Friendship Cup: Golfers from Scotland find themselves singing with Tabernacle Choir

It was golf, but it was much more than that as the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square came into play for a contingent of golfers from St. Andrews, Scotland, this week.

The Americans staged a furious comeback Tuesday to defeat a team from Scotland 33-31 in the annual Friendship Cup at Sand Hollow Resort in southern Utah.

The event is centered around a Ryder Cup format with a team of mostly Utahns playing a squad from St. Andrews, Scotland. The Scots left St. Andrews with a commanding 17.5 to 6.5 lead after hosting the Americans in Scotland back in June.

“Monday was the key,” said Sand Hollow captain Rob Despain, a member of Ogden Country Club. “We had three nine-hole matches and ended the day tied at 24. Then today we won 9-7 in a competitive singles play 18-hole match.

Both captains agreed to field teams comprised of low handicaps against low handicaps right up against higher handicaps — no game-playing tactics — and it proved just that, competitive to the last putt on the last hole.”

Despain said the real winner was the game of golf. “We furthered friendships and I’d have been just as happy if they’d won.”  The event is sponsored by the Leavitt Group, now an annual affair on both sides of the pond.

The Scots arrived in Utah last Thursday and played Riverside Country Club, made a visit to Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park and the Leavitt family ranch in southern Utah before arriving at Sand Hollow for the matches.

But a group of four Scots got to sing with the Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City on Sunday — an experience they’ll never forget.

The choir foursome was comprised of Rod Sturrock, the longtime official starter on the Old Course at St. Andrews; Mike Naulty, a retired university professor and lecturer and member of Grange and Broughty Golf Club; Jim McArthur, the deputy chairman of the Royal and Ancient General Committee who has directed the Open Championship for years, and Andrew Kyle, a physician, member of Crail Golfing Society and former player in the British Senior Amateur Open at Royal Dornoch last summer.

Sturrock said singing with the choir was a life-changing experience. “It made the hair on my neck stand up.”

The participation was made possible by former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, who serves as choir president and whose brother Mark has spearheaded the Friendship Cup since its inception.

“I played in a folk group about 40 years ago, a wee back,” said McArthur. “I’m 74 now. I didn’t know what to expect,” he said “The building (Tabernacle on Temple Square) was magnificent.

“The building itself was magnificent. We went into the office and they were rehearsing, practicing and we listened to that a bit. The organ was amazing and the choir began to gather. I was invited up to take my seat in the tenor section and the people around me were very welcoming and helped me to pick up the music and keep me going. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”

McArthur, who has served at the highest level of golf in Scotland’s championships commented, “It just made me feel a bit surreal, sitting up there. I’ll never forget it. It was a spiritual kind of experience, really.”

Afterwards, someone in the audience approached him and asked if he worked at St. Andrews. He replied, “I volunteer there.” The man, Thomas Sorenstam, then asked if he knew his aunt, Ellie Wilson. “I told him I’d just seen her at a bus stop in St. Andrews the week before. He asked if he could write a note to her on the program and if I’d give it to her. It’s a small world.”

Naulty called it “absolutely tremendous” and praised director Mack Wilberg. “He runs a tight ship. One time he stopped everyone. He can hear everything and he heard people singing ‘about’ like Candanians say it and told them to stop.”

Naulty said being with the choir was “powerful, uplifting and amazing. It just raises your spirit.”

Sand Hollow director of golf Adam Jasperson called the Friendship Cup one of the highlights of Sand Hollow and one he enjoys hosting. “I’ve made lifelong friends with some of these guys from Scotland, associations that mean a lot to me. It’s a lot of fun.”