Ryder Divination

With bated breath, we’ve waited for the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe to confirm the locale for the 2031 event and since October past, speculation has run high for Camiral Golf & Wellness in Costa Brava, Spain.

On the outskirts of the Catalan city of Girona, Camiral has been a contender for the event no less than three times. The resort was built with the 1997 Ryder Cup in mind which went to Real Club Valderamma in Southwest Spain. They made a bid again in 2022 but lost out to Italy, which eventually staged the Covid-postponed match in 2023.

The 2031 contest will be staged across a hybrid of the resort’s two excellent courses. The Stadium is long-established as one of Europe’s finest while the adjacent Tour Course is for us mere mortals with wider fairways and easier-to-putt greens.

The Stadium routes through high-sided banks and a melange of natural pines, firs and old oaks. Constant elevation changes create endless shot variety, the 1st dropping and doglegging left, a strong opener while the 2nd gradually ascends. The signature comes at the 13th with a green perched on a lake perpendicular to the approach, wide but not deep. With a bit of luck, 7 years from now, we’ll be watching the two Ryder Cup teams battle it out in this captivating Catalan corner.