Americas Cup (golf)

Americas Cup
Tournament information
Established1952
FormatTeam match play
Final year1967
Final champion
United States

The Americas Cup was a biennial men's team golf tournament between teams of amateurs golfers from the United States, Canada and Mexico. It was held nine times between 1952 and 1967. The United States won all the matches except in 1965 when Canada won the cup.

The matches followed on from an informal match that had been played in 1951 at Saucon Valley Country Club between teams from the United States and Canada. A trophy was donated by Jerome P. Bowes, Jr.[1]

The event was held in even-numbered years from 1952 to 1960 when there was no Walker Cup match. However from 1961 to 1967 it was held in odd-numbered years, to avoid clashing with the Eisenhower Trophy which started in 1958 and was held in even-numbered years. The venue cycled between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Until 1967 teams consisted of seven players, six of whom played in each session. In 1967 the teams were reduced to five with four playing in each session.

All nine events were held over two days. Matchplay threesomes were used in which each of the three played the other two simultaneously. Alternate-shot matches were played as well as single matches. In 1952 and 1954, 36-hole matches were played with extra holes played to obtain a result. There were three sets of alternate-shot matches on the first day and six sets of singles on the second day. From 1956, all matches were over 18 holes; extra holes were not played. Until 1967, there were three sets of alternate-shot matches and six sets of singles on both days. In 1967, there were only two sets of alternate-shot matches and four sets of singles each day.

  1. ^ "The Americas Cup Matches" (PDF). USGA Journal and Turf Management: 11. July 1952.