CURTIS CUP · THE COMPETITION GUIDE
Curtis Cup: Women’s Amateur Teams and Match-Play Format
The Curtis Cup is one of women’s amateur golf’s most cherished team matches, bringing Great Britain and Ireland together with the United States for a contest of partnership and precision.
The story behind the Curtis Cup
First played in 1932, the Curtis Cup is the leading team trophy in women’s amateur golf. It is contested biennially by teams representing Great Britain and Ireland and the United States. Named after sisters Harriot and Margaret Curtis, the event has become a valued bridge between national amateur programmes and the wider international game.
How the format works
The competition combines foursomes, four-ball and singles. Foursomes asks partners to share one ball and alternate shots; four-ball lets each golfer play her own ball, with the better score counting for the pair; singles puts every player into a direct match. The current R&A page publishes the session schedule and match details for each edition, so use that source for the exact lineup and scoring.
The team element is the point
Curtis Cup players compete not only for their own match but for a shared team score. Captains must balance playing styles, confidence and partnerships across the sessions. The format can also reward depth: a team that loses some early matches can recover through strong singles, where each player has a separate chance to add a point.
Why it matters to the women’s amateur game
The Curtis Cup celebrates the depth of talent coming through national and university golf programmes and provides a high-profile stage before many players turn professional. For fans, it is a chance to discover future stars in a setting where strategy and team chemistry matter as much as individual technique.
