THE CAPTAIN ’ S PUTTER – THE VIRGINIAS TEAM WINS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
The Captain ’ s Putter Matches weren ’ t always referred to as such . When the matches started ( at the suggestion of the Virginia State Golf Association ) they were referred to as “ The Virginias-Carolinas Team Matches .” That is , except when the home venue was in the Carolinas , when it naturally became “ The Carolinas-Virginias Team Matches .”
As one might expect , the brand suffered from a minor case of schizophrenia . In 2010 , the doctor suggested that the name be changed to “ The Captain ’ s Putter Team Matches ,” putting the event ’ s permanent trophy on double duty .
The Carolinas ’ Scott Harvey is a past U . S . Mid-Amateur Champion who has also appeared in one Masters .
Pat Tallent playing for the Virginias in 2016 .
He ’ s won several major championships , including the U . S . Senior Amateur and British Senior Amateur , along with the
VSGA Amateur .
YEAR SCORE SITE 2020 24.5-23.5 The Greenbrier , Old White TPC 2017 26-22 Greenville CC ( Chanticleer ), Greenville , SC 2014 24.5-23.5 The Club at Creighton Farms , Aldie 2013 25.5-22.5 Grandfather Golf and Country Club , Linville , NC 2012 27-21 The Resort at Glade Springs , Daniels , WV 2011 26-22 Forest Creek Golf Club , Pinehurst , NC 2008 20.5-15.5 * Country Club of Virginia , James River , Richmond 2004 29-19 Lowes Island Club , Sterling 2003 26-22 Grandfather Golf and Country Club , Linville , NC 2002 33.5-14.5 * Kinloch GC , Manakin-Sabot
* Rain-shortened
“ It makes me want to cry , to be honest . We just weren ’ t in it the last two years , and I knew this team was really good . So , gosh , this feels great .”
— Dustin Groves
Not only are the players good , the venues are marvelous . Virginia ’ s Homestead and North Carolina ’ s Pinehurst Resort hosted the first several Captain ’ s Putter events , which were played until 1963 twice a season as “ home and aways .” Single meetings per year ever since , the most visited Virginia venues have been the Homestead ( 11 ), the Country Club of Virginia , James River Course ( 4 ) and Kinloch Golf Club ( 3 ).
There ’ s no getting around it — the tally after 76 matches is lopsided . The Carolinas team leads in wins , with 52 , while the Virginians have captured the Putter 23 times , with only one tie . That said , controlling for one amazing 17-year streak between 1971 and 1987 when the Carolinas ran the tables , the story is more balanced .
Notably , from 2001 to 2021 , the matches are essentially even , with the Carolinas winning 11 , the Virginians capturing 10 and a literal 21st Century tie in the offing in Bristol .
One only has to go back to 2020 at The Greenbrier Resort ’ s venerable Old White TPC to know what winning the trophy means to players . Virginian Dustin
Groves rallied from 4-down to win his Saturday ’ s singles match , a swing point that turned into something even bigger when West Virginian Cam Roam won his singles match with a bogey on 17 to secure the Virginias ’ one-point victory . “ It makes me want to cry , to be honest ,” Groves said after the Virginias ’ team celebrated on the 17th green . “ We just weren ’ t in it the last two years , and I knew this team was really good . So , gosh , this feels great .”
The Captain ’ s Putter is just one of several interstate team matches in which the VSGA is involved . The Women ’ s Virginias-Carolinas Matches have been played for more than 60 years . There are similar matches for the Virginias ’ and Carolinas ’ Junior Boys , Virginia and Maryland Junior Girls ’, and a Mid-Atlantic Girls ’ Challenge where Virginia and Maryland team up to face the Carolinas .
The Captain ’ s Putter longevity — this will be its 67th year — provides fresh evidence that human beings enjoy the idea of being part of a team , being part of something bigger than themselves .