The Snyder Cup National Golf Club is a private golf club that was founded December 14, 1996 in Chicago, Illinois by JM McCreery and JP Lynch. The two were self-professed "golf-crazed and frustrated bankers" working arduous hours in Chicago's financial "Loop" district. The Club was initially designed as comic relief to seemingly never-ending work and a longing desire to be playing golf rather than working spreadsheets. The club's primary objective is to annually host the Snyder Cup tournament for its members.
Based on a format adopted from the Ryder Cup, the two founders imagined an annual gathering in Oshkosh, Wisconsin filled with competitive golf and camaraderie. The tournament, aptly named "The Snyder Cup", is a three-day, 54-hole, match-play golf tournament. It is officially known as "The Snyder Cup National Match Play Championship". The founders have stated that the tournament's goal is to host the best amateur match play tournament in the world. On its website, the founders claim to have succeeded, although this can not be accurately verified.
Snyder Cup members currently represent 10 of the 50 United States, Canada, Ireland and Singapore. While nearly half of the field currently resides in the Chicago metropolitan area, the following states also have representation annually at the Snyder Cup Tournament: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Wisconsin. The club currently has 27 members and states its membership "full". According to the Club's by-laws, members have the privilege of continuing their involvement in the Club until death. Membership election into the club requires a 100% unanimous vote from all existing members.
The Snyder Cup tournament is played by splitting (typically through drafting procedure) the Membership into two teams, the Red Team and the Blue Team. To win the Snyder Cup, a team must obtain greater than 50% of the total points available in the competition. A point is earned by winning a match-play contest. The 54 holes are divided into three separate competitions that take place on three consecutive days. Day one is a typically a Four-Ball Competition (a total of 6 points available). Day two is typically a Foursomes Competition (a total of 6 points available). The final round has historically been played as singles with 12 points of the 24 points available on that day.
TOURNAMENT winners
| Year | Winning Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Blue Team | 11.0 - 9.0 |
| 1998 | Blue Team | 14.5 - 9.5 |
| 1999 | Blue Team | 11.0 - 9.0 |
| 2000 | Blue Team | 12.5 - 11.5 |
| 2001 | Blue Team | 14.0 - 10.0 |
| 2002 | Blue Team | 13.0 - 11.0 |
| 2003 | Blue Team | 13.5 - 10.5 |
| 2004 | Blue Team | 13.0 - 11.0 |
| 2005 | Red Team | 13.0 - 11.0 |
| 2006 | Red Team | 13.5 - 11.5 |
| 2007 | Red Team | 13.5 - 10.5 |
| 2008 | Red Team | 13.0 - 11.0 |
| 2009 | Blue Team | 14.5 - 9.5 |
| 2010 | Blue Team | 15.0 - 9.0 |
| 2011 | Red Team | 15.0 - 5.0 |
Winning team Members take great joy in hoisting the Cup in similar fashion to NHL ice hockey players after winning the Stanley Cup. Often, after staking victory Members can be seen sipping various cold libations from the Snyder Cup. In a tradition also paying homage to hockey's grand award, every winning Member's name is permanently engraved in the Snyder Cup trophy.
In addition to the winning team said to have won "The Cup", the winners also sponsor a player they dub worthy of capturing the Butte des Morts Trophy (BdM). That trophy is presented as the Most Valuable Player award at the Snyder Cup. Only a Member of the winning team is eligible to win the BdM trophy. The MVP trophy is named after Lake Butte des Morts that along with the Fox River, borders the golf course on two sides and provides a scenic setting for the Tournament. The name "Butte des Morts" was given by French settlers, and means "Hill of the Dead", in reference to a nearby Indian burial mounds found around the Lake Winnebago Pool.
Butte Des Morts Trophy Winners
| Year | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Michael Werblow | Blue |
| 1998 | Joseph Lynch | Blue |
| 1999 | Robert Polta | Blue |
| 2000 | Matthew Stry | Blue |
| 2001 | John Zera | Blue |
| 2002 | John Zera | Blue |
| 2003 | James Sullivan | Blue |
| 2004 | James Bramblet | Blue |
| 2005 | Ross Leinweber | Red |
| 2006 | Michael Werblow | Red |
| 2007 | Britton Leigh | Red |
| 2008 | Daniel Knapp | Red |
| 2009 | Mark Corridon | Blue |
| 2010 | John Zera | Blue |
| 2011 | Stephen Casey | Red |
Key moments in Snyder Cup History
- Friday, July 11, 1997 - JM McCreery hits the first shot in SC History and promptly goes on to par the first hole ever played,
- Sunday, July 13, 1997 - The Blue Team claims victory at the SC -I,
- Saturday, July 10, 2004 - Greg Lueneburg makes the first ever Snyder Cup Hole-in-One,
- Saturday, July 17, 2005 - The 8-year Blue Team reign finally ends as The Red Team posts its first SC win,
- Saturday, June 28, 2008 - David Chittaro becomes the first player to break 70 in SC Competition,
- Saturday, August 7, 2010 - John Zera becomes the first three-time MVP recipient.
The Snyder Cup calls Lake Shore Municipal Golf Course its home. Lake Shore Municipal is owned by the city of Oshkosh and is operated by the Parks & Recreation Department. The course is managed by Steven Ziblut and Steven Dobish is responsible for the golf course maintenance.
The Snyder Cup Tournament has historically been played during the second or third weekend in July.
Some of the Snyder Cup membership also competes every autumn in the Low Country Battle Royale.
Famous quotes containing the words snyder and/or cup:
“Wearing a spotted fawnskin
sleeping under trees
bacchantes, drunk
On wine or truth, what you will,
Meaning: compassion.”
—Gary Snyder (b. 1930)
“There is not enough exercise in this way of life. I try to make up by active gymnastics before I dress when I get up, by walking rapidly in the lower hall and the greenhouse after each meal for perhaps five to ten minutes, and a good hand rubbing before going to bed. I eat moderately; drink one cup of coffee at breakfast and one cup of tea at lunch and no other stimulant. My health is now, and usually, excellent.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)