Golf club members made a special visit to a St Albans cemetery last Saturday to mark the 80th anniversary of the death of the man after whom the sport’s most famous trophy is named.

Led by Verulam Golf Club captain Bryn Aldridge, the party made a commemorative visit to the grave of Samuel Ryder at Hatfield Road cemetery.

Samuel Ryder was captain of the golf club three times and presenter of the Ryder Cup in 1927.

The golfers were joined by members of the Samuel Ryder Foundation led by David Howells and Pat Fulton.

Bryn Aldridge, who laid a bouquet of flowers on the grave, said that Samuel Ryder’s contribution to founding Verulam Golf Club and the game of golf in the locality had been immense and without his guidance and captaincy on three occasions the club would not have progressed to its current level and standing.

Pat Fulton also laid a bouquet on the grave on behalf of the foundation and David Holwell related a message from former Ryder Cup captain Tony Jacklin who said: “Samuel Ryder, I’m sure would have been enormously proud to know the heights the Ryder Cup has risen to. For it to have escalated into one of the premier sporting events in the world is nothing but amazing.

“So many professional golfers have enjoyed the camaraderie of ‘Team’ and so many spectators have been thrilled with the various outcomes. It makes it difficult to quantify the significance of his contributions. Suffice to say he certainly ‘made a difference.”

After the ceremony a short reception was held at Verulam Golf Club.