THE WALKER CUP 1999
AT THE NAIRN GOLF CLUB
11-12 September 1999

The Walker Cup History

George Herbert Walker, who served as president of the United States Golf Association in 1920, initiated the first international match with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. He also introduced a future president of the United States, George Bush, his grandson, to the game of golf. Walker offered to donate an International Challenge Trophy and the newspapers dubbed it the "Walker Cup". The name stuck and in 1922 the first match was played at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.

The list of Walker Cup participants reads like a who's who f the PGA and Senior PGA Tour. The young amateur players aro ften joined by a couple of seasoned veterans to provide a good blend of youth and experience.

The 1995 US Team has featured contestants such as Corey Pavin, Davis Love III, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Kite, Scott Hoch, Phil Mickelson, Hal Sutton, Lanny wadkins, Ken Venturi and Tiger Woods.

The Great Britain & Ireland team has featured players like Colin Montgomeir, Ronan Rafferty, Sandy Lyle, Peter McEvoy, Major David Blair (past captain of the R&A).

Selection to the Walker Cup team of either side represents the highest honour an amateur golfer can experience. Regardless of the result, spectators and players alike will undoubtedly remember the Walker Cup as one of the greatest international golfing occasions.

Nairn Golf Club

During the life of the Club its contribution to the game of golf in terms of golfing talent, administrative ability and enterprise has been significant. In its formative years Viscount Finley and his parliamentary friends, including Britain's foremost golfing Prime Minister, Lord Balfour, were very instrumental in placing Nairn firmly in the golfing arena.

In 1895 the leading professionals of the day were enticed to travel north by the payment of £3.00 to play with leading amateurs. The trophy and £20.00 prize monty returning to St. Andrews under the arm of W Auchterlonie.

The Highlands' insatiable hunger for golf was fed by Nairn holding exhibitions by Vardon, Auchterlonie, Braid, Taylor and Locke. A s the years progressed, 1959 saw the arrival of Nairn's outstanding contribution in recnet tmies - the introduction of Britain's first ever Golf Week, with tuition from Cotton, Faulkner, Rees and Valentine. At its peak 235 people travelled to Nairn, a tribute to its innovators, professionals and Nairn.

The golfing talents from Nairn were led by Edward Simspon, who won the New Zealand Open three times, James Adams, who learned his trade in Nairn was runner-up in the Open twice and Ryder Cup player four times with vicotires in Penfold, Dunlop Masters, Dutch, Belgian and Italian Opens ad the Lakes Open, USA. The Club's leading amateur being Major David Blair, Walker Cup player in 1955-61 and one of the five Nairn members who have attained the highest honour in golf, becoming the Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

Having never taken their eye off the ball, that the links course is the most important aspect of golf, Nairn Golf Club believe they have led the way bringing Nairn into the 21st Century and keeping Viscount Finlay's vision progressing.