Soutar Cup
Sport: Golf
Gender: Men
Typically Held: January
Course: Championship – tiger tees
Summary: A friendly match between The Royal Sydney Golf Club and Manly Golf Club held on the Sunday before the first Major Pennant Round, to prepare the teams for the season ahead.
Individual Match Play following the same format and pin positions as Major Pennants. Teams to be selected by Major Pennant Captains.
Sandwiches and drinks provided on course, followed by a lunch on the Northern Verandah.
Hosted in alternate years at Royal Sydney and Manly GC.
History: First played in 1996, the Soutar Cup honours golf professional Dan Soutar, whose impact on early Australian golf was significant. Born in Scotland, Soutar was a friend and golfing rival of Carnegie Clark. Clark persuaded Soutar to migrate to Sydney in 1903; in that year Soutar won the Australian Amateur golf title. Turning professional in early 1905, he joined Clark in partnership at Royal Sydney, and won the Australian Open title that year. Soutar left Royal Sydney in 1907, to take up a position in the Blue Mountains, then became the ‘pro’ at Manly GC in 1911. Thus the bond between the two clubs is established and celebrated.
Soutar’s golfing record is prodigious. He was runner-up in the Open seven times, won the ‘Professionals Match’ (the forerunner of the PGA) on numerous occasions, and many other purses. He was recognised as an outstanding course designer, and he contributed with Carnegie Clark to the first Royal Sydney championship layout on the present estate.
The Soutar Cup was named after the golf professional, Dan Soutar, who acted as a golf professional and course designer at both clubs in the early 1900s. Soutar joined Royal Sydney as professional in 1905 and in that year won the Australian Open and the Australian PGA in his first year as a professional. He remained at Royal Sydney until 1907 during which time he won another two Australian PGA championships, wrote the first Australian golf instruction book and designed several courses. Soutar moved to Manly in 1911 and established the PGA of Australia shortly thereafter. Whilst professional at Manly he taught and nutured such greats as Joe Kirkwood and Jim Ferrier. During this time he designed Kingston Heath, Concord Golf Club, Bowral Golf Club, Elanora Country Club, Pymble Golf Club and the Mosman Golf club.
Traditions & Standards: In the event of a tie, the team who won the previous year retains the Cup.
Dress: Major Pennant uniforms
Lunch: Golf attire
Royal Sydney Men’s Captain and President are invited to attend home matches and lunch following play.
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