Nairn Golf Club marks 25th anniversay of hosting Walker Cup competition
Nairn Golf Club has marked 25 years since it hosted the prestigious Walker Cup competition which sees the USA take on a Great Britain and Ireland side.
Taking place in odd numbered years the 1999 event marked the first time the competition had come north of the central belt, with the home side triumphing 15-9.
An anniversary talk and dinner was held at the Nairn club earlier this month.
Hugh Sutherland, responsible for the golf club’s archives, said: “It was a busy old week with friends and guests arriving into Nairn from near and far!
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“In conjunction with Nairn’s Book and Arts Festival we provided guided archive tours including a display of engathered Walker Cup memorabilia, culminating in a Q&A session with Gordon Simmonds, author of The Walker Cup 1922-2023, Golf’s Finest Contest.
“Friday saw a Nairn versus The Rest of the World golf challenge, playing from original Walker Cup tee positions, followed by a Gala Dinner chaired by Nairn Golf Club vice-captain, Robbie Bremner, with speakers including Gordon Sherry (1995 Amateur Champion) and both 1999 team captains, Peter McEvoy and Danny Yates.
“Amongst the audience were Walker Cup players David Patrick, Spider Miller and George Macgregor, and club captains from kindred clubs Royal Aberdeen and Royal Porthcawl.”
Mr McEvoy played on five Walker Cup teams between 1977 and 1989 and said of captaining the 1999 side: “I knew we had a strong team. We’d had strong teams before and still lost.
“Our expectation level in the Walker Cup was dreadful because we’d played something like 36 games and lost 32 of them.
“I sought to see if I could change that. What I tried to do was get our team to think ‘we’re not underdogs at all’.”
The club had some work to do before securing the prestigious competition, hosting a number of other high profile events to show that it was capable of doing so and developing the course, with bunkers renovated, drainage improved and the practise area upgraded.
Speaking after victory Mr McEvoy said: “It is the proudest moment of my golfing life.
“At this moment this feels the best moment of them all.”
The whole of Nairn, indeed, was able to bask in the glory as the club and town had left a great impression on the sport’s leading figures.
David Hill, R&A Championship secretary, said: “I was very confident when I recommended Nairn to the committee that it would be a great Walker Cup, but it was much better than that.”
And Sir Michael Bonallack, Secretary of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said: “I cannot tell you how much we all enjoyed last week’s Walker Cup at Nairn, which was the best organised and happiest match I have been to and, bearing in mind that I have been to every one since 1957, that is saying quite a lot.”
More details of the competition and how the club prepared for it are available on Nairn Golf Club’s Facebook page.
