Solomon Cup Challenge

2004 Solomon Cup Teams

The Solomon Cup Challenge is a team event between the United States and Great Britain. This test match is between the two competing countries. A team of six players plays a set of matches against the opposing team. Each match is a best of three singles and doubles matchup. Players are ranked on each team and doubles partners are assigned by the team captains. The following matches are played over a five day period (the order of doubles and singles may vary and unfinished matches may be pegged down at the end of the day and resumed later as time best permits). The winning team is the first to win 11 of the 21 matches. The doubles matches are an important part of team play since they make up 9/21st or about ~50% of the team score. The following matches are played in this 21 game format (D1T1 refers to Doubles 1 Team 1):

Day One
D1T1 vs D1T2
D2T1 vs D2T2
D3T1 vs D3T2

Day Two
S1T1 vs S1T2
S2T1 vs S2T2
S3T1 vs S3T2
S4T1 vs S4T2
S5T1 vs S5T2
S6T1 vs S6T2

Day Three
D2T1 vs D1T2
D3T1 vs D2T2
D1T1 vs D3T2

Day Four
S2T1 vs S1T2
S1T1 vs S2T2
S4T1 vs S3T2
S3T1 vs S4T2
S6T1 vs S5T2
S5T1 vs S6T2

Day Five
D3T1 vs D1T2
D1T1 vs D2T2
D2T1 vs D3T2

Here are some of the results from past Solomon Cup events.
Great Britain defeated the US up and until 2009 (see note below).
It was successfully defended by the US in 2011. Congratulations USA!!!

80s	90s	Millenials	20-30s
1985 GB	1990 GB	2001 GB	covid-19
1987 GB	1991 GB	2002 GB	covid-19
1988 GB	1992 GB	2004 GB	2023 USA
1989 GB	1994 GB	2005 GB
	1995 GB	2008 GB	2025 GB
	1997 GB	2009 USA
	1998 GB	2011 USA
	1999 GB	2012 GB
		2013 GB
		2015 GB
		2016 GB
		2018 GB
		2019 GB

Here is a historical note added by Tremaine Arkley:

"I do not think it is a good idea to rewrite history.

Jeff Soo said that the first Solomon Trophy was played in 1985 at Nottingham. Not true 
despite what is listed in the records Chris Williams maintains.

John Solomon donated the Solomon Trophy in 1988 and the USA and GB innagurated the event 
in 1988 first played at Cheltenham July 9-13.

Team members; T Arkley, P Ballenger, R Bell, K Jones, B Kroeger & John Osborn. GB won 20-1 with 
Arkley-Ballenger breaking the duck with a 2-1 win over C J Irwin-W de B Prichard for our first 
Solomon Trophy USA win.

Chris told me that he listed the Nottingham event and the Palm Beach event under Solomon 
Trophy records for convenience knowing these two events were only International competitions 
but not official Solomon Trophy events."

last updated 22 January 2017 PTB
return to Arizona Croquet Club Website