Summary: The Ryder Cup is a prestigious golf tournament held every two years between Europe and the United States. One of the most coveted prizes in golf is the Ryder Cup trophy. The original trophy remains with the PGA, but a replica trophy was made in 1973 for players to keep. Let’s take a closer look at the Ryder Cup trophy replica.
1. The Design of the Trophy
The Ryder Cup trophy replica is an exact copy of the original trophy created by Samuel Ryder, a wealthy English businessman who sponsored the competition. The trophy is made of gold and stands nearly 18 inches tall. It weighs approximately four pounds and has two handles that resemble the shape of golf clubs. The lid of the trophy features a figure holding a golf club. Engraved on the trophy are the words “Ryder Cup” and the names of all prior winning teams.
The trophy is housed in a leather case adorned with the flags of both the United States and Europe. When the trophy is not being competed for, it is kept safe in this case and stored at the current holder’s national golf association office.
The trophy is, without doubt, one of the most recognizable and prestigious trophies in all of sport. Any golfer who has the honor of winning the Ryder Cup knows that they have accomplished something incredible.
2. The Original Ryder Cup Trophy
The original Ryder Cup trophy was manufactured in England in 1927 by jeweler Mappin & Webb. Shortly after production, it was stolen from the company’s factory and ultimately ended up in a scrap yard. It wasn’t until several weeks later that the Ryder Cup itself was recovered and presented at the first Ryder Cup matches in Worcester, Massachusetts, in September of 1927.
The original trophy remained in use until 1972 when it was retired to protect it from further wear and tear. A new trophy, the current trophy competed for at the Ryder Cup tournaments, was commissioned by the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America that same year and it was immediately dubbed the “Wanamaker Trophy”.
The original Ryder Cup trophy can now be found at the PGA headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where it serves as a symbol of the tournament’s storied history.
3. When Was The First Replica Trophy Created?
The first replica trophy was created in 1973, following a rule change which allowed winning teams to keep the Ryder Cup for two years instead of just one. Before that, the winning team received a small medal, which was not as impressive an award.
After the change in rules, Laurence B. Levy, vice chairman of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), commissioned the creation of a replica trophy so that the winning team could take home a more impressive award. The idea was to create an exact replica of the original trophy without diminishing its prestige.
The first winners of the replica trophy were the United States team in 1975, who defeated Europe by a score of 21-11. Since then, the trophy has been awarded to the winning team after each match. It remains the pinnacle of achievement for any player at the Ryder Cup.
4. How is the Replica Trophy Made?
The Ryder Cup trophy replica is made of two-thirds silver, one-third gold and weighs 4.8 kg. It takes around six weeks to make a single trophy and is made entirely by hand. The base and lid of the trophy are fused together with heat, and then the handles are added on.
Once the basic shape is complete, the trophy is polished to a high shine. Engravers then add the names of previous winners to each of the 17 inches of Silver plated area around the cup.
Finally, goldsmiths add the finishing touches to the lid of the trophy. The figure on top is made of gold and is soldered in place by hand.
The whole process is intricate and takes a lot of skill to execute. Because of this, only three replicas of the trophy are currently in circulation. One for each team and one held by the PGA of America. This ensures that the trophy remains at the highest possible quality.
Conclusion:
The Ryder Cup trophy replica is an exact copy of the original trophy created by Samuel Ryder. It is a highly coveted trophy and offers lifelong prestige and bragging rights to the winning team. The replica trophy was first created in 1973, following a rule change which allowed winning teams to keep the Ryder Cup for two years instead of just one. Made from two-thirds silver and one third gold, the trophy takes six weeks to create and is made entirely by hand. By protecting the original Ryder Cup trophy and creating an exact replica, the sport has ensured that the history and prestige of the tournament lives on.