Before Europe and the USA meet for the 20th Solheim Cup at Bernardus, PING Executive Chairman John A. Solheim looks back at how an idea for a women’s match-play event became one of the biggest occasions in golf.

When Europe and the USA walk onto the first tee at Bernardus this week, they will be continuing a rivalry that has become one of the most eagerly anticipated events in women’s golf. Yet when the idea for the Solheim Cup was first discussed with the Solheim family in 1989, nobody could have known quite what it would become.

In a new video filmed at PING’s headquarters in Phoenix, golf journalist Hannah Holden sits down with PING Executive Chairman John A. Solheim and Vice President Stacey Pauwels to explore the family story behind the competition, from Karsten Solheim’s first putter to the decision to back a new international team event for women.

There are some wonderful details along the way. John recalls the original proposal being brought to the family and his concern that if they committed to only two matches, the event might subsequently be sold to somebody else. His mother Louise had a rather more decisive answer: commit to ten.

That long-term thinking helped give the competition the opportunity to establish itself, but the video also reveals just how uncertain its future initially was. The strength of the American women’s game meant there were questions about whether Europe could provide sufficiently competitive opposition. Europe’s victory at Dalmahoy in 1992 changed that.

“We knew right then we had an event,” Solheim recalls.

From family idea to one of golf’s great occasions

More than three decades later, the Solheim Cup bears little resemblance to those early matches. The crowds have grown, the first tee has become famous for its atmosphere and Europe and the USA have produced some of the most memorable finishes in team golf.

For the Solheim family, however, the original purpose remains important. John and Stacey talk about Karsten and Louise’s belief that the event could give women golfers another stage on which to showcase their talent, as well as the family’s continuing involvement today.

There is also plenty about the competition itself, including the rise of Europe’s singing supporters, why John tries to remain impartial despite the transatlantic rivalry, what makes match play so compelling and what he expects when the 20th edition gets underway at Bernardus.

And there is a lovely thought about how he would like this year’s contest to end. We won’t spoil that one.

Watch: The story behind the Solheim Cup

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