The Solheim Cup is heading to Spain this weekend for the first time in the event’s history. As Team Europe looks to continue its winning streak against Team USA, we’re taking a look at what makes this rivalry so intense, and also giving you our top 2023 picks for golf apparel and equipment for women in Autumn/Winter 2023.
Unpacking the Match Play Format…
Today, the Solheim Cup follows the same format as the men’s Ryder Cup. Two teams, each consisting of 12 players, one captain and three assistant captains take on three days of competition.
Day 1 & 2 – Morning Foursome Matches and Afternoon Four-Ball Matches
“Foursome” play is a match where two golfers from one team compete against two golfers from the opposing team. Each team plays one ball and the players alternate shots until the hole is played out.
“Four-Ball” is a match where each member of the two-player team plays her own ball. Four balls are in play on each hole. The lowest score from each team will be the score for that team.
Day 3 – Singles Matches
On the final day all twelve of the USA Team Members will compete against one of the twelve Team Europe players. Each will play her own ball.
Solheim Cup Memories since 1990…
Since its inception in 1990, the Solheim Cup has come to represent one of the greatest rivalries in women’s sport. This year Team Europe captain Suzann Pettersen is hoping she can lead her team to a historic three-peat at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia.
“Catriona [Matthew, winning captain in 2019 and 2021,] didn’t want to three-peat,” Pettersen told reporters ahead of this year’s event. “I told her she should but she said, ‘No, I’ve done two. That’s enough. You can take over.’ Those are some big shoes to fill. She was a great captain. Very authentic, very transparent, and that’s extremely important.”
“But I feel like I have enough experience to take the role. The one thing that I really want is for the players to know that I’ll have their back, no matter what, through thick and thin. That’s really important to me. That’s probably my most important role.”
On the USA’s side this year is captain Stacy Lewis. At 38-years-old, Lewis is the youngest ever American captain and is hoping to be able to lead her team to a much-needed victory.
“I think Europe’s the favourite,” Lewis told reporters earlier this week. “They have won the last two, we’re on their soil and they have a great team that has a ton of experience in this event.” Adding, “So you look at history and, you know, it doesn’t bode well for us. But I love our chances. I love these rookies. I think they’re going to have a great week and hopefully surprise a lot of people.”
You can watch all the Solheim Cup action exclusively on Sky Sports Golf from Friday 22 September – Sunday 24 September.
GolfOnline’s Top Picks for Women for Autumn/Winter 2023…
To celebrate the Solheim Cup this weekend GolfOnline is picking out our favourite golf apparel and equipment ranges for women. All items are currently available online and in store to help enhance your game. Here’s a look at our top picks for 2023 and beyond!
Show your support for this year’s event with one of the official Solheim Cup golf hats from PING.
The Solheim Cup is named after PING founders, Karsten and Louise Solheim. So how could we not feature the brand’s incredible G LE3 series of golf clubs? These performance engineered golf clubs have been custom made to deliver female golfers unmatched forgiveness, distance, sound and a confidence-inspiring look.
With the help of the Women’s Advisory Board, TaylorMade set about to create a family of golf clubs that truly consider the needs of female players. Using only premium materials, TM engineers crafted a sophisticated range that hits all the right notes. Explore the Kalea Premier Woods and Irons today.
Now is the best time of the year to grab a bargain, and this is one special bargain. The Callaway Ladies XR Speed Fairway Wood features an easy-to-launch shallow face design with a re-engineered Next-Gen Hyper Speed Face Cup to help optimise ball speeds across the whole face for incredible distance gains. Originally £229 it’s now on sale for only £99!
Are you looking to stock up for next season? Or do you have plans to play in the sun this winter? The Under Armour Ladies Links Woven Shorts are your answer. Available in a variety of colour options, if you buy one pair you can get a second for 50% off!
These sleek, lightweight and breathable golf shoes have been specifically designed for women and feature a Never-Wet treatment to ensure your feet stay dry.
Play with remarkable softness, added distance and more confidence on every approach with the Srixon Ladies Soft Feel golf balls. Buy yours now and take advantage of GolfOnline’s incredible multibuy offers.
Grip is one of the most important things for a golfer to maintain. These gloves promise to help you maintain your grip when you need it most. Featuring a precision fit and great durability, the FiberSof palm on the GTxtreme also ensures a soft and comfortable feel.
This sleeveless polo shirt is perfect for wear both on and off the golf course. Featuring a combination of moisture wicking and cooling technology, it’s engineered to keep you dry and cool when it matters most.
Perfect for this time of year, the UA Storm midlayer Zip Jacket features a mid-weight ColdGear fabric and a 4-way stretch that won’t interfere with your swing.
Who doesn’t love a bit of golf tech? If golf is your world, Garmin states “this is your watch.” Featuring 43,000 preloaded golf courses, an improved virtual caddie, enhanced playslike distance feature and green contour data, the S70 GPS really does it all.
This package set from Callaway will give you everything you need to attack the golf course. Specifically engineered for a woman’s swing speed, you can expect distance, forgiveness and easy-to-launch clubs. What more could you want?
One more super saver in the mix! These irons feature a traditional cavity back design and perimeter weighting to produce effortless launch and distance. Originally £329, you can grab them now for only £240.