Catalonia v. Ireland
Having set up the Solius course and founded the Catalan Pitch and Putt Association in the early 1990s, Martin Whitelaw approached the PPUI with a view to fostering international competition. Ireland visited Solius in 1997 to play Catalonia. That encounter paved the way for the formation of EPPA and ultimately FIPPA and the inauguration of the international championships. The International Challenge matches between Catalonia and Ireland have continued on a sporadic basis.