What it's like competing in The Crystal Cup, the best new team event for everyday golfers

PINEHURST, N.C. - The Crystal Cup national finals made a splashy debut this fall, setting a high bar for a two-person amateur team event that should only grow in stature as it matures.

I spent three days at Pinehurst Resort in October embedded in the 20-team field, getting to experience the lavish spoils of swag, an elaborate cocktail party at the exclusive Dornoch Cottage that included a fireside chat with two-time European Ryder Cup Captain and former World No. 1 Luke Donald, an awards banquet, rounds at Pinehurst No. 6 and No. 7 and more.

Buoyed by a partnership between Troon Golf and Crystal Cruises, the Crystal Cup is a truly one-of-a-kind golf party that mixes competition and hospitality of the highest order. I had been to Pinehurst before, but I'd never seen it sparkle like this.

I haven't even mentioned the tournament's biggest selling point yet - the grand prize. Two lucky golfers (and their guests) won a dream cruise - a 29-night adventure from Tokyo to Singapore aboard the Crystal Symphony. Wowza, right?

Planning should start now to pick your proper golf partner for 2026.

The Crystal Cup launched in May, and I'm sure once the legend of that crazy-cool prize grows, more and more golfers will want in on the action.

Qualifying tournaments this summer attracted roughly 900 teams and 1,800 golfers to 13 different U.S. private clubs and public courses, including the popular Tobacco Road Golf Club in Sanford, N.C.; La Cantera Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas; and Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif.

The qualifier at Aviara was a two-person shamble, where each player on the team teed off, allowing the team to select the best drive. From that spot, both players played their own ball into the hole. The team’s score for each hole was the lower of the two individual scores, creating a balance between teamwork and individual performance. All participants needed a valid and active GHIN handicap to compete with 85% of each player’s course handicap applied. Tee placements were set up for scoring, playing less than 6,300 yards for the men; less than 5,700 yards for senior men 55 and older and less than 5,400 yards for women and senior women. A men's low net and low gross team advanced to Pinehurst.

If this sounds fun, bookmark the Crystal Cruises homepage for information about qualifying opportunities next summer.

What impressed me most about The Crystal Cup national finals was the attention to detail, as if competing at Pinehurst wasn't glorious enough.

All the qualified golfers had to do was pay for travel expenses to get there and any extra food or drink costs. The food and beverages at the events hosted nightly, competitive rounds of golf, accommodations and breakfast vouchers (which could be used at multiple resort locations like The Carolina Hotel's legendary breakfast buffet) were included. During best-ball tournament rounds, each golfer played their own ball through all 18 holes with the lower score counting for the team.

After the opening round on Pinehurst No. 6, the group shuttled to the signature event: a cocktail party at the Dornoch Cottage, where famous golf architect Donald Ross lived from 1925 until his passing in 1948. A live band and Charles Joly - the official mixologist for past Emmys, Grammys, Academy Awards and the Kentucky Derby - were flown in to entertain guests on the back lawn adjacent to the third hole of Pinehurst No. 2.

As players dined on various culinary delights, Luke Donald casually chatted with anybody who wanted to meet him. He joined every group on the golf course that day, taking commemorative pictures with all of them.

After dinner, Donald sat down with noted golf author and historian James Dodson for the fireside chat. With the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black fresh on everyone's mind, he dropped some cool nuggets on how the European Team's leadership scouted the Americans.

When an audience member asked about AI, Donald shared that the European Team used Chat GPT to analyze match outcomes and predict U.S. lineups. It worked as the Euros pulled the upset on foreign soil, winning 15 to 13.

"We tried to go as strong as we could in the foursomes to leave no stone unturned and then Friday, you really want to play your whole team just to give them a run and have confidence in all 12 (players). We were happy to sacrifice a little bit in Four-Balls for playing everyone and making sure we were strongest in Foursomes," he said.

The following day, Pinehurst No. 7 proved to be a tough track with so many elevated greens and long, tree-lined holes. It's actually rated harder from the tips than No. 2, which has hosted four U.S. Opens with four more scheduled (2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047) as an anchor site.

Rajat Khurana, a former Division I golfer at the University of Hawaii, and Reyhanjit Singh, an aspiring pro whose family owns California's Stockton Golf & Country Club, played well enough to be crowned the Low Gross champions. Khurana and Singh's fathers grew up playing together in India.

Khurana, who competed in the same college tournaments as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, said he's just a weekend golfer these days. "I've never putted on greens this hard when it comes to reading grain and slope," he said.

The two winning players in the Low Net division also each earned an incredible prize: a seven- to 10-day European cruise for two. Second-place finishers in both gross and net were given Troon Access+ memberships with unlimited guest passes. Everybody received a photo link to action shots taken during the event and a voucher for $1,000 off a future Crystal Cruise.

If you're not familiar with Crystal Cruises, it was acquired by A&K Travel Group (AKTG) in 2022 and relaunched in 2023. For golfers, each ship features a driving cage and putting green, as well as an on-board golf professional who gives lessons. With three new ships on order and expanded itineraries, Crystal is committed to redefining luxury on the high seas. Every vessel boasts a nearly one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio on board.

Singh said he was looking forward to the cruise. "This was one of the best tournaments I've ever played," he added. "I had an amazing time."

Would you and a partner like to compete in a future Crystal Cup? Let us know in the comments below.