Like the Walker Cup, its male counterpart, the Curtis Cup is a biennial contest for amateur teams from the United States (USA) and Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I).
Although the first Curtis Cup was not until 1932, the forerunner was a match between the two countries just before the 1905 British Ladies Amateur Championship at Royal Cromer, Norfolk. Great Britain won 6-1 and two members of the USA side that day were the sisters Harriot and Margaret Curtis from Boston. Following another unofficial meeting between the two countries, at Wentworth in 1926, the two sisters donated a cup to be contested by the two nations. However, it would take another four years before the USGA (United States Golf Association) and LGU (Ladies’ Golf Union) agreed to co-sponsor the event. Another unofficial match took place at Sunningdale in 1930, with the first official Curtis Cup match on 21 May 1932 at Wentworth, England, which the USA won 5½-3½ . Although the first event was called the Curtis Cup, the trophy donated by the sisters was not presented to the winning team for the first time until 1934.
All matches are currently played to an 18-hole match-play format with a total of six foursomes, six fourballs and eight singles played over three days. All matches between 1932-48 were over 18 holes, over 36 holes between 1950-62. It reverted to 18 holes in 1964 and that has remained the format ever since.
The USA have won on 31 occasions, with GB&I winning nine with three drawn. All details correct up to and including the 2024 event.
| Biggest Winning Team Margins |
| Margin |
Winners |
Score |
Year |
Winning Captain |
| 14 |
USA |
17-3 |
2018 |
Virginia Derby Grimes |
| 11 |
USA |
14½-3½ |
1982 |
Betty Probasco |
| 11 |
USA |
15½-4½ |
2022 |
Sarah LeBrun Ingram |
| 10 |
USA |
14-4 |
1990 |
Leslie Shannon |
| 8 |
USA |
13-5 |
1966 |
Dorothy Germain Porter |
| 8 |
USA |
13-5 |
1974 |
Marion "Sis" Choate |
| 8 |
USA |
13-5 |
1980 |
Helen Sigel Wilson |
| 8 |
GB&I |
13-5 |
1986 |
Diane Bailey |
Glenna Collett Vare captained the USA team a record four times (1934, 1936, 1948, 1950), and led the team to victory each team. The most times captaining the GB&I team is three by the following: Zara Bolton (1956, 1966, 1968), Doris Chambers (1934, 1936, 1948), and Diane Bailey (1984, 1986, 1988)
The most successful GB&I captains, with two wins each, are: Elizabeth Boatman (1992, 1994) and Diane Bailey (1986, 1988).
| Most Individual Appearances |
| Points |
Golfer (Country) |
Years |
| 12 |
Carol Semple Thompson (USA) |
1974-2002 |
| 9 |
Mary McKenna (GB&I) |
1970-86 |
| 8 |
Anne Quast Sander (USA) |
1958-90 |
| 7 |
Jessie Anderson Valentine (GB&I) |
1936-58 |
| 7 |
Belle McCorkindale Robertson (GB&I) |
1960-86 |
Carol Semple Thompson appeared on a record eight winning teams.
| Most Points Won in a Career |
| No. |
Golfer (Country) |
Years |
| 20 |
Carol Semple Thompson (USA) |
1974-2002 |
| 12 |
Mary McKenna (GB&I) |
1970-86 |
| 12 |
Anne Quast Sander (USA) |
1958-90 |
| 10½ |
Phyllis Preuss (USA) |
1962-70 |
| 10 |
Rachel Kuehn (USA) |
2021-24 |
Biggest Winning Margins in One Match |
| Score |
Year/Event |
Winner(s) (Country) |
Loser(s) |
| 8 & 6 |
1964 Foursomes |
Carol Sorenson &
Barbara Fay White Boddie (USA) |
Bridget Jackson & Susan Armitage |
| 7 & 6 |
1978 Singles |
Mary Everard (GB&I) |
Noreen Uihlein |
| 7 & 6 |
1982 Singles |
Kathy Baker (USA) |
Belle McCorkindale Robertson |
| 7 & 6 |
1986 Foursomes |
Lillian Behan & Jill Thornhill (GB&I) |
Kandi Kessler & Cindy Schreyer |
| 7 & 6 |
2000 Foursomes |
Emma Duggleby &
Suzanne O'Brien (GB&I) |
Stephanie Keever & Angela Stanford |
The biggest wins between 1950-62, when matches were over 36 holes, were 9 & 8 by Polly Riley (USA who beat Elizabeth Price in the singles in 1954 and by Wiffi Smith (USA) who beat Philomena Garvey in the singes in 1956.
Great Britain and Ireland’s biggest win in the 36-hole era was 8 & 7 in the 1962 singles when Diane Robb Frearson beat Judy Bell. |