TOLEDO, Ohio — The world’s most prestigious women’s golf team event is happening in Toledo. The Glass City is home to the Solheim Cup between 2019 host Scotland and 2023 host Spain.
The global golf event has been years in the making and Toledo has transformed in many ways in preparation with several major construction projects now complete.
The first day of play is Saturday, Sept. 4, but practice and other activities started Tuesday, Aug. 31. More than 1,800 volunteers are running the show at Inverness Club.
Unlike most golf events where it’s important to be quiet, at the Solheim Cup, fans are encouraged to cheer.
“I mean, how cool is this?” Cathy Netter said while cheering on Team U.S.A. during practice.
Netter loves golf.
“This is one of the largest international sporting events, period, not to mention the largest for women’s golf,” she said.
The 17th edition of the biennial golf competition between the top women professional golfers in the United States and Europe is being hosted at Inverness Club in Toledo this year.
Netter is part of the action as a volunteer hole captain for holes 1 and 10.
Inverness Club has a storied history in the Glass City and it’s also a large part of Netter’s story.
“I grew up playing here and was actually the club champion here when I was like 16 or 17,” she said.
Netter started playing when she was 12, and as the oldest of six kids, golf became her thing. It was how she separated herself from her siblings.
“I wanted to play earlier than I actually could play and then once I could, I loved it and it’s all I did nonstop,” said Netter. “I would play like 27 holes a day and hit buckets of balls all day.”
The event is a way for women golfers from all over and from all walks of life to meet and sometimes reconnect and reminisce.
“We’re all sort of coming back to this venue and seeing each other,” said Netter.
Netter is in charge of overseeing about 70 volunteers in total throughout the tournament.
“Couldn’t do it without you guys,” she said to her group Thursday morning.
During the course of her life, she’s seen golf evolve and become more inclusive.
“Back in the 70s women and kids couldn’t play golf anywhere so or, you know, very few places,” said Netter.
Netter has won several state tournaments and championships over the years and she earned the title “Player of the Year” from the Toledo Women’s District Golf Association in 2020.
“I played the best golf of my life in my 40s,” she said.
As a life-long golf lover, Netter hopes the Solheim Cup will inspire more young girls to hit the links.
“It’s such a tribute to where woman have come in the last, you know, 30 years, 40. So, it’s just really neat to see it, this is where we are now,” said Netter.
Netter told Spectrum News she has worked at several other big golf events and she’s never seen one tap in to not just people in the golf community, but really the entire community like this one has.
Starting Friday, Sept. 3, Fan Fest is taking over downtown at Promenade Park. There will be live local bands, restaurants and bars serving up local favorites and even fireworks later on after the Opening Ceremony of the Solheim Cup.
Gwen Stefani takes the Main Stage at 8:30 p.m.
Crowds of about 40,000 people are expected to gather at Fan Fest and more than 100,000 people are expected to be in Toledo throughout the week for the Solheim Cup.
