THE PRESIDENTS CUP
The Presidents Cup is an annual two-day GPGC event, modeled after the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team formats. Two 12 person teams play matches over 54 holes to accumulate points for their side. Each member from the winning team gets their name engraved on the perpetual Presidents Cup trophy. (The Cup is in the Pro Shop, check it out!)
The event is held towards the end of the season, in late Summer / early Fall. The inaugural GPGC Presidents Cup (originally called The Barber Cup) was held in 2009. The event was named in honor of Jerry Barber, the most successful golfer in Griffith Park Golf Club history. He is a seven-time PGA tour winner, and became a major champion by winning the 1961 PGA Championship. Jerry went on to captain the winning 1961 U.S. Ryder Cup team, held at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in England. The U.S. team won 14 ½ to 9 ½.
When is it?
It is held after the Club Championship in later Summer / Early Fall.
How can I play in the Presidents Cup?
Qualification is determined by the Charlie Chaplin Player of the Year Standings. The POY standings is a season-long points race, just like the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour. At the end of the season, the Top 24 players as listed in the final standings qualify for the Presidents Cup.
Throughout the course of the season, the club keeps track of the events you've played and your finish in each tournament. You earn points along the way, and if you finish among the Top 24 at the end of the season, you’ll qualify to play in the Presidents Cup!
What’s the format of the Presidents Cup?
Two 12-person teams play head-to-head matches to accumulate points. Players play 36 holes of team play on Day 1, plus 18 holes of singles match play on Day 2. The team with the most points wins the Presidents Cup, and the 12 members from the winning team get their names engraved on the Presidents Cup trophy.
The inaugural 2009 event was captained by Roger Barber (Jerry's son) and Jeff Barber (Jerry’s grandson and Roger’s nephew). Roger and Jeff both captained the 2010 event as well. In later years, the teams have been captained by Roger Barber and Tommy Barber (Jeff's brother, also Jerry’s grandson and Roger’s nephew).
Pairing Party (Thursday night)
The night before the event, the 24 qualifiers and captains have a pairing party to determine teams. The captains take turns selecting players from the 24 player pool. It is essentially a “draft” party. Captains “draft” their teams until ultimately two, 12-player teams are formed. Warning: The pairing party usually gets pretty loud!
Once teams are selected, the captains set their line-ups for the Fourball matches. Each captain huddles with their team to assemble six, two-player teams. Then the captains take turns putting their teams on the board, determining the morning matches.
Team shirts and hats are distributed to the players during the pairing party. Each player receives TWO shirts of differing colors to wear during the competition. One shirt for Friday, and another shirt for Saturday. For example – one team may elect to wear red on Friday, and white on Saturday. The other team would wear opposite colors on those days.
Day One – Fourball and Alternate Shot Matches (Friday, 36 holes)
Competition begins with an early tee time on either Harding or Wilson. The fourball teams are sent off by their respective teams. The morning matches get pretty intense, as your team is counting on you to acquire points early. It's important to have an advantage going into the afternoon matches.
While the fourball matches are in progress, the two captains re-create teams and assemble matches for the afternoon alternate-shot play. As players come in from the morning round – points are tallied, players re-fuel, team up with their alternate shot partner, and go off again.
In the afternoon, the alternate shot matches commence on the other course that was not played in the first round. Most will tell you alternate shot is the more difficult format of the day’s competition. You are playing the same ball with your partner, alternating shots until the ball is holed. You're depending on your partner to put you in position for the next shot. Hitting approach shots from places you don’t usually play from. It's the ultimate test of your grinding skills.
You come off the course having just finished 36 holes of some pretty intense golf. The day’s points are put up on the scoreboard, and the captains select the singles matches for the next day.
Day Two – Singles Matches (Saturday, 18 holes)
Like the day before, the day begins with a morning start on Wilson. Day 2 features singles matches. It’s just you and your opponent. Simply put – just beat them.
Some consider head-to-head singles match play the purest form of golf competition. Twelve matches go out on Day 2, and every point counts. What happens over the next five hours determines who hoists the Cup, and which team gets their names engraved on the Presidents Cup trophy.
The Point System
- 1 point is awarded for winning your match
- ½ point is awarded if your match ends in a tie
- 12 points are up for grabs on Day 1 (6 points for fourball, 6 points for alternate shot)
- 12 points are up for grabs on Day 2 (12 singles matches)
- 12 ½ points are required to win the Presidents Cup
Note: Three of the President Cups (2011, 2013, and 2021) ended with the regulation matches tied, 12 vs 12. After 24 matches, it was still undecided! We had to have a BC playoff in those years. It was epic.
What makes the Presidents Cup such a unique golf experience?
The Presidents Cup is a three-day experience. From the pairing party Thursday night, the team play on Friday, and the singles matches on Saturday, it's total golf immersion. 54 holes over two great courses. Forget your day job for a bit – golf is going to be your priority for a while. This unique Ryder Cup style team format is unlike any other you’ve played before. Golf is usually an individual game. It’s different when your team is counting on you to play your best. And by design, you'll be playing with (and against) many of the club’s best players. Everybody who makes the Presidents Cup is a good player, so this is some of the most competitive golf you’ll find.
It's also fun! A bunch of people who love golf take Friday off to golf all day, then come back Saturday morning to golf some more. Throw in a cool team format, tight matches, some trash-talking, and a little beer – you've got a recipe for a memorable golf experience.
How much does the Presidents Cup cost?
Costs may vary depending on the state of the club. In recent years, we have been able to subsidize the entire cost of the event. But in the event the club is not in a position to do that, there may be a fee for the event. For this event, you receive:
- THREE rounds of golf, including cart for the first two rounds
- TWO Presidents Cup team shirts (We’ve had American Apparel and Leisure Society shirts in the past.)
- A Presidents Cup hat
- Free appetizers at the Pairing Party
- A chance to have your name engraved on the Presidents Cup trophy
- An awesome, memorable golf experience with your fellow President Cuppers - no plane ticket required.
2010 Barber Cup
2011 Barber Cup
2012 Barber Cup
2013 Barber Cup
2014 Barber Cup Winning Team
2015 Barber Cup Winning Team
2017 Barber Cup
2019 Presidents Cup Winning Team