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SOME MAY SAY THE SPORT OF GOLF is staid and stuffy, played mostly by men on courses where spectators are hushed into silence.
If that’s what you think, meet the event called the Solheim Cup. And meet it you can, because it tees off for the first time in Toledo since, well, forever.
“The most important thing to mention,” says Alex Graf, a Toledo native who is the event’s Service Manager, “is that the Solheim Cup is the biggest women’s golf tournament in the world. It’s different from any other professional golf event. It’s not stroke play; it’s match play, with the 12 best players for Team Europe competing against the 12 best players from America.
“It’s high energy,” she continues. “It’s all about patriotism, how loud you can get. It’s a party, and about your country, cheering the players on. In fact, some players like when you’re cheering when they’re swinging.”
The Solheim Cup tournament runs from August 31 to September 6—Labor Day—at Toledo’s classic Inverness Club. It follows by almost two months the annual Marathon LPGA Classic Presented by Dana at Sylvania’s Highland Meadows Golf Club, which this year was a qualifying tournament for Solheim.
The Solheim Cup is played every other year, alternating between Europe and America. It is a prized, highly sought-after event.
The Inverness Club was one of eight clubs in America that put in a bid and was awarded the event in 2016. “There were three huge things that helped land it here,” Graf says. One was the fan experience activities that local organizers put together to showcase what the city offers, from the Toledo Museum of Art to Imagination Station to the Mud Hens and beyond. The second was that Marathon Petroleum signed on as a global partner. The third was that more than 50 local businesses signed letters of financial support for the international event.
In addition, there was Toledo’s world-renowned Inverness Club. “The Inverness Club has been wonderful,” Graf says. “The membership and staff have been so supportive and proud to bring the Solheim Cup to their club.”
Traditionally, the Solheim Cup plays up the first-tee experience, she explains. People will line up outside the front gate to run and grab a seat at the stadium seating surrounding the first and 10th tees. In Toledo, having fans at the 10th tee is a bonus. The energy of the first tee is electric, and the stadium will accommodate more than 2,000 fans who are encouraged to cheer on their home-country favorites.
Graf adds that spectators will park at the Stranahan Theater and be shuttled to a drop-off spot across from the Inverness entrance on Dorr Street, which will be closed during the event.
Among those spectators will be potentially thousands of Europeans who are fans of their players. The European team is the Cup’s defending champion; these fans will cheer them on to keep the Cup.
Graf says the American team will be well-supported. “We feel confident that people around Toledo will be looking for things to do, a way to celebrate what we’ve been through as a country during the pandemic.”
Graf says having throngs of spectators from here and abroad will require many volunteers to ensure the event runs as smoothly as a three-foot putt on a manicured green. She also says it’s likely helpers will be needed leading up to the event—organizers hope to have 2,000 volunteers on board. Each volunteer pays $175 and receives several Solheim-themed items, including a grounds pass for the week that by itself covers the cost of volunteering. Further details are at solheimcupusa.com.
The benefits to Toledo and the region will be tangible, far-reaching, and long-lasting. “The economic impact will be $32 million spent on hotels and restaurants and all the things that people will do while they’re here,” Graf says. In addition, she says, “What’s so cool is that this puts Toledo on the global stage. Everyone in the golf world will be focused on Toledo. We’ll be showcasing the best of Toledo on national TV—NBC and GOLF.
“Some think Toledo doesn’t have the best of reputations,” she adds, “but I think this’ll change everyone’s mind. People around the world will see Toledo as an awesome place to live, work, and play.”
Then there’s the health connection. “Golf is a sporting event where the course is walkable. I believe watching golf inspires young people, and they see what kind of fun it can be. This promotes golf in general and as a healthy activity,” Graf states.
There’s one other aspect of the Solheim Cup that Graf, who played golf collegiately, says is important. “The game is growing, but you still don’t see a lot of young women playing golf. I know from my friends’ experiences and from working in the industry that young women are intimidated because they see it as a guys’ sport; they don’t see it as a sport women can play.
“That’s why I love the Marathon Classic and that the Solheim Cup will be in Toledo,” she adds. “It’s a game any gender, any race can play. It’s for everyone.
“Making golf more enjoyable is something the Solheim Cup does. It’s not a stuffy sport, it’s a fun activity and a great sport to play at any age.”
Solheim Cup 2021 schedule of events
Tuesday, August 31st
• Military Appreciation Day
• Team Practice
• Solheim After Sundown
Downtown – Hensville
Wednesday,
September 1st
• Healthcare Hero
Appreciation Day
• Team Practice
• On Site Activities
Thursday,
September 2nd
• Team Practice
• Sponsor Celebration –
Fifth Third Field
Friday, September 3rd
• Team Practice
• Opening Ceremonies –
Promenade Park (followed
by a concert)
Saturday, September 4th
• Four (4) Foursome Matches
• Four (4) Fourball Matches
* Airtimes: 7:30a – 12:30p GOLF,
12:30p – 2:30p NBC,
2:30p – 6:00p GOLF
Sunday, September 5th
• Four (4) Foursome Matches
• Four (4) Fourball Matches
* Airtimes: 7:30a – 12:00p GOLF,
12:00p – 1:30p NBC,
1:30p – 6:00p GOLF
Monday, September 6th
• Twelve (12) Singles Matches
• Closing Ceremony
Inverness Club
* Airtimes: 12:00p – 6:00p GOLF
* All items subject to change.
