The Solheim Cup trophy is cut Irish crystal, made by Waterford and designed in 1990 by Billy Briggs. It stands 19 inches tall, weighs about 20 pounds and sits on a wooden base. The winning team keeps it until the next edition, and there is no cash that goes with it.
Jump to: Specifications | How it was made | Karsten Solheim | Why that name | What the winners get | FAQ
Solheim Cup Trophy Specifications
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Maker | Waterford, Ireland |
| Designer | Billy Briggs |
| Year designed | 1990 |
| Material | Cut crystal on a wooden base |
| Height | 19 inches including base |
| Weight | About 20 pounds, roughly 9 kg |
| Base diameter | 8 inches |
| Diameter at top | 4 inches |
| Prize money attached | None |
It is heavier than it looks on television. Twenty pounds of solid crystal is why you often see two players lifting it together.
How the Solheim Cup Trophy Was Made
Waterford was founded in 1783 by brothers George and William Penrose. The company was commissioned to create the trophy when the match was established, and Billy Briggs, one of its senior designers, drew it in 1990.
Three crafts go into it: blowing, cutting and engraving. The diamond shaped carvings that catch the light come from a technique called the Rheintour cut.
The best detail is on the centre panel. It carries an intaglio engraving of the Solheim Cup logo, and that logo is itself a drawing of the trophy. The trophy has a picture of itself on it.
Every winning team is added to the wooden base. As the years pass the base has to grow taller to fit more results, which means the trophy is not quite the same object it was in 1990.
Who Was Karsten Solheim?
| Born | 15 September 1911, Bergen, Norway |
| Died | 16 February 2000, Phoenix, Arizona |
| Known for | Founding PING, creating the Solheim Cup |
| Company | Karsten Manufacturing Corporation |
Karsten Solheim was an engineer, not a golfer by trade. He took up the game late and could not putt, so he designed his own putter using sugar cubes and popsicle sticks to test the idea.
His change was simple and it altered club design permanently. Instead of joining the shaft at the heel of the blade, he joined it at the centre and pushed the weight out to the perimeter. He built the clubs in his garage.
The breakthrough came in 1967, when Julius Boros won the Phoenix Open using Solheim’s Anser putter. PING was established from there.
He backed women’s golf long before the Solheim Cup existed. PING has sponsored an LPGA event since 1975, starting with the Karsten PING Open.
Why It Is Called the Solheim Cup
The event is named after Karsten and his wife Louise Solheim. Both were central to getting it off the ground, and the family funded and drove the idea of a women’s match to sit alongside the Ryder Cup.
The first match was played in 1990 at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Florida. Kathy Whitworth’s American side won 11.5 to 4.5.
Karsten died in February 2000, ten years after the first edition. The match has been played every two years since and the 2026 matches at Bernardus Golf are the 20th.
What the Winning Team Actually Gets
The trophy, and nothing else. The winning side holds it until the next edition, then hands it back.
There is no cheque. No player, captain or vice-captain is paid, and no world ranking points are awarded. The reasons behind that are covered on our Solheim Cup prize money page.
One quirk decides who holds it after a tie. The Cup stays with the defending team, which is how Europe kept it in 2023 after the only tied match in the event’s history. In 2026 that rule favours the United States, who arrive as holders.
For an object with no cash value attached, the Solheim Cup trophy is one of the more coveted prizes in golf. That is the point of it. Karsten Solheim wanted a women’s match with the same weight as the Ryder Cup, and a 20 pound piece of Waterford crystal turned out to be enough.
Solheim Cup Trophy FAQ
What is the Solheim Cup trophy made of?
Cut Irish crystal made by Waterford, mounted on a wooden base. It stands 19 inches tall and weighs about 20 pounds, or roughly 9 kg.
Who designed the Solheim Cup trophy?
Billy Briggs, one of Waterford’s senior designers, in 1990. Waterford has made the trophy since the first edition and was founded in 1783 by brothers George and William Penrose.
Who is the Solheim Cup named after?
Karsten and Louise Solheim. Karsten was a Norwegian American engineer who founded Karsten Manufacturing, the company behind PING golf clubs, and drove the creation of a women’s team match to sit alongside the Ryder Cup.
Does the Solheim Cup winner get any money?
No. The winning team receives the trophy and nothing financial. There is no purse, no winner’s cheque and no payment to players, captains or vice-captains.
Who keeps the Solheim Cup trophy?
The winning team holds it until the next edition two years later. If a match is tied, the trophy stays with the defending side, which is what happened when Europe retained it after the 14 to 14 tie in 2023.
Why is there an engraving of the trophy on the trophy?
The centre panel carries an intaglio engraving of the Solheim Cup logo, and the logo was designed to incorporate an image of the trophy itself. So the cup shows a picture of itself.
Where was the first Solheim Cup played?
Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Florida, in 1990. The United States, captained by Kathy Whitworth, won 11.5 to 4.5.
See who is playing for it on the Solheim Cup 2026 teams page, the full schedule, the all time records or every Solheim Cup captain.
Waterford’s own account of the trophy is on the House of Waterford site.
Last updated: 6 September 2026