When it comes to men’s golf, Adam Carroll is the go-to guru. Carroll grew up in Lewis County, Kentucky, but moved to Ashland after graduating high school in 1999. His journey
with golf began at age 13 and quickly became something more: an ongoing source of joy.
“I fell in love with the game so much I put an old carpet down in a 20 X 14 shed and hit golf balls into a mat I hung. Then I needed a golf hole, so I made one out of old three-inch PVC pipe in my back yard. I would chip to it every day for three hours,” Carroll said.
Shortly after moving to Ashland, Carroll met his best friend Justin Boyd. They played golf
together and their shared love of the game eventually led them to create their own golf
event––the Watson Cup.
“The idea for the Watson Cup was born in 2009 and inspired by Tom Watson’s impressive
performance at the British Open,” Carroll said. “At age 59, Watson held a 54-hole lead,
and we thought it would be amazing to still be competitive at that age.”
Carroll and Boyd’s admiration for Watson sparked the idea for a golf event where age didn’t matter, and the focus was on fun competition, camaraderie, and skill. So, in 2011, Carroll and Boyd launched the first Watson Cup, an event they designed to bring friends and golfers of all ages together.
“The concept for our event was inspired by the Ryder Cup, with two teams of 12 players each, competing in a mix of formats, including alternate shot, best ball, singles, and scramble,” Carroll said.
The first Watson Cup tournament took place at The Resort at Glade Springs in West Virginia, a beautiful location where the group stayed in villas. The duo invited local coaches and friends to play in that first inaugural event.
“That first year we had 24 players. It was so fun, and everyone bonded over the love of the
game,” Carroll said.
As the years went on, the Watson Cup continued to evolve, with new locations and fresh faces each year. Year two was held at Stonewall Resort in West Virginia, and year three took the group to Covered Bridge and Champions Pointe, two Fuzzy Zoeller designed
courses in Louisville, Kentucky. Another favorite destination became Belterra Casino and Resort, located in Florence, Indiana, on the Indiana-Kentucky border.
Since that first event in 2011, the Watson Cup has been held every year, always on the third
weekend in July. This year the group will return to Belterra.
Over the years, the format of the Watson Cup has stayed largely the same and always includes a few key traditions. The event spans three days and two nights, beginning with a
practice round on Thursday.
“That first evening we announce the pairings, which is always a highly anticipated moment,” Carroll said. “Players shake hands and set the tone for the weekend.”
The first day consists of scramble and best ball formats. After lunch, the teams re-pair for the Chapman alternate shot and true alternate shot. On Saturday morning, they play another round of scramble and best ball before moving on to the singles matches, where players compete head-to-head in 9-hole rounds. With 12 points possible on the line, the competition is intense, but always friendly. Afterward, the teams come back for pictures, celebrate the winning team, and the Watson Cup trophy is passed from the previous years champions to the new champions.
The Watson Cup is about more than just the game. “We don’t have any money on it; it’s all
about pride and competition,” said Carroll. “The participants come from all walks of life and range in age from their twenties to their fifties, but we all share the same competitive spirit.”
Each year, the event always begins with 12 players on each of the two teams. While there
are always a few new faces, the core group of players has remained almost every year.
Carroll says some may miss a year here or there, but the tradition remains strong. Now,
almost 15 years since the first Watson Cup, the event continues to bring people together.
“The tournament is more than just a golf trip; it’s an opportunity to reconnect with old
friends, make new ones, and enjoy a sport we all love,” said Carroll.
For Carroll, Boyd and many others, the Watson Cup is proof of how passion for a game can create lasting memories and traditions that continue to grow over time.