England Golf has reignited its campaign to bring the prestigious Solheim Cup to English soil and is now pressing the government for financial assistance to back a bid for the 2030 tournament. The Solheim Cup, the premier women’s team competition in golf, has visited seven different European nations but has never been staged in England. As the next European-hosted edition approaches, the location for the 2030 event remains undecided. Several venues have signaled interest in hosting the match, with The Grove in Hertfordshire emerging as a leading candidate.
However, any successful application will require public funding, as private investment alone has not yet materialised. England Golf’s chief executive, Jeremy Tomlinson, emphasises that securing government backing could unlock the pathway to an English Solheim Cup and deliver "immeasurable good" for the sport. "The Solheim Cup is in a really good place and it’s going to get bigger," Tomlinson told Sky Sports. "I honestly think if we bring the Solheim Cup to England we can double, maybe even treble the crowds." He added that a number of clubs are eager to put forward proposals and that, with modest state support, the event could finally arrive in England for the first time.
"We’re working with clubs, we’re working with IMG and the Ladies European Tour, and we have talks ongoing with UK Sport," Tomlinson said. "I don’t want to say too much, but we’re feeling really positive about things and we would love to be able to bring it to England." His optimism reflects a broader belief that the Solheim Cup could act as a catalyst for growing women's golf across the country. Financially, staging a Solheim Cup is considerably less demanding than its male counterpart, the Ryder Cup.
Tomlinson notes that the cost of a Solheim Cup is less than one‑tenth of what is required for a Ryder Cup, yet the potential returns in terms of tourism, media exposure, and grassroots participation could be substantial. He hopes the government will underwrite the bid, creating a historic moment on English soil. "It’s always easier when an entrepreneur steps forward and can underwrite the whole event, but we haven’t had that yet," Tomlinson explained.
"We are somewhat dependent upon government to be able to step forward and help us. We have some discussions with them right now and they are positive, they are constructive." The governing body argues that the economic and social benefits would outweigh the initial outlay. A successful Solheim Cup could generate a "feel‑good" factor, promote gender equality in sport, and showcase England as a premier destination for international golf events.
Tomlinson believes that both the government and the public will recognise the dynamic returns from such an investment. Recent on‑course success adds momentum to the campaign.
Team Europe reclaimed the Solheim Cup with a 15‑13 triumph at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, a match that featured a packed grandstand and saw three English players on the winning side. The victory underscores the growing popularity of women's golf in the region.
"Golf has continued to boom since the pandemic, there is no two ways about that," Tomlinson noted. "We have in excess of 12 and a half million people just in England who, in some way, shape or form, touch golf or participate in golf." He highlighted that many women enjoy playing golf informally, away from traditional courses, and that the Solheim Cup could provide the role models needed to draw them onto the fairways. "We have an incredible amount of women that enjoy playing golf away from golf courses.
We’d love more women, more girls to be able to come to the golf courses, but they need to have heroes and they need to have people to inspire them," he said. "We at England Golf truly believe that if we could get the Solheim Cup, it could do immeasurable good for the game of golf and for women in sport. It would be a very, very proud moment." The appeal comes at a time when the UK government is reviewing funding for major sporting events, weighing the long‑term legacy against immediate costs. England Golf’s pitch positions the Solheim Cup as a low‑cost, high‑impact opportunity that aligns with broader objectives of increasing participation, promoting gender equality, and boosting tourism.
Sky Sports News has reached out to the Department of Media, Culture and Sport for comment on the request for funding. The next Solheim Cup after 2028 will be contested at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, United States, from September 8‑10, 2028. England Golf hopes that by the time the 2030 edition is up for selection, a clear, government‑backed bid will be ready to secure England’s place in the tournament’s storied history.