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Walker Cup
Walker Cup: Past players delight in Cypress Point reunion
06 Sep 25
6 mins
It has for long enough been a feature of any and every Walker Cup match between the leading amateurs from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America.
While the players are battling for the trophy inside the ropes, many of their predecessors are walking the fairways, following the games and reminiscing about their time in the biennial contest. Once a Walker Cup player, always a Walker Cup player. This time round at Cypress Point is no different in that respect. For this 50th playing of the Walker Cup 56 past players are on the premises; 49 from the US and seven from across the pond. “The Walker Cup Society invites old guys like me to come back,” says Steve Melnyk, who was part of the American sides in 1969 and 1971. "Last night I sat at dinner with Vinny Giles, who was my foursomes partner in 1969 and 1971. Joe Inman was there; he and I played together. I also met up with Dick Siderowf and Downing Gray. It was a walk down memory lane. Walker Cup friendships last a lifetime.” The same is true for those who have made the long journey from the British Isles to California. Making only his second visit to a Walker Cup since he was part of the winning GB&I side at Royal Porthcawl in 1995, Scotsman Gordon Sherry is in a state of some excitement even before a shot has been hit. “I’ve never been here before and what a course,” says the six-foot six-inch giant. “But just being at a Walker Cup brings back so many positive memories.” Still, this time round is especially special for Colin Dalgleish. Non-playing captain of the GB&I squads of 2007 and 2009, the 64-year old Scot is the only member of the 1981 side who played at Cypress Point here this week. “There is definitely an emotional pull when it comes to the Walker Cup,” says Dalgleish, who arrived here in ’81 as the 20-year old Scottish Amateur champion. “Especially this year for me, 44 years on from when I was part of the GB&I team. This is such a magical place. Just this morning I was counting all the Walker Cups I have attended in one way or another. Between 1981 and 2025 I’ve been at 18 of the 23 played.
Colin Dalgleish with a young Rory McIlroy at the 2007 Walker Cup
“There is always a great atmosphere and a great bond between both sides. And I do think past players add to the occasion. At each match there aren’t many who have played before. So we provide a bit of continuity. But it’s great just to be here and see everyone.”
Not surprisingly, the Walker Cup has evolved over the years. Perhaps most strikingly, the teams on both sides are a bit younger than they used to be. Almost gone are men in their 30s who work for a living, although both sides this week contain one player in that almost-outdated category - Stuart Grehan for GB&I, Stewart Hagestad for the Americans. But they are the exceptions. Both sides this week are made up of fresh-faced college students.
“The game today is such that the players get better quicker than we did,” says Melnyk. “They have more resources. We kinda scratched it out ourselves. And this year GB&I have a young man 18 years old (Connor Graham), who is playing in his second Walker Cup. That’s hard to imagine. So few good players remain amateur these days. I’m still old-school though. I tell any youngster who asks to get his degree. Not everyone makes it onto the tour. So get your degree and have something to fall back on.”
More on the advice front is that offered by Dalgleish, albeit via Dean Robertson, the current Captain of the GB&I side and a playing member of the 1993 team at Interlachen.
“Dean made a great speech last night at the opening dinner,” says Dalgleish. “He wishes he had taken more time to just enjoy the whole experience. So he has prioritised that this week for his team. He’s right too. When I was here I couldn’t have told you anything about Cypress Point before I arrived. Yes, it was fantastic, but I know I didn’t take time to absorb the whole experience. If that is true for others - and I’m sure it is - that has to be one reason why so many come back to watch.”
All of which is undoubtedly true. But this year promises to be even more memorable than most. Following the huge success of the matches played over the Old Course at St Andrews two years ago, the Walker Cup is on a roll.
“This place is so special,” confirms Melnyk. “If I had one round to play in my life, it would be here. I’ve never seen it in better shape. And the best thing about it is that nothing has been done to the course. This is match play. It’s not about length. Cypress is 6,600-yards long and it’s going to be fabulous. It’s going to be so much fun watching these talented young men trying to figure out 70-yard pitch shots that have to be judged perfectly.”
Indeed. Stay tuned. If past history is our guide, more unforgettable memories are about to be made.