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To see the entire history of the Riegel Cup Matches

(Click here…) ~ Be sure to check out the pictures at the bottom of the page!

JGA Golf Academy & Fitting Center

Junior Golfers’ Association of America, non-profit 501c3

Cape Jr. Golf Tour & JGA Tour

Riegel Cup Matches

‘Cape May Team’ vs. ‘Lewes Team’

Since 2003

Celebrating the life and great accomplishments of

Robert H. “Skee” Riegel

November 25, 1914 to February 22, 2009

I first met Skee Riegel in 1997 at Sand Barrens Golf Club. He would come up and hit balls and hang out. We hit it right off and became good friends! What a true honor! Years later, I went on to be the PGA Director of Golf at Cape May National where Skee is the Pro-emeritus. He was a permanent fixture there. Although there is 58 years separating us, we have shared so many wonderful memories together throughout our 11+ years of friendship. When Skee would come into the Pro Shop, I would drop all of my work and just listen to all of the fascinating stories that he had to share. After a short while, I started documenting them down on Microsoft Word as I never wanted to forget any of it. Everyone knows of his accomplishments for the 1947 US Amateur win and how he finished 2nd to Ben Hogan in the 1951 Masters. There was more to the story! Skee won every major amateur title known! That was his goal and he did it! Next thing you know, after documenting all of this down, he dubs me as the self proclaimed Skee Riegel historian! What an honor!

Click here for the career of: Robert H. “Skee” Riegel

See below pictures from the Riegel Cup Matches!

In 2002, I told Skee of an idea that I had for the kids of our junior golf program (then called the Cape May County Jr. Golf Foundation). I explained to Skee that I would like to have a Walker Cup/Ryder Cup Style matches for the kids of my junior golf program and find a junior golf program in Delaware who can field a team that we could play against. I wanted to make it an annual event where each side would alternate home soils every year. This would offer the kids a team style experience of what it was like for Skee and the rest of the United States Walker Cup Team back in 1947 & 1949. I asked Skee if I could name the matches after him to celebrate his being 4 & 0 in his Walker Cup Matches as he is a true golfing legend and the name Riegel Cup fit so perfect! He said yes and that he would be honored! Sweet! I then asked him if he had a trophy that he wanted to donate from his personal collection, he said “Sure, I’ll see what I can dig up.” So, the official Riegel Cup Trophy is a part of Skee’s championship history from the 1956 Philadelphia Bulletin tournament. The winning team gets to proudly display the trophy for the year!

Excitedly moving forward, I found Rick McCall, Life Member of the PGA of America and former PGA Head Golf Professional at Maple Dale Country Club (site of the 2004 Riegel Cup Matches). Rick plays a major role in junior golf in Delaware and has the largest junior golf program in the state! I found the program I was looking for. He said that he used to do a similar team event years ago with a team in Pennsylvania that for some reason faded away. I told him that I want to start up a permanent annual event for the kids of our respective junior golf programs that will never fade away. An elite event that would last for ever and one that the kids would set goals to make their respective team. I wanted to document each year as permanent history like the USGA and PGA have for the Walker Cup & Ryder Cup Teams respectively. After 6 years, I’m proud to say that the Riegel Cup Matches have certainly brought together the best kids and has produced great matches!

Skee was there for all of the first 6 matches (2003 thru 2008). Three times he went over to Delaware with the Cape May Team aboard the Cape May Lewes Ferry. We all would gather around Skee so we can hear the stories of what it was like traveling with the Walker Cup Team in 1947 on the Queen Elizabeth across Atlantic Ocean for the 5 day trip to England. Besides the great golf stories, in addition, we told stories of Skee climbing the smoke stack with his bare hands. Skee was very strong and could walk on his hands too! Another story was when Skee fell asleep in the lifeboat and they stopped the boat to look for him fearing man over board! During this time on the ferry, I would also go onto let everyone know how proud Skee was of them for qualifying for the “Cape May Team”. No matter what their results are from the matches, they are the best and should be proud of their accomplishments that led them to making the team! With Skee smiling and giving a great nod of approval, I would give the same speech to the “Lewes Team” at the awards ceremony as they too should be very proud of themselves as well!

I hope you all enjoy the Riegel Cup Matches and it’s rich history! If you competed in the matches, you know how it feels and how important of an accomplishment it was for you. Each year, I always look forward to seeing the kids set goals for making the team. Good luck with your efforts! Skee was always proud of not only the kids who made it; yet, the kids who set goals and tried their best to play their way onto their respective team!

~ John Petronis ~

Letter from Skee

Recommendation Letter for

Jr. Golf Leader

Letter from Skee

Honored to have event named after him!