Making a pilgrimage to the birthplace of golf, Lindy Duncan stood in a tee box that would have once been off limits to women. Luckily for the Duke senior, that time is ancient history.
Duncan made the trip to Nairn, Scotland to compete for the United States in the Curtis Cup, a team competition pitting amateur female golfers from the United States against a team from Great Britain and Ireland. The United States fell to Great Britain and Ireland 10 1/2-9 1/2 at the Nairn Golf Club, marking the first time since 1996 that Great Britain and Ireland have won the biennial event. The Americans led throughout the first four rounds before winning only three of eight singles matches on the final day.
“To lose by one point was definitely a bummer, but all of the girls on the team had such a great experience,” Duncan said. “If we ever get the opportunity to compete again we’re going to have the same fighting spirit and maybe it will go our way next time.”
Having competed in the NCAA Championships and twice in the US Women’s Open, Duncan is no stranger to competing on golf’s biggest stages. But this time she was not playing just for personal pride or Duke—she was playing for her country.
“It’s something that meant a lot to Lindy. She’s talked about it for years and is somebody that doesn’t mind telling you what is important to her,” Duke head coach Dan Brooks said. “Playing for your country is the most difficult and most exciting thing you’ll ever do.”
After a grueling end to the 2012 season, competing in both the East Regional and NCAA Championships, Duncan had a matter of days to prepare before departing for Scotland. The tournament was different to collegiate competitions as it was a match-play rather than a stroke-play event. For the tournament’s first two days she was also matched with a partner playing both alternate-shot and best-shot rounds.
“Match play is such a crazy format,” Duncan said. “You can go into a hole all-square and you hit a great shot and the other person hits an average shot and you can still lose the hole. Momentum can swing on a dime.”
Far from home, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native was not only forced to adjust to the cold and damp Scottish summer, but also the weather’s impact on her golf game.
“She played very good Scottish golf,” Brooks said. “She played a lot of low shots and did what she had to do to adapt to the conditions. It’s a very different world playing golf over there.”
Duncan and her partner, Southern California’s Lisa McCloskey, defeated Leona Maguire and Alabama’s Stephanie Meadow 5 and 4 in their first round match, but that was the only match Duncan won at the Curtis Cup. Duncan dropped her next three decisions, including a 5 and 3 loss to Charley Hull in her final round singles match.
“I certainly felt like I wasn’t exactly at the top of my game,” Duncan said. “I was a little fatigued from all of the tournaments beforehand. Having played about six weeks of nonstop golf, it was definitely a little tiring.”
Although the loss was tough to swallow, Duncan said she took away a positive experience from her time at the Curtis Cup. In between five rounds of grueling golf, she and her American teammates found time to take in the sights, visiting Dunnottar Castle, Loch Ness and Europe’s most historic golf course, St. Andrews, where the British Open is held once every five years.
Her week in golf’s homeland was also a time for Duncan to reflect on the history of her sport. Often considered the historic gentleman’s game, it did not become culturally acceptable for women to play golf in Scotland until long after the game was invented in the 15th century. After Duke celebrated the 40th anniversary of Title IX this year, Duncan was grateful that she was able to make the pilgrimage to where golf was born.
“It shows how far women’s sports have come. Women’s golf has gained popularity and become so competitive internationally,” Duncan said. “To get to go to Scotland and be a part of the progression of women’s golf was a special experience.”
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