Senior ladies win annual Solheim/Ryder Cup match

Harry Huizer, the captain of the team, has written an account of this annual match, much of it good-natured and tongue-in-cheek as he acknowledges his team’s loss to the women.

Friday, Aug. 28 was an almost perfect day, in the eyes of the men, for the annual Solheim/Ryder Cup match at the NOTL Golf Club won this year by the ladies.

The match had 16 senior ladies competing against 16 senior men for the coveted Pro’s Cup.

There were eight  matches of two ladies against two men. with a total of 48 points up for grabs.  The men were the defending champions.

Both captains Martha Cruikshank and Harry Huizer had their teams ready to play in their colourful outfits.

The formats were front nine-alternate shot and back nine-best ball.  Handicaps were used, but the men’s captain was supremely confident of a lopsided victory despite having to give strokes to the ladies. Losing seemed like an impossibility, considering the men’s talent that was assembled.

Yes, it was an almost perfect day, in the eyes of the men, with no rain and a nice breeze off the lake.  Then something happened that is still difficult to understand.

The ladies started dominating each match with outstanding golf shots leaving the men in total shock. 

After nine holes the score was 11-5, and after 18 holes the final score was 35-13 all in favour of the Solheim Ladies team.

It was a crushing loss by the men who were bewildered by what was happening. Seven of the matches had the men shaking their heads as they came in to the scoring area.  They were in disbelief of what had happened.

Fortunately, a crucial final match was won 5-1 by the pair of Alan Robb and Don Cruikshank, which gave the men double digit points and brought a cheer from the men’s team, and especially the captain.

 Yes, it was almost a perfect day except for the score, in the eyes of the men. The better team had won and it wasn’t the Senior Ryder Cup men’s team.

It was a humbling time for the men’s team but they handled defeat with remarkable class. We celebrated with the ladies, and you could see the joy in everyone’s faces during the lunch and trophy presentation.

It in fact, was a perfect day, despite the resounding win by the ladies.

 A lot of thanks has to go to Billy Simkin and his staff for their help in making the event run so smoothly.

Lunch was served for the first time ever on the first tee.  What a treat that was.

Thanks especially to Jill Wiens and the clubhouse staff for setting up and providing a wonderful lunch.

 This event is really characterized by golf talent, sportsmanship, friendship and good fun. Each team was encouraging the other team throughout the matches even though it was a competition.

Each side wanted to win, but in the end, we were all winners by just playing in this event.  OK, there was one big winner.

So that is the story of a huge victory by the ladies, but next year plans are already in the making for a comeback win by the men, or so this year’s captain hopes.

Yes, it was a perfect day!