Stephen Purdy is the GCSAA Class A superintendent at Willamette Valley Country Club in Canby, Ore., which will host the Hudson Cup Matches Oct. 16-17. Photo courtesy of Stephen Purdy
The phone call was unexpected. So was the request.
In mid-September, Stephen Purdy, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Willamette Valley Country Club in Canby, Ore., heard from John Grothe, his head club professional.
“He said, ‘How would you feel about holding the Hudson Cup Matches?’ It was three and a half weeks before the matches when I found out,” says Purdy. “I thought we would be fine.”
That was then; this is now. And it’s a biggie in this state. The Hudson Cup Matches pit top Pacific Northwest section PGA professionals against top amateurs. It was first held in 1949. The 77th edition runs Oct. 16-17 at Willamette Valley CC.
Obviously, hosting wasn’t on Purdy’s radar until he took that phone call. Why? The matches were slated to be at Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore. Adam Vidourek, the club’s superintendent, says they bowed out due to issues with summer patch, which was an issue at some courses in the region.
“We overseeded, aerified. Things got better, but we felt like we were not where we wanted to be for this tournament. We were pretty disappointed,” Vidourek, an 11-year GCSAA member, says.
Willamette Valley CC was among those tackling summer patch. “Some summer patch popped up in late July. We received pictures from some of our homeowners that encountered it,” says Purdy, a 17-year GCSAA member. “We treated it, and it went away in a few weeks.”
Purdy, chapter president at the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association, has worked 18 months at Willamette Valley CC following 14 years at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, Ore. He was the superintendent there for seven of those years before moving on to Willamette Valley CC.
Purdy says he didn’t know much of the history behind the Hudson Cup Matches until he and his crew, including assistant superintendent AJ Martinez, a 1-year GCSAA member, and equipment manager Preston Anderson, a 4-year GCSAA member, agreed to oversee it.
The event is named in honor of Portland businessman Robert Hudson, who helped restore the Ryder Cup after a lapse of the competition during World War II from 1939-45. Hudson stepped forward to cover many expenses for the British Team to travel to America for the Ryder Cup. Due to his generosity, the Ryder Cup was played at Portland Golf Club in 1947.
“It’s a bigger deal than I knew about. It is always an honor to be associated with something that has deep roots in the history of Northwest golf,” Purdy says.
As a private club, Purdy knows a lot of people will be on the property. That alone raises the importance for him. “You always want to put on a good show,” he says. “Being a country club, you will get some people who haven’t played the course. You want to showcase it.”
As for the minimal turnaround once he knew the Hudson Cup Matches were coming to his place, Purdy has had practice. “I have four little kids. I’m good with short notice,” says Purdy, who along with wife Emily are parents to Ella, Charlotte, Willie and Clara. “I’m used to flying by the seat of my pants.”
Howard Richman is GCM’s associate editor.