- photo courtesy Essex Country Club

Essex County Club, founded in 1893, was home to Donald Ross from 1910 to 1916, when he served as golf professional, expanded the course to its current routing and walked to work from a house that sits behind the 14th green.

The club, rated No. 63 on the Golfweek’s Best Classic Course list, has a glorious championship history, having served as host of the U.S. Women’s Amateur (1897, 1912) and the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur (1995). Two of the club’s greatest golfers, sisters Harriot and Margaret Curtis, with four Women’s Amateur titles between them, donated the namesake silver cup for the matches that have been held biennially since 1932 – including at Essex in 1938.

The course is an iconic New England landscape. Native fescues abound, small ponds and wetlands dot the site, three brooks come into play, and there’s granite ledge outcrop everywhere. (to view complete course review by Bradley S. Klein of Golfweek, click here>)

Here is a look at the players on both the U.S. and GB&I teams that will be competing on this storied venue:

U.S. team

Cydney Clanton

• Age: 20
• Hometown: Concord, N.C.
• Comment: Oldest player on the team and perhaps the most inexperienced when it comes to international team competition, Auburn’s Clanton was ranked No. 1 for a good bit of the spring season.

Jennifer Johnson

• Age: 18
• Hometown: La Quinta, Calif.
• Comment: 2009 U.S. Women’s Amateur finalist makes a lot of pars. The Arizona State frosh shows little emotion on course and works hard on her mental game with Tiger Woods’ former sports psychologist, Jay Brunza.

Kimberly Kim

• Age: 18
• Hometown: Pahoa, Hawaii
• Comment: The “vet” of the team, Kim has struggled with the putter as of late. The Denver freshman’s length off the tee, however, should provide plenty of birdie opportunities.

Stephanie Kono

• Age: 20
• Hometown: Honolulu
• Comment: Shot 66 in the final round of Arizona State tournament to beat Jennifer Song by a stroke. Back injury earlier this year forced UCLA sophomore to improve her short game.

Jessica Korda

• Age: 17
• Hometown: Bradenton, Fla.
• Comment: She’s a gamer. Personable teen shot 69 on Sunday in the past two U.S. Women’s Opens. Paired well with Alexis Thompson in four-ball at ’09 Junior Solheim Cup.

Tiffany Lua

• Age: 19
• Hometown: Rowland Heights, Calif.
• Comment: This team’s surprise player. UCLA freshman has played in two U.S. Women’s Opens and advanced to two USGA semifinals (’09 Women’s Amateur and ‘08 Women’s Public Links). Sings to herself between shots.

Jennifer Song

• Age: 20
• Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Comment: A mature player whose strengths are consistency and mental fortitude. The USC sophomore thrives on USGA setups and will make this event her amateur swan song.

Alexis Thompson

• Age: 15
• Hometown: Coral Springs, Fla.
• Comment: She’s long and fearless. Thompson might be the youngest on the team, but she knows how to win. Will turn pro the week after the Curtis Cup, at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Captain: Noreen Mohler

– Beth Ann Baldry

Great Britain & Ireland team

Hannah Barwood

• Age: 19
• Hometown: Hanham, England
• Comment: The top player in the English Women’s Golf Association, just ahead of Holly Clyburn (third) and Rachel Jennings (fourth). Lost in semifinals of English Women’s Close Amateur Championship.

Holly Clyburn

• Age: 19
• Hometown: Cleethorpes, England
• Comment: The 2009 English Girls’ Championship winner has a bit of experience playing in the States. Tied for second with Alexis Thompson at the Women’s Dixie Amateur in January.

Rachel Jennings

• Age: 21
• Hometown: Trentham, England
• Comment: Has match-play experience on GB&I’s Vagliano Trophy team in the 2009 matches against the Continent of Europe. Lost in quarterfinals of English Women’s Close Amateur Championship.

Leona Maguire

• Age: 15
• Hometown: Ballyconnell, Ireland
• Comment: Won the French Under 21 Girls Championship in April, as well as the 2008 Irish Ladies’ Amateur. Joined twin sister, Lisa, in Junior Solheim match in ’09. The Maguires are the youngest-ever GB&I players.

Lisa Maguire

• Age: 15
• Hometown: Ballyconnell, Ireland
• Comment: Despite her age, Maguire has won major titles, including the top two amateurs (stroke play and match play) in Ireland last year. Also won the 2008 Helen Holm Scottish Ladies’ Open Amateur Stroke Play.

Danielle McVeigh

• Age: 22
• Hometown: Annalong, Northern Ireland
• Comment: Oldest player on GB&I team with a strong amateur track record. Sealed her place with victory at the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship in April. Played at Texas A&M.

Pamela Pretswell

• Age: 21
• Hometown: Hamilton, Scotland
• Comment: Played tennis until she was 14 before switching to golf. Comes into match with little competitive golf since the 2009 Home International Matches because of school (Glasgow University).

Sally Watson

• Age: 18
• Hometown: Earlsferry, Scotland
• Comment: The only holdover from the ’08 GB&I team. Much will be expected of the Scot, who may be known to Americans because she’s a freshman on Stanford’s golf team.

Captain: Mary McKenna

– Alistair Tait