History
Format
The Cristal Cup Matches is 28 man, 14 man team golf event held at Keller Golf Course, in St. Paul, MN based off of The Ryder Cup Matches. Cristal Cup IX will be the first time each team carries 14 players. Cristal Cup I was 10 vs. 10 while Cristal Cup II - Cristal Cup XIII was 12 vs. 12. Traditionally held the either the third or fourth weekend in August, The Cristal Cup Matches is a team match play tournament that consists of 2 sessions Friday, 2-Man Fourball match play in the morning and 2-man scramble in the afternoon, and one session Saturday, 1 on 1 singles match play. There is a total of 28 matches, each win is worth 1 point while all square, or halved matches are worth 1/2 points. The incumbant team can retain the Cristal Cup trophy by accumulating 14 points whereas the team challenging team must accumulate 14 1/2 points.
The Idea
The idea of the Cristal Cup stemmed from a tournament that the oldest of the St. Paul Girsches, Chris, has played in for over a decade called the Chawdah Cup. The tournament is played in Chicago yearly. The format is very similar, opening up with the Swisskeck session, a mixture of best ball and alternate shot. Like the Cristal Cup, the Friday afternoon session is 2-man scramble match play followed by 1 on 1 singles match play session on Saturday. Though the Chowdun Cup has been played for 2 more years, Golf Historians and Bloggers around the US agree that The Cristal Cup Matches is a much more prestigious tournament than the Chowdah Cup. It can be noted that the Chowduh Cup plans on launching their website in 2019.
The Creation
The Cristal Cup Matches was founded in 2003. Co Founders and siblings Charles and Cat Girsch agreed in principle on The Cristal Cup format and Cristal Cup name while driving from St. Paul, MN to Chicago, IL for their Step Grandfather, Walter Polychronopolous Phillips funeral, while listening to R Kelly's "Remix to Ignition." The two agreed to captain different teams to avert as much controversy as possible. After much debate about who got to captain the Blue Team on the way home to St. Paul, Cat agreed to give Charles the rights to the Blue Team in a trade for Wade Boggs (in a Fantasy Baseball trade) and a side of Denny's rice pilaf.
Bellwood Oaks (2003)
The inaugural Cristal Cup Matches were played in 2003 at Bellwood Oaks, a public par 73 golf course just outside of Hastings, MN. Since the inaugural matches were planned on relatively short notice, each team was comprised of only 10 members. The morning session was halved 2 1/2 - 2 1/2 but the Blue Team took a commanding lead going into singles after winning the afternoon session 4-1. Though the Red Team made a comeback winning the Saturday singles session 5 1/2 - 4 1/2, it wasn't enough as the Blue Team won the Inaugural Cristal Cup Matches 11-9. Though the staff at Bellwood Oaks was very nice and great hosts, it was decided that the course was too far away from St. Paul. Though players such as Dan Ehrmanntraut, Mark Dunnigan, Jon Marzolf, Matt McGuire, Matt Egan and Cat Girsch have taken years off from the cup only to return to the cup, only six players (nicknamed The Original 6) have played in all eight Cristal Cup Matches. The Original 6 consist of Charles Girsch, Fred Sowatzka, Mark McGuinnity and Jon St. Aubin from the Blue Team and Marc Haugh and Geoff Girsch from the Red Team.
Keller Golf Course (2004-Present)
2004 was a historical for The Cristal Cup Matches for multiple reason. In 2004 Cristal Cup II was moved to Keller Golf Course. Though most famously known for hosting The Cristal Cup Matches, Keller is also known for hosting such events as the PGA Championship, the Western Open, the St. Paul Open and Matt McGuire and Charlie Lallas' favorite, the Patty Berg Classic. The Red Team came away victorious in The Second Playing of The Cristal Cup, truly forming the team rivalry for the future.
Cristal Cup II was also history because the field was expanded from 10 vs. 10 to 12 vs. 12, which it remained that way until teams were increased to 14 members in 2011. Also, integral people such as Tim Girsch and Mike Giefer from the Blue Team and Jim Cummings, Ben Burke and Charlie Lallas from the Red Team, were added to The Cristal Cup Matches rosters.
Cristal Cup II was also history because the field was expanded from 10 vs. 10 to 12 vs. 12, which it remained that way until teams were increased to 14 members in 2011. Also, integral people such as Tim Girsch and Mike Giefer from the Blue Team and Jim Cummings, Ben Burke and Charlie Lallas from the Red Team, were added to The Cristal Cup Matches rosters.
The Original 6
Some refer to The Original 6 as the glue of The Cristal Cup Matches. These are the troopers that have not missed a Cristal Cup. There are four on the Blue Team, Charles Girsch, Fred Sowatzka, Mark McGuinnity and Jon St. Aubin. The Red Team has two members of The Original 6, Marc Haugh and Geoff Girsch. Each member has their own unique characteristics they bring to The Cristal Cup Matches.
Charles Girsch is a Co Founder and Co Commissioner most notably known for doing nothing for The Cristal Cup Matches once in Minnesota and being yelled at a lot by Co Commissioner Cat Girsch. Charles is also known for his ability to go low in Cristal Cup Matches. In Cristal Cup III Charles went shot 65 and 67 on his own ball in Fourball and Singles recording just one bogey in three rounds.
Fred Sowatzka is simply known as "The Dude." The Dude has an uncanny ability and touch to throw a club far and hard, yet landit soft just next to the cart with almost an innocent bounce. The Dude is also known for his putting in clutch situations. In Cristal Cup VIII, The Dude drained a 15 foot birdie putt to close out Match #1 1 Up in Friday Morning Fourball.
Mark "Iron Balls" McGuinnity is what The Cristal Cup Matches are all about. Few things in life are certain, but taxes, death and Iron Balls showing up with a cigarette in mouth and a worn out LA Dodgers hat on head are certain. Iron Balls has brought some great moments to The Cristal Cup Matches. No one can forget watching Iron Balls on numerous occasions playing golf with no shoes on.
Jon "Saints" St. Aubin has a record that speaks for himself. Since Cristal Cup I when he went 2-0-1 and claimed the inaugural Cristal Cup Matches MVP, Saints has gone on to accumulate the most points in The Cristal Cup Matches history with 18 1/2 points. He has the ability to make his opponents feel like they are 2 Down before they even tee off on the first hole.
Marc Haugh has been a huge part of The Cristal Cup Matches both on and off the course. Not only has Marc acted as the third Co Commissioner over the last couple of years, but he is also the Red Team's all time leading point getter with 15 1/2 points. He almost always shows up with his New Era St. Louis Cardinals hat on his inordinately square head, and he always drains big putts both in length and multitude in Friday Afternoon Scramble matches.
Geoff "The Hoff" Girsch... Where do I start? Known for showing up late, mustaches in general, mustache rides, mustaches on jumbo-trons, mustaches next to Matt Egan in Matt Egan's bed, humping his forearm at Billy's, humping his forearm at Plums, humping his forearm at Keller, humping his forearm at the after-party, pooping in yards, throwing up in living rooms and losing to Saints in singles matches. Much like Iron Balls, The Hoff is Team Red's true representative of The Cristal Cup Matches.
Charles Girsch is a Co Founder and Co Commissioner most notably known for doing nothing for The Cristal Cup Matches once in Minnesota and being yelled at a lot by Co Commissioner Cat Girsch. Charles is also known for his ability to go low in Cristal Cup Matches. In Cristal Cup III Charles went shot 65 and 67 on his own ball in Fourball and Singles recording just one bogey in three rounds.
Fred Sowatzka is simply known as "The Dude." The Dude has an uncanny ability and touch to throw a club far and hard, yet landit soft just next to the cart with almost an innocent bounce. The Dude is also known for his putting in clutch situations. In Cristal Cup VIII, The Dude drained a 15 foot birdie putt to close out Match #1 1 Up in Friday Morning Fourball.
Mark "Iron Balls" McGuinnity is what The Cristal Cup Matches are all about. Few things in life are certain, but taxes, death and Iron Balls showing up with a cigarette in mouth and a worn out LA Dodgers hat on head are certain. Iron Balls has brought some great moments to The Cristal Cup Matches. No one can forget watching Iron Balls on numerous occasions playing golf with no shoes on.
Jon "Saints" St. Aubin has a record that speaks for himself. Since Cristal Cup I when he went 2-0-1 and claimed the inaugural Cristal Cup Matches MVP, Saints has gone on to accumulate the most points in The Cristal Cup Matches history with 18 1/2 points. He has the ability to make his opponents feel like they are 2 Down before they even tee off on the first hole.
Marc Haugh has been a huge part of The Cristal Cup Matches both on and off the course. Not only has Marc acted as the third Co Commissioner over the last couple of years, but he is also the Red Team's all time leading point getter with 15 1/2 points. He almost always shows up with his New Era St. Louis Cardinals hat on his inordinately square head, and he always drains big putts both in length and multitude in Friday Afternoon Scramble matches.
Geoff "The Hoff" Girsch... Where do I start? Known for showing up late, mustaches in general, mustache rides, mustaches on jumbo-trons, mustaches next to Matt Egan in Matt Egan's bed, humping his forearm at Billy's, humping his forearm at Plums, humping his forearm at Keller, humping his forearm at the after-party, pooping in yards, throwing up in living rooms and losing to Saints in singles matches. Much like Iron Balls, The Hoff is Team Red's true representative of The Cristal Cup Matches.