2026 Walker Cup Practice Approaches at Lahinch: US vs GB&I Approaches Compared

In the lead-up to the 2026 Walker Cup, Lahinch in Ireland became a special destination as the US and GB&I teams conducted practice sessions under extreme wind conditions of up to 50 mph. This is a well-known links course with rapidly changing winds, and the coaches chose different approaches to cope. The US team, led by Captain Smith, used a skins game method with a personal $50 prize to maintain competitive focus. In contrast, the GB&I team led by Captain Robertson, a university coach at the University of Stirling, designed specific short game exercises on holes 15 to 18 to train the most important skills in windy conditions.