REUTERS News-Beitrag über das World Hickory Open 2017

In a nutshell, Hickory Golf is played with original or pre-1936 replica hickory shafted clubs and yet skillful players such as last year’s winner and former Masters Champ Sandy Lyle are still able to hit their drives close to 300-yards yards and record scores of as little as 67, although this has only been achieved twice in the tournaments 12-year history.

Most of the entrants play in traditional early 20th century attire with a thin, leather bag slung over their shoulder, each bag rattling a cleek, mashie and several other pre-1936 wooden golf clubs.

The Championships started back in 2005, when a small group of players assembled for a friendly competition on the historic Old Course at Musselburgh. The links course at Kilspindie Golf Club, Aberlady, East Lothian, Scotland was the venue for this fun and friendly tournament. Notably, Kilspindie is reputed in the oldest 50 clubs in the world and so an apt venue for the championship.

After two extremely blustery days with winds of up to 40miles per hour, it was the Carnoustie professional golfer Fraser Mann who outclassed all his opponents. His first round (Tuesday 3rd) he shot a 71 followed by a 70 on the final day. It was the first time Fraser had won the competition having entered the Championships every year since it started, a just reward for his patience and determination. He is now one of the growing list of professionals and amateurs now competing, as this old form of golf gains momentum and popularity.

It may look gentile, but fierce rivalries motivate many of the competitors, along with the opportunity to experience playing on one of Scotland’s historic courses and the chance to dress the part in plus-fours, flat cap and woollen sweaters.