Peter Fry Unveils Ryder Plaque
On 23rd June 2026 Peter, as the guest of honour, had the privilege of unveiling a blue plaque in memory of Samuel Ryder at his former exhibition seed hall on Holywell Hill in St. Albans.
THE AUTHOR ATTENDS THE 2019 SOLHEIM CUP
Author Peter Fry & John A. Solheim, CEO of the Ping Golf Company
Author Peter Fry attended the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles as a volunteer. That event enjoyed a thrilling finale when Suzann Petterson holed an eight foot putt at the last to clinch victory for Team Europe.
During the closing ceremony the tournament sponsor John A. Solheim, the CEO of the Ping Golf Company, kindly posed with Peter and a photo of his father Karsten who inaugurated the event.
THE ‘UMTALI RYDER CUP’
Samuel Ryder donated a second cup for golf competition but this time for amateur golfers in Africa. This was a consequence of him buying a settlement farm in the former Rhodesia for his eldest daughter and son-in-law.
Precisely how this transpired and how the competition has subsequently evolved is carefully documented in a new booklet from Samuel Ryder’s biographer, Peter Fry complete with 40 relevant photographs.
THE AUTHOR MEETS PETER JACOBSEN
At the 2018 Ryder Cup match the author met Peter Jacobsen who had kindly supplied the foreword to his biography of Robert Hudson. Like Hudson, Jacobsen had grown up in Portland, Oregon.
Jacobsen went on to twice become a Ryder Cup player before exercising another talent as a lead commentator for American television.
SAMUEL RYDER’S FIRST GOLF COACH
John Hill
More news has come to light regarding Samuel Ryder’s first golf coach. Here featured is a photograph of John Hill who originally came from that Scottish hotbed of golf known as Musselburgh, just east of Edinburgh. As a professional, he was engaged with club appointments at Whitby (Yorkshire), Warlingham (Surrey) and Verulam (St Albans) before losing his life in France fighting with the Bedfordshire Regiment during World War I.
THE AUTHOR ANNOUNCES A NEW BOOK ON GOLF ENTREPRENEUR ROBERT HUDSON
Robert Hudson
Author Peter Fry is pleased to announce the publication of a biography of businessman Robert Hudson from Portland, Oregon, USA. The book explains how Hudson became rich with his wholesale grocery business which led him to sponsoring important golf events. These included the 1946 US PGA Championship and, especially, the 1947 Ryder Cup match. The attached photo shows Robert Hudson clutching the famous Ryder Cup.
THE AUTHOR VISITS PORTLAND, OREGON
Author, Peter Fry, visited Portland, Oregon in May 2017 to research facts concerning Robert Hudson, the businessman responsible for resurrecting the Ryder Cup in 1947 during a time of severe financial restraint. The accompanying photo shows the author alongside a picture of Robert Hudson at Portland Golf Club, venue for the 1947 Ryder Cup matches.
Darren Clarke Orders the Samuel Ryder Biography
Darren Clarke
Fifteen years ago Darren Clarke was one of the European Ryder Cup players to be presented with a leather copy of the biography of Samuel Ryder which had his name embossed in gold lettering on the cover. Now, as Captain of the 2016 European Ryder Cup team, Clarke has ordered 36 of these books for players and officials attending this autumn’s matches being played at Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minniesota, USA.
Tom Watson Presentation at Sunningdale
Tom Watson
Samuel Ryder biographer, Peter Fry, travelled to The 2015 British Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale Golf Club in Surrey. Whilst there, he was pleased to present a copy of his book to golf legend Tom Watson, a five-time Open Champion and twice Ryder Cup Captain. In reply, Watson expressed his thanks and said he looked forward to reading the book when time allowed.
2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles
Amateur Champion Bradley Neil
Samuel Ryder’s biographer, Peter Fry, was selected to be a 2014 Ryder Cup Volunteer at Gleneagles. His role was as the Team Leader on the 7th Green Grandstand.
At the beginning of the week he donated signed copies of his Samuel Ryder biography to all the players and officials at the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup Match played on the Rosemount championship course at Blairgowrie. At the presentation of the books he made a short speech outlining Ryder’s character and the suitability of the junior event as an appropriate legacy of his original Ryder Cup idea. Amongst the players was the 18-year-old Amateur Champion Bradley Neil of the host club who is shown holding Peter’s biography of Samuel Ryder.
Samuel Ryder Biography
Robert Hudson Biography
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Samuel Ryder