Remembering the War on the Shore

Steve Carroll

The 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island came down to one putt. Steve Carroll meets three leading protagonists of one of the most controversial matches in history

The ‘War on the Shore’, as it came to be known, was one of the most controversial matches in the history of the Ryder Cup.

Kiawah Island staged the 1991 event and, following the coalition victory in the first Gulf War, it took on a stridently patriotic tone – something which caught the European contingent off guard.

With the American team donning camouflage hats, and the spectators getting involved in a way the three-day competition had not seen before, the dramatic ebb and flow of the event set up a thrilling finish.

Bernhard Langer had a putt for Europe to tie in his match against Hale Irwin, but the six footer on the 18th slid agonisingly by and the US reclaimed the Ryder Cup for the first time in six years.

Steve Carroll went to meet three of the leading protagonists in the drama – Irwin, Fred Couples and Colin Montgomerie – to get their take on what happened at Kiawah.

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About the author

Steve Carroll

A journalist for more than 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long.

A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A’s prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.

Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men’s Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.

A part of NCG’s Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He’d like to tell you he floats around 10. The reality is more like 13.

Steve plays at Sandburn Hall, in York, and is a country member at Close House in Newcastle. He has served on various club committees during his time in the game, and is the current Rules Secretary at Sandburn.

Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NCTJ exams at Darlington College of Technology. He began his career working on weekly papers in Newcastle, before joining the York Press in 2001. After five years as a news reporter, he joined the sports desk – specialising in horse racing and snooker – and was Digital Sports Editor when he joined National Club Golfer in 2016.

What’s in Steve’s bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Odyssey 2Ball Microhinge putter.

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