Fightmaster Cup

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Fightmaster Cup Logo.jpg

The Fightmaster Cup is a match play golf tournament involving players from North America and Europe. It is an event which involves golfers with the use of one arm only, with it being the first international tournament in history for one-armed golfers. [1] [2] The Cup is named after Don Fightmaster, described by Time magazine as "an Arnold Palmer of the one-armed-golf world". [3]

Contents

The tournament is played between one-armed golfers from the North American One-Armed Golfer Association, formed in 2000, and the Society of One-Armed Golfers, formed in 1932 and based in Glasgow. [4] As a team event, the winner will be one of the two continental organisations and not individual players.

The inaugural meeting in 2008 was held just prior to the Ryder Cup, at The Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, Kentucky, near Louisville. [3] [5] The new tournament's requirements on participants are still being debated and discussed, with the exclusion of "assisted players" being a prominent issue. [4]

Format

The 2008 Fightmaster Cup comprised two teams, selected by each of the two competing associations. Both teams consisted of twelve competitors, selected primarily from annually-held and end-of-season championships within their continental associations. [1] [5]

The tournament took place over three days, from September 11 through to September 13. [1] The match play format follows that of the Ryder Cup, with the tournament consisting of eight foursomes matches, eight fourball matches and twelve singles matches. [3]

The winner of each match scores a point for their team, with ½ a point each for any match that is tied after 18 holes. The winner of the Fightmaster Cup will be the association who scores the most points following the twenty-four matches over the three days. [1]

Rules

According to the rules of the tournament, only players who just use one arm to play and do not use the second during golfing in any way are allowed to compete. The exclusion of "assisted players" from the event is currently being debated; that is, players who use a second arm (or prosthetic substitute) to support the club despite the arm not being functional and responsive. The North American association has a division to accommodate assisted players, while the European association does not. [4]

Results

Fightmaster Cup
YearWinnersScoreRunners-upHost countryVenueRef.
2025IrelandRoganstown Golf Club, Ireland
2018 Flag of Europe.svg   Europe 1711 Flag of the United States.svg   North America EnglandWalmer & Kingsdown GC, Kent [6]
2016 Flag of Europe.svg   Europe 1513 Flag of the United States.svg   North America United StatesIndiana Wells Resort and Spa, Palm Springs, CA [7]
2014 Flag of Europe.svg   Europe 217 Flag of the United States.svg   North America Scotland Stirling Golf Club
2012 Flag of Europe.svg   Europe 20½ Flag of the United States.svg   North America United StatesThe Hilton Indian Lakes Resort, Chicago
2010 Flag of Europe.svg   Europe 1612 Flag of the United States.svg   North America Wales Marriott St Pierre Hotel & Country Club [8]
2008 Flag of the United States.svg   North America 19½ Flag of Europe.svg   Europe United StatesThe Cardinal Club, Kentucky [9]

Venues

Maps of Fightmaster Cup venues.

Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
2008
Red pog.svg
2012
Red pog.svg
2016
Fightmaster Cups held in the USA
United Kingdom adm location map.svg
Blue pog.svg
2010
Blue pog.svg
2014
Blue pog.svg
2018
Fightmaster Cups held in the British isles

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 The Cup Experience (2007).
  2. City of Louisville (2007).
  3. 1 2 3 Gregory (2007), 36.
  4. 1 2 3 Gregory (2007), 37.
  5. 1 2 Shafer (2007).
  6. "2017 Fightmaster Cup results", NAOAGA, accessed October 29, 2019
  7. "2016 Fightmaster Cup results", NAOAGA, accessed January 9, 2017
  8. "2010 Fightmaster Cup results", NAOAGA, accessed January 9, 2017
  9. "2008 Fightmaster Cup results", NAOAGA, accessed January 9, 2017

References