Solheim bid deserves support

Scotland’s decision to bid for the 2019 Solheim Cup is one that shouldn’t just be welcomed – it’s one that should be backed to the hilt.

News that VisitScotland and the Scottish Government want to bring the 16th edition of the match to the home of golf was confirmed this morning.

On paper, the bid is a strong one. Gleneagles, the nominated host venue, did a magnificent job of staging last year’s Ryder Cup, catering to the needs of roughly a quarter of a million fans and almost 1,000 media with slick efficiency. The PGA Centenary Course, meanwhile, gave a good account of itself, providing plenty of excitement and drama for the players and fans alike.

“Gleneagles as a resort now knows what is required to host a huge, high profile golf event”

However, the key word in this matter should be ‘experience’. Gleneagles as a resort now knows what is required to host a huge, high profile golf event, as do the people behind the scenes, namely the team at VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.

If confidence in the delivery of a top-class event is taken into consideration by the Ladies European Tour when they make their decisions, then they can have no questions about either Gleneagles or Scotland. We’ve shown with the Ryder Cup that we know how to put on a major golf event and, for good measure, we then backed that up with the delivery of one of the most successful and universally praised Commonwealth Games in living memory. We’re a small but very well-oiled machine.

FULL STORY -> Gleneagles lined up for Solheim Cup

Besides anything else, Scotland appears to be a ‘good luck’ charm for the European team. The previous two matches that have been staged here, in 1992 and 2000, resulted in wins for our gals. Indeed, they were Europe’s only wins in the first seven stagings of the match.

CONTINUES BELOW…

There’s no doubt about it: the argument for taking the match back here is hugely persuasive. What we, as a golf community need to do now, is get behind the bid. We need to show our appetite for the match. We need to show that we want the Solheim Cup here in our country, in the home of golf. In short, we need to make it impossible for the Ladies European Tour to take it anywhere else.

GALLERY -> Scotland & the Solheim Cup

Other countries are bidding and they, too, will make compelling cases to host the event. We can’t just assume that, because this was where the game was born, the LET will automatically defer to us.

“Let’s tweet and Facebook our desire to see Europe take on the USA once again on our shores”

How can we show our support? Social media isn’t a bad place to start. Its influence is growing all the time, so let’s tweet and Facebook our desire to see Europe take on the USA once again on our shores. And let’s not revert to petty criticisms, such as ‘it would have been nice if they’d taken the match somewhere new’. We need to stand as one behind the bid and be vociferous in our support. Why? Because another Solheim Cup in Scotland would be quite a thing.

Now, let’s go out there and get it.

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Head of Content