palmer Course was expertly crafted with the Ryder Cup in mind and officially opened in July 2003 to excellent reviews. A perfect course for the world’s best players, the championship tees on this course are without doubt for the most accomplished players only!

The Belfry

Golfing Elite is your passport to playing on the prestigious courses which have held the Ryder Cup past and present.

Ganton Golf Club in Yorkshire played host to the Ryder Cup way back in 1949. An inland heath land course yet with a distinct feel of a links about it, the course is located 15km from Scarborough. Still considered to be one of the premier clubs in the UK, Ganton have carefully maintained their greens and proudly upheld their traditions. Click here for more information on Ganton Golf Club.

The venue for the tournament back in 1953 Wentworth’s West Course is a course that many TV golf enthusiasts will be familiar with, having received wide reaching exposure as the host of many major tournaments, including the HSBC World Matchplay. In luxurious surroundings on the outskirts of London, Wentworth is a demanding course, yet a course that all those with a passion for the game should experience. Click here for more information on Wentworth.

Royal Birkdale played host the Ryder Cup in 1965 and 1969 and in it’s history has played host to the Open, the Walker Cup and the Curtis Cup. One reason the Southport club is chosen time and again to host these prominent events is that it is a course where it is essential to formulate and abide by a strategy, thus being challenging for the players and a pleasure for the spectators. Click here for more information on Royal Birkdale.

The Ryder Cup venue in 1973, Muirfield is one of Scotlands finest. In 1744, the Honourable Society of Edinburgh golfers met at Muirfield and developed the original 13 rules of golf. Since then the course has been at the forefront of world golf, setting standards in quality and tradition. The course itself is demanding and there are harsh penalties for poor play, yet many of those lucky enough to enjoy a round on this course consider it close to perfection. Click here for more information on Muirfield.

Royal Lytham & St Annes was chosen to host the Ryder Cup in 1961 and 1977. The course in Lancashire is famed for its northern hospitality as well as having an amazing 196 sand bunkers. The ultimate challenge on this links course however is the wind and even the most experienced of players will find themselves reaching for their sand wedge more often than they would like. Click here for more information on Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The US and Europe contested the Ryder Cup at Walton Heath Golf Club in 1981. In fact the Surrey course has played host to many championship tournaments during it’s illustrious history. Set on the highest point in Surrey, wind and trees makes for a challenging course which golfers of all levels are likely to find frustrating yet immensely enjoyable. Click here for more information on Walton Heath Golf Club. 

The celebrated Brabazon course at The Belfry has been the scene for the Ryder Cup for an unprecedented 4 times between 1985 and 2002. With an Internationally renowned tradition and a name synonymous with quality and long standing tradition this course is on the wish list of golfers the world over. Click here for more information on the Belfry.

In 1997, Europe took their turn to host the Ryder Club and for the first time a venue outside of the UK was chosen. Valderrama, a wonderful course on the Sotogrande, which basks in the sun of the Costa del Sol welcomed Teams US and Europe. The beautifully crafted, Robert Trent Jones designed course saw an exciting tournament with Europe emerging the victors. Click here for more information on Valderrama.