1993 Walker Cup
Back Row, From Left, John Harris, Todd Dempsey, Jay Sigel, Vinny Giles, Danny Yates, Allen Doyle, Brian Gay, Kelly Mitchell, unknown. Front Row, Tim Herron, Justin Leonard, David Hays, Cal Simmons, David Berganio
One of the biggest thrills I have had in golf was being the Co-Chairman of the 1993 Walker Cup. Held every fourth year in the United States, it is one of the most prestigious USGA events a club can host. From the day Interlachen Country Club was awarded the event in early 1991 until the conclusion, I worked on the event every day. It could not have been more exciting or fun.
The Walker Cup is a match between the United States and Great Britain/Ireland with ten amateurs on each team. Being named to the team is the highest honor an amateur can attain. The tournament is named after George Herbert Walker, who donated the trophy in 1921, when he was President of the USGA. His son-in-law, Prescott Bush was also President of the USGA. Walker was the grandfather of George Herbert Walker Bush, 41st POTUS and the great-grandfather of George W. Bush, the 43rd POTUS.
The road to the 1993 Walker Cup was short and direct. Early in 1991 I saw a paragraph in the 'Minneapolis Star Tribune' stating "Chicago Golf Club has withdrawn its invitation to host the 1993 Walker Cup." The USGA had begun demanding host clubs have minority members. Chicago Golf Club had none and similar to Augusta National's past policy on women members, were not going to be dictated to regarding who should be in their membership. Chicago Golf Club eventually accepted membership from minorities and was granted the 2001 Walker Cup.
I immediately called our club president, John Dovolis, asking, "What if I were to call David Fay, Executive Director of the USGA, and see if there would be interest in bringing the Walker Cup to Interlachen?"
"Do it," John said.
David Fay was a friend of mine from working the rules at several USGA events, attending USGA annual meetings and the like. "David," I said, "Would the USGA look favorably at Interlachen extending an invitation to host the 1993 Walker Cup?
I had seen the same strategy nearly a decade earlier when a committeeman asked Frank Hannigan, then USGA Executive Director, if it would be looked on favorably for The Country Club (Brookline), to invite the USGA to host the 1988 US Open. Frank said "yes" and despite stiff competition, Brookline was awarded the tournament.
David considered the offer for a moment, then responded with a firm, "yes".
It was done. The Interlachen Board of Directors sent an invitation and we were tentatively awarded the event, pending approval by the Championship Committee. The 1991 US Open was held at Hazeltine, thus the Chairman of the Championship Committee, Stu Block, would pay a visit during the Open week, where we would hopefully be given final approval.
I carefully orchestrated a visit by David Fay and Stu Block for Tuesday afternoon of US Open week. We would play a round of golf and tour Interlachen. They were staying at a nearby hotel with the plan for me to pick them up at a designated time. However, the plan changed Tuesday morning, making more sense for them to drive themselves to our course.
I drove to Hazeltine looking to find Stu Block to tell him the change of plans. Walking out onto the course where six days later Payne Stewart would win the US Open, I gazed at the bleachers surrounding the ninth green. Stu and David Fay were on the course making last minute preparations for the Open. Arriving at the eighth green I ran into Tim Morghan, the Championship Agronomist for the USGA.
In a brief conversation, Tim asked me the reason for my being at Hazeltine. After explaining the situation, he said, "I'm on the way out to see them now, I will relay the message for you." I thought it was a good idea, saving me time.
At 2:00, there was no Stu Block and David Fay. I was in a panic at 2:30 when they still had not arrived. At 2:45 a call came into the club for me. "Cal, I thought the plan was for you to pick us up." I was embarrassed, mad at myself, and afraid I had blown the whole Walker Cup bid.
"Tim Morghan didn't talk with you about this afternoon?"
"No," said Stu.
"I'm sorry. I'll be right over."
It was an unnerving start to the most important meeting in the approval process. However, it was a beautiful day with the course in marvelous condition and the greens freshly cut for the guests of honor. Once we got going, the snafu was forgotten. The MVPs were impressed and we cleared the final hurdle in being awarded the 1993 Walker Cup.
While I had attended the 1983 Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, as a side trip on a vacation, my co-chair, David Hays, and I needed an education in how a Walker Cup was to be staged. Our first step in the training was at Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta, site of the 1989 Walker Cup.
After an enjoyable round of golf on the wonderful Peachtree golf course with 1989 tournament co-chair, Jim Gabrielson, a former Walker Cup player himself, we discussed running the event. The conversation eventually wandered to Chicago Golf Club's withdrawal of their invitation for the 1993 Walker Cup.
It was 26 years ago. While access to country clubs by minorities was not a problem in Minnesota, it was in other areas of the country. The PGA had a minority membership problem at Shoal Creek in Birmingham with the 1990 PGA Championship. Shortly thereafter the USGA developed an open membership policy toward minorities.
Never being one to shy away from an uncomfortable question, I said to Jim, "Why doesn't Peachtree recruit minorities to join? With all the golf you have played you must have played with many black players, who would be good members of your club."
At nearly age 60, Jim was taken aback. "I have never played with one."
I looked at David Hays, he looked at me and we changed the topic of discussion.
The next two years were spent planning, preparing and promoting. Volunteers were recruited from the membership to handle the various committees such as parking, scoring, transportation, opening ceremony, hospitality. The list of committees was seemingly endless, the most important being program magazine ad sales.
We assured Interlachen Board of Directors the event would not be a losing proposition. Revenue from ticket sales, with a cap of 5000, was fixed and inadequate to cover expenses. Advertising sales were crucial. In addition, with no experience in publishing a magazine, we needed a person with experience in the field. We found that person, Jeannie Poefle, and the program magazine was a success.
With an event taking place every four years, the USGA had no permanent staff assigned. As a result we were free to structure the week as we wanted. While approval was needed from the USGA for printed materials, the event planning was left to us, reviewed and approved in meetings taking place twice a year with USGA staff.
As the days clicked by, excitement built. The Walker Cup trophy arrived and displayed in the pro shop. George MacGregor, team captain of the Royal and Ancient (R & A), named a team headed by young super star Padrig Harrington. Local interest was assured when Wayzata resident Tim Herron and John Harris, who lived just a few blocks from Interlachen, were named to a strong American team including Justin Leonard, Brian Gay, Allen Doyle, Jay Sigel, David Berganio, Kelly Mitchell, Danny Yates and Todd Dempsey.
With metal drivers and fairway clubs just coming on the scene, the 6721 yard Interlachen course was somewhat short, but there was no discussion about it. Several of the players on both teams still used MacGregor and Hogan persimmon woods.
"I'm not going to have anybody embarrassed by hole locations on greens this fast," said David Egar, in charge of course setup for the USGA. "We don't want green speeds over 11' on the stempmeter and they are." As a result hole locations were altered. Hole locations used by the membership on an everyday basis, with equivalent green speeds, were eliminated as too treacherous.
A wonderful aspect of the Walker Cup is the foreign friendships developed. I stood outside the clubhouse early in Walker Cup week noticing two couples I did not recognize. Walking over to introduce myself, I met George and Donna Fraser and Alister and Vivian MacIntosh from Nairn, Scotland. They traveled across the ocean to investigate Nairn's hosting a future Walker Cup. From that meeting a warm friendship developed. Nairn went on to host the 1999 Walker Cup. The world of golf is small.
A bagpipe band marched in to kick off a beautiful sun-drenched opening ceremony. National anthems of each country were played, flags were raised, the teams introduced, short speeches delivered by officials of the USGA, R & A and a welcoming speech from me. An amphitheatre surrounding the putting green was the perfect setting for this moving event, with the Interlachen course looking pristine and in perfect condition.
I went to bed on Thursday night looking forward to the culmination of two years of planning. The day was upon us. The format for the event consists of four alternate shot matches the first morning, with eight singles matches in the afternoon. The second day is four best ball matches in the morning and another eight singles matches in the afternoon. Each winning match is awarded one point with a tie giving 1/2 point to each team, for 24 points. The team winning 12 1/2 points would win the Walker Cup.
I was jolted out of bed at 5:00 AM to the sound of thunder and lightning and watched as 1 1/2 inches of rain fell in 30 minutes. I rushed to the course. Making my way up the tree lined drive I could see three holes with deep standing water. After a quick meeting with John Katterheinrich, course superintendent, I was told there would be no golf until at least noon. After two years of work the first day was about to be washed away.
The morning matches would have to be canceled. It was the first time in the history of the Walker Cup there was a postponement. Standing by the clubhouse with a panoramic view of six fairways, water stood 50 and more yards in length and well over ankle deep in various locations. However, it was receding.
A meeting was called at 10:00 to discuss the options. I was intimidated as those who ran amateur golf around the world filed into the conference room at Interlachen. David Fay, Executive Director of the USGA, Reg Murphy, chairman of the Championship Committee of the USGA, Stu Block, president of the USGA, Vinnie Giles, captain of the US Walker Cup team were in attendance. Michael Bonallack, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Association (R & A) and a five time British Amateur champion along with being a seven time Walker Cup Team member, and George MacGregor, Captain of the GB & I team, represented the R & A.
Following a favorable report on the condition of the course by John Katterheinrich, it was decided the first round would start at 1:30. The question to be answered was, what would the format be? Ideas were batted around. Best ball, alternate shot, singles. How many matches?
Everybody was expressing opinions when George MacGregor, the captain and a five time Walker Cup Team member, said in his Scottish brogue, "It is important to have 24 points. We can accomplish this by having ten singles matches this afternoon, four alternate shot matches tomorrow morning and ten singles matches tomorrow afternoon."
it was the suggestion the group was seeking. The Walker Cup is a competition, but just as importantly, a gathering to promote good will in the game. There was no discussion of which format favored which team, just a decision to be made on what was best for the event. It was done. The format was to be ten singles matches on Friday afternoon, four alternate shot matches Saturday morning and ten singles matches Saturday afternoon, thus preserving the 24 point tradition.
Promptly at 1:30 Iain Pyman, representing GB & I, with gray slacks and dark blue shirt and Allen Doyle, from the US, dressed smartly in a dark green shirt with red pin stripes and beige slacks, walked to the first tee.
The Walker Cup is an intimate event. Other than around the greens, there are no ropes. Spectators walk the fairways shoulder to shoulder with the competitors. It is not an event with hooting and hollering for the home team. While galleries are enthusiastic, good play on both sides is appreciated and applauded. In the ten Walker Cup Matches I have attended, I have never seen or heard of unsportsmanlike behavior by the gallery.
Play went smoothly despite the wet conditions. It was not a competitive Walker Cup as the US dominated play from start to finish. Trailing 6 1/2 - 3 1/2 after the first day of play, GB & I needed a big Saturday morning in alternate shot format. It wasn't to be. The final match of Tim Herron and John Harris versus Dean Robertson and Raymond Russell came to the 18th hole all even. John Harris pulled a shot into the left woods from the fairway, leaving Tim Herron a small window up through the trees. With a shot that stunned the gallery of 5000, Tim hit the ball to 4' from the hole, where Harris made the par putt to win the match. It was a sweep of the morning matches.
The afternoon matches were highly entertaining but a formality as the final score ended 19-5. It was the worst defeat in history. GB & I players did not handle the speed of the greens well, facing a highly skilled US team. "This may be the greatest Walker Cup team ever assembled," said Captain Vinny Giles, following the match.
I stood in a group of half dozen GB & I officials discussing the event. Since WWII, GB & I had only won two Walker Cup events and lost 22. "We are going to get better or we are not going to keep playing," said one of the men. Apparently good will only went so far.
GB & I has gotten better, having won six of eleven matches since the thrashing at Interlachen. There are several theories on why this has happened. Many more of their good young players now play college golf in the US. In addition their pre-selection process has changed, gathering potential Walker Cup members for internal competitions leading up to the final naming of the team.
The final event of the Walker Cup was the players dinner at Interlachen. I stood looking at the Walker Cup trophy with David Hays and Reed Mackenzie at the end of the evening when suddenly I was overcome with emotion. I had poured my heart and soul into the event for over two years and now it was over. The greatest thrill of my life, done. It was a thrill to be involved in a great international competition and I would do it all again in A Life In Golf.
