Ryder Cup: The cash secrets behind Cup race

The real reasons why Ireland and Scotland have been denied golf's biggest prize

Derek Lawrenson, The Telegraph, 28 October 1996

It is a question all Ireland and Scotland have been asking for at least a decade - just how do you get to stage a Ryder Cup? Now, for the first time, the full story can be told: why Spain, whose players only started competing in it in 1979, will host next year's event rather than Ireland, who are still waiting for the honour despite sending representives since 1927; why The Belfry, which was built only in 1975, will stage the Ryder Cup for the fourth time in 2001, rather than a course in Scotland, where the event has been held just once since its inception 70 years ago.

Sandy Jones, chief executive of the Professional Golfers' Association, outlined in June why The Belfry had been chosen once again. He rightly talked of the glory of Ryder Cups past, its location, and the fact that it was the PGA's centenary and how nice it would be to have the event at their headquarters at The Belfry.

But what he neglected to mention was the £8 million that De Vere Hotels, the owners of The Belfry, had invested in a new PGA training academy and a third course at the Midlands complex, to be known as PGA National and opening next year, in the hope of being chosen again.

Indeed, De Vere's commitment went still further, as they agreed to stage the PGA Seniors' Championship at The Belfry for at least the next decade, with prize money this year of £150,000. They also sponsor a second Seniors event at another of their courses.

Stuart Reid, chairman of De Vere Hotels, said: "When the last putt dropped at the Ryder Cup at The Belfry in 1993 we sat down and said to ourselves: 'What do we have to do to get the thing back here again?' So what we did was build a training academy which gives the professionals of the future a real start in life. We've built a golf course which will be of a standard capable of holding the PGA Seniors' Championship.

"This is the commercial reality of the Ryder Cup and I see nothing wrong with it. No-one in this day and age is going to hand it to Ireland just because it has not been there before. You have to get out into the market place and fight for it."

Jaime Ortiz-Patino, owner of Valderrama, the venue for next year's Ryder Cup, certainly fought for it. "What you have to remember is that the Ryder Cup is now the third-biggest sports event, in terms of a television audience, behind the Olympics and the World Cup. Andalucia could become the Florida of Europe if we get it right next year. The potential is unlimited."

Patino lobbied in tandem with the Spanish Tourist Board for the Ryder Cup. Valderrama demonstrated its worth by hosting the Volvo Masters every year. The tourist board demonstrated their commitment by sponsoring a series of events in the early part of each season, when the European Tour were struggling to fill their schedule.

The Ryder Cup is held every four years in Europe and is jointly run by the PGA, who manage the affairs of club professionals, and the European Tour. They take it in turns to name their choice of venue. The PGA choose The Belfry every time for reasons that should now be obvious. The Tour's selection for next year was equally straightforward,given their wish to express their gratitude to the Spanish Tourist Board, and Valderrama in particular.

Traditionalists will throw up their hands in horror at the thought of the Ryder Cup being used so blatantly like this as a marketing tool. It is a sensitive subject with the Tour and the PGA as well, whose Press releases never mention it. In the real world, however, it was inevitable given what is now at stake.

Never mind Patino's contention that Andalucia could become the Florida of Europe. Just look at what has happened to The Belfry. In 20 years it has gone from being a potato field to one of the most successful hotels in Britain, perhaps the whole Continent.

Occupancy levels run year round at almost 90 per cent despite 300 bedrooms to fill at over £100 a night. Sixty more are being built. The Japanese tried to buy it several years ago for £100 million and did not get past first base.

"The Ryder Cup has undoubtedly played a massive part in our success story but equally I like to think we've played our part in what has happened to the event," said Reid. "We took it on for the first time in 1985 when nobody else wanted to know."

Ireland has now cottoned on, and, in Reid's words, is out there in the market place. A committee have been formed with a view to getting the event in 2005.

And Scotland too. The European Tour's 1997 schedule is to be announced on Thursday and the biggest event in terms of prize money is rumoured to be the Loch Lomond World Invitational, which was held for the first time this year. Lyle Anderson, Loch Lomond's owner, would dearly love the Ryder Cup.

As for Valderrama, the hurdles that made it such a controversial choice are slowly being lowered. The main bone of contention was the appalling road that links it to Marbella 40 miles away, and where most of the British, who will make up the vast bulk of the paying audience, will be staying.

Patino himself forecast it would take people six hours to get to the course if something was not done.

"It's finally dawned on the local authorities what is at stake and that this is the only chance in the next 40 years that they will get the Ryder Cup," he said. "The new road will be completed but for a small stretch in the middle.

"They have promised me they will do something about this to avoid it being a terrible bottleneck. So let's keep our fingers crossed."

Some people are not prepared to cross their fingers and this is reflected in the property prices. A four-bedroom villa within 15 minutes of the course will cost anything between £10-25,000 for the week of the Cup. Not many people, of course, can afford these prices, so an accommodation bureau was busily handing out a glossy brochure last week listing over a hundred places to stay. But not one was less than 45km from Valderrama.

Patino has done all he can to alleviate the bottle- necks on a course where the cork trees that help make it one of the most beautiful tests in Europe also make it a difficult viewing venue.

There will be grandstands for 8,000 people, leaving 19,000 watching four matches on the first two days. There are areas of Valderrama which will palpably be unable to cope but as Patino points out: "The worst bottleneck I have ever seen was at Oakmont where 40,000 people trudged across a bridge over a turnpike but they still keep taking the US Open there.

"Of course there will be areas where it will be cramped and difficult to see but given a large number of people watching just four matches that would be the same anywhere."

Two things that will be beyond reproach are the course itself and its condition. At least that's something to gladden a traditionalist's heart.