It’s been over two decades since England has hosted the Ryder Cup, but now The London Club is striving to bring back the prestigious golfing event. The last time England hosted the esteemed tournament was back in 2002 at The Belfry in Warwickshire, where Europe secured victory under the leadership of Sam Torrence.
Since that triumph, the competition has been held across Europe in Italy, France, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, with the 2027 contest to unfold at Ireland’s Adare Manor. With an eye on hosting duties for either 2031 or 2035, The London Club has tossed its name into the hat, equipped with ambitious expansion proposals to boost its appeal.
Nestled in the Kent village of Ash, 20 minutes southeast of the capital, The London Club isn’t alone in its quest; Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire and Bolton’s Hulton Park, neither of which have been built, are also vying for the honour.
The club’s chief executive, Stephen Follett, told The Golf Business of major plans for a new hotel and spa development named ‘The London Project’, which he believes sets the stage perfectly for accommodating the grandeur of the Ryder Cup.
Follett said: “We have tried and tested it with DP World Tour events, but there are global events Ryder Cups, Solheim Cups that we should be looking at and aspiring to host.
“We are a part of the bidding process for the Ryder Cup. That’s been a fascinating exercise because the numbers they’re talking about 70,000 people a day is a different dynamic. But The London Project will stand us in good stead to become a venue to attract these global events.
“[The club’s first owner] Mr Nagahara wanted to create a venue to stage global tournaments. Now, the team is here, the facility is here, the product is here, and we believe we could put on a great show. I think that’s the right aspiration for the club to have.”
“It could be in 2031 or 2035. It gives us time to plan it and I think that is where I would like to see us go. I would like to see our facility become renowned alongside some of the other venues that have hosted Ryder Cups and Solheim Cups. That’s where we should be, we should be among those names.”
The Ryder Cup has only been held in close proximity to London twice before, with Surrey’s Wentworth and Walton Heath hosting the event in 1953 and 1981 respectively. Next year’s edition will be held at Bethpage Black in New York, with Europe defending the title it won in Rome in 2023.
The London Club’s Heritage course was designed by 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus and hosted the European Open in 2008 and 2009 before holding the Cazoo Classic in 2021.
