Tom Ferrell traveled to Ireland late last month hoping that the U.S. would win the 2011 version of the Solheim Cup. And though that didn’t happen, in many respects the result couldn’t have worked out better.
After all, as director of communications for Colorado Golf Club in Parker — site of the next Solheim Cup, in 2013 — Ferrell is primarily hoping for an event that draws the most interest possible among the public. And this fall’s biennial women’s competition fit that bill quite nicely.
Not only was the 15-13 margin of victory the closest in Solheim Cup history, but the European team (pictured is Norway’s Suzann Pettersen) snapped a win streak of three by the U.S., setting the stage for peak excitement when the next competition rolls around Aug. 16-18, 2013.
“The way it worked out could not have been any better,” Ferrell said. “I was pulling for the USA, but trying to get the Cup back on home soil (in 2013) is perfect. It was a shot in the arm for the event.”
Ferrell and two members of the Colorado Golf Club board of directors attended the Solheim Cup Sept. 23-25 at Killeen Castle in Ireland in hopes of being fully prepared when the event comes to Parker in 22 months.
What they saw — by all accounts the most exciting tournament in the 21-year history of the Solheim Cup — must have whet their appetites for the 2013 competition.
As Ron Sirak wrote in Golf World Monday following the event, “Next up is a return to the U.S., at Colorado GC in 2013, and you can bet that the Yanks won’t forget the tears they shed Sunday in Ireland before then. Nor will anyone who saw this finish soon stop talking about it. This was as good as it gets …”
Ferrell, who also attended the 2009 Solheim Cup in Sugar Grove, Ill., noted, “In order to be viable, there’s got to be a back and forth (between the teams). And the competition (in Ireland) was fantastic. The birdies that were made in the last hour were unbelievable. I was talking to someone, and they said (the event) was like football and golf combined.”
Perhaps the Solheim Cup is becoming something similar to what the Ryder Cup did in the 1980s. After the U.S. won seven straight Cups over the GB&I/European teams, the Europeans prevailed in England in 1985, and interest in the event suddenly skyrocketed.
“In the 1980s once the Europeans started to win, that’s when the event really took off,” noted Colorado Golf Club head professional Graham Cliff, who attended the 2009 Solheim Cup in Illinois.
The Solheim Cup isn’t as lopsided as the Ryder Cup once was, but the U.S. has won eight Solheims, compared to four for Europe. And on American soil, the U.S. is 6-0 in the Solheim Cup.
Ferrell points out that this event takes on a personality considerably different than a traditional stroke-play tournament. A team element in an individual game — especially when there’s some nationalistic fervor involved — makes a big difference, particularly when the competition goes down to the wire.
More than 80,000 fans attended the Solheim Cup in Ireland, which was no match for the 120,000 for the week in Illinois two years ago. But considering the size of Ireland and the struggling economy there, the numbers were still impressive.
“The magnitude of this event — it’s a big deal,” Ferrell said. “The Solheim Cup is becoming the Grateful Dead of golf tournaments. You’ll talk to people in the galleries and they’ll say this is their third, second, fifth Solheim. We had a booth in the expo area (in Ireland) and it was remarkable the number of people looking at hotels and asking about committees to volunteer for (in 2013). Every single day I get e-mails from Europeans looking to come to Colorado Golf Club.”
One thing that Colorado GC’s visiting contingent particularly took note of in Ireland was the atmosphere surrounding the first tee.
“People sang songs and did chants, and they started a full hour before the beginning of the first match,” Ferrell said. “We want to make sure we impress on people that this isn’t your usual golf event. We want people to take part in what is a spirited atmosphere.”
The Solheim Cup will be the second major international tournament hosted by Colorado Golf Club — following the 2010 Senior PGA Championship — and the first since membership acquired the golf club five months ago. Just in the last few weeks, the club fully opened its high-end clubhouse.
“Coming out of a difficult period (financially) for us, it’ll be exciting to be in the spotlight for this event,” Ferrell said. “The international exposure not only for us but for Colorado overall will be great. We want to put on our best face for the club and for Colorado.
“The golf world is here for that one week. It’s a great stage.”
The U.S. and European captains haven’t yet been named for the 2013 event at Colorado Golf Club, but Golf World magazine has said the likelihood is that it will be Juli Inkster (U.S. ) vs. Annika Sorenstam (Europe). If so, that would only add to the glamour of the event as both are World Golf Hall of Famers and have won significant events in Colorado. Inkster claimed the 1982 U.S. Women’s Amateur title at what was then known as the Broadmoor’s South Course, while Sorenstam made the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open at the Broadmoor’s East Course her first LPGA Tour victory.
