Who is Samuel Ryder, why is the Ryder Cup named after him, and how did he have such an impact on world golf?
THE 42nd Ryder Cup nears its conclusion at Le Golf National in Paris TODAY.
What was Ryder’s background?
Ryder was born at Walton-le-Dale near Preston in 1858.
He trained as a teacher at Owens College in Manchester but did not graduate due to ill health. Ryder first worked at a shipping firm in Manchester, and then for his father whose business expanded to include a nursery, florist and seed merchant.
A disagreement with his dad led Ryder to move to London to join a rival seed merchant. He married Helen Mary Barnard, known as Nellie, in November 1890.
Ryder lived near St Albans, originated the idea of selling garden seeds in “penny packets” and built a very successful business on the concept.
It wasn’t until he reached the age of 50 that he became keen on golf and, together with his brother James, started sponsoring a number of local golf tournaments and matches.
What else can you tell me about him?
Ryder was Mayor of St Albans in 1905 and remained a councillor until 1916.
He was also a committed Christian.
Tell me how Samuel Ryder came to be the brains behind the Ryder Cup?
In early 1926 came the idea for a match between British and American professional golfers. Ryder became involved and sponsored the event.
His intention was to make it the first Ryder Cup but, as it turned out, the match was not an official contest.
The first official event actually took place in 1927 and Ryder donated a gold trophy.
Where was the first Ryder Cup match staged?
The Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts hosted the inaugural event in June 1927.
The format, still used today, was for the competition to be staged in alternate years, with the two sides taking turns as hosts.
Ryder attended the first two home matches played at Moortown in Leeds and Southport in 1929 and 1933 respectively and presented the trophy to Britain’s successful captain George Duncan in 1929.
The trophy was manufactured by Mappin & Webb and cost nearly £300.
Why does the Ryder Cup have such an impact on world golf?
Hosts of the Ryder Cup say the tournament always has a strong economic, sporting and educational impact on them directly, often leaving a lasting legacy.
The matches are played out in front of spectators who show a fanaticism more akin to that of a football crowd than a genteel golf gallery.
That unique appeal, plus the global interest generated, makes hosting a Ryder Cup a treasured and much sought-after prize.
These days the competition is contested by Europe and the US. This year Thomas Bjorn captains the European team and Jim Furyk the US.
What became of Samuel Ryder?
Ryder suffered from poor health in later life and spent some time in South Africa and with elder daughter Marjorie. He died in January 1936 at the Langham Hotel in London’s Portland Place, London, the family’s traditional Christmas holiday retreat.
