Samuel Ryder |
Samuel Ryder was born in Preston, Lancashire on 24th March 1858. His father was a grower of plants and a seed merchant who had five daughters and three sons. Samuel was sent to Owens's College in Manchester (Manchester University now), as was his brother James.
His father had some doubts about his wisdom and asked him to sell penny seed packets to English garden lovers. Ryder determined himself to go into his own business and there fore, he moved to St. Albans in Hertfordshire and made the Heath and Heather Seed Company. His business flourished, and he was elected mayor of St. Albans in 1906. After some time he became ill due to too much work and was expectant to take up golf.
Ryder took golf lessons and practiced six days a week for a year. By the age of 51, he had a six handicap and in 1910 he joined the Verulam Golf Club in Saint Albans. Ryder enjoyed the unofficial international match between the Americans and British at Wentworth, in 1926. Then Ryder thought of turning this cup into an official event and shortly, the act of gift was planed with Ryder assenting to bestow a solid gold cup, worth €250.
The first official Ryder Cup was arranged in 1927 from June 3 to 4, at the Worcester Country Club. Samuel Ryder lived to see two Ryder Cups being played at his home ground. He died in 1936 at the age of 77. |
