While the Ryder Cup captures international headlines this fall, another transatlantic golf tradition will quietly bring together players from Scotland and the United States in a spirited competition rooted in friendship and history.
The Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Scotland and The Country Club of North Carolina (CCNC) in Pinehurst will once again face off in their annual match, a fixture that blends camaraderie with competition. Believed to be the only recurring event of its kind between American and Scottish clubs, the series underscores the long-standing connection between the two storied institutions.
CCNC is the only club in the United States with a reciprocal relationship with Royal Dornoch, the home course of legendary architect Donald Ross. That bond was made official in 2017 but traces its roots back nearly 50 years. Since the early 1960s, CCNC members have made pilgrimages to Dornoch, and a framed scroll signed by Royal Dornoch captain W.B. Alford in 1971 still hangs proudly in the club’s Dornoch Grill.
The clubs began holding informal matches in the 1970s before formalizing annual competitions in 2011. Matches alternate between Pinehurst and Dornoch, each highlighted by a traditional dinner. The prize is the Roly Bluck Putter, a vintage wooden-shafted club named for a late Royal Dornoch captain who helped establish the series. Today, the event features 12 players per side, including each club’s professional, and is officially listed on Royal Dornoch’s annual competition calendar.
The relationship also highlights an architectural connection. CCNC’s Dogwood Course was designed by Ellis Maples, son of Frank Maples, who worked alongside Ross as course construction supervisor and superintendent of Pinehurst No. 2.
Royal Dornoch’s roster of reciprocal clubs includes a prestigious list such as Royal Melbourne, Royal Sydney, Royal Auckland, and Royal Cape. CCNC’s place among them is unique, representing both the historic bond between Donald Ross and Pinehurst, and a transatlantic friendship that continues to grow stronger with every match.
More than just a competition, the Royal Dornoch–CCNC matches embody the spirit of “old world meets new world,” blending tradition, fellowship, and fun across the Atlantic.
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