SoHG President Joey Piatek is a devoted fan of feather ball play and may be counted among those in the select community of craftsmen who produce replica clubs of the feather ball era. Following are his reflections on play in the 2026 Oddball Tournament, held April 17-18 at the Hillcrest Golf Center in Washington, Ill.
With our clubs carried under the arm, or propped up by trestle sticks, or in an antique golf bags, the players at the 2026 Oddball (April 17-18, 2026) were paired via random draw into teams for two days of foursomes matchplay. The eventual winners, Jeff Kissel and Adam Raftshol, earned the right to be named our 2026 captains by winning three 9-hole matches in the warmth of Friday followed by the 18-hole championship match in cold, Scottish-like weather on Saturday.
The play overall was at a very high level, and there were many young (45 and under) rookies willing to give the ancient feather ball game a try. Being comparatively young at most other hickory events, Christian Williams may have felt like an elder statesman in the final match at his 46 years of age. Besides our new captains, there were many other strong and experienced golfers in the field, like Patrick Zinuticz, Garrett Smith, and Jeff Hunt, who have swings that may have been honed with more modern materials, but they adapted quickly and adeptly for use of leather, hickory, and hardwood.
For clubs, Christian Williams, Elmer Nahum, and Denny Lane were there to provide loaner handmade 19th century-style longnosed clubs to all who were looking for a few spoons and a putter for the weekend. And there was a fair share of players using their own hand-made clubs or the magnificent clubs made by Kelly Leonard. The roster of club and ball makers continues to grow, and it was great to hear the stories shared about the clubmaking techniques earned by trial, error, and research, by this passionate group. The feather ball is gentler on the clubs than a gutty, but I just recently got over my surprise at how few club or ball mishaps we have seen over the past few years.
The Oddball has come to be a cherished reunion for many of the players, but our collective digital presence keeps us all connected throughout the rest of the year. There is no shortage of online content produced by such as Denny and Cathy Lane (hickorylanefeatherie), Christian Williams (hickoryhacker) and Elmer Nahum (practicalclubmaker). Our new captains, Jeff (munisandmonsters) and Adam (tillygolf), are worth following as well.
Showing up at the course Friday morning brings an anticipated reunion of the players, many of whom had to fly or drive long distances to get to Washington, Ill. Players from 11 different states were present. The fun continued even after the first day was over, with most players staying at the same hotel and having dinner together next door at the Brickhouse BBQ. For this year, the fun continued into the night with an impromptu beer-tasting and magic show in the hotel lobby thanks to Todd Cavender and Elmer Nahum. The tornado warning going on at the same time did not dampen spirits.
On the course, it is a delightful treat to be welcomed with a smile by Cathy at Old Maw’s goat cart, with its ginger beer and other refreshments. Usually situated somewhere handy on the course, Old Maw’s cart has become one of the best halfway houses I’ve had the pleasure to experience.
The course that Denny and Cathy prepare over the top of the Hillcrest Golf Center is always engaging and appropriate for feather ball play. Holes cover shorter distances (think par 3 course length, ranging between 100-165 yards), and there are hand-dug holes and hand-made pins topped with a yellow felt flag. For this year’s edition of the Oddball, Cathy and Denny dialed up the fun, variety, and distance.
The players were faced with three distinct nines, and there was additional Scottish flair with each hole being given a name. The first and third nines were played across the same ground, mostly the land circling the driving range, and the players were treated to holes that were reversible. The second nine occupied the south part of the golfing ground and offered excellent holes traversing the hilly ground and playing mostly against or with the strong wind. There were some short holes that could be covered in one well-struck shot, but most required two solid swipes to reach an area where a putter could be used. Every hole had a memorable, defining feature or obstacle to be negotiated. My favorite included a huge tree that could be hit over, around, or under, to land near the hole. Others included a blind tee shot, or a hole located directly behind a water-filled depression that was blind to the players. Some holes played along a tree line, allowing them to play out wide for safety, or daring them to play closer to the trees. And others included a large mound near the hole that could either help or hurt the player depending on the angle from which their approach came.
The feather balls are at the heart of why this event is special. Handmade by Cathy and Denny, they are the closest we can approximate to the balls of pre-1848 Scotland. As play goes on, the featheries develop a personality of their own, much like the clubs. The player learns their tendencies and what they can and can’t do with the equipment. The balls are surprisingly durable, with many players occasionally swapping in “experienced” featheries from prior years, the pristine white paint faded or rubbed off, replaced by grass stains and surface wear in the form of lines that crisscross the cover randomly. While the strong wind over the weekend had to be negotiated, the ball would fly nicely when struck well, and it rolled well enough along the 19th century-style putting surfaces (similar to a modern day fairway surface), even given some wet conditions in spots.
At the heart of the Oddball is the passion that Denny and Cathy put into the event. They have created something that attracts us “oddballs” to a memorable and fun weekend that I hope to enjoy for years to come.
Below are a sample of photos from the event including a few, that with the help of an AI assistant, Cathy turned into period-looking daguerreotypes.
These were all the rage in the 1840s,” she said. “We thought it would be fun to use AI filter to gift unique photos to our participants.”
For a gallery of additional and more modern photos from this most unique golf event, click on this link.
This group photo represents all those in the tournament field who are club or ball makers. Back row from left: Denny Lane (Ill.), Todd Cavender (Mich.), Christian Williams (N.Y.), Brad Korando (Wisc.), Kurtis Grant (Ga.), Jim Carpenter (Iowa), and Denny Olson (Iowa). Front row from left: Cathy Lane (Ill.), Elmer Nahum (Pa.), Nicholas Chmielewski (Colo.), Joey Piatek (Ind.).
Striking a period pose, and doing it quite well, is Mel Nieuwenhuis (Wisc.)
Christian Williams, AKA The Hickory Hacker, shown in a favorite pose.
Jeff Kissell, left, and Adam Raftshol were the winning team at the 2026 Oddball. In a very old tradition, they are holding a handcrafted trophy – a golf club with the winners’ names on a ball attached to a golf club.
Old Maw’s cart is a welcome diversion for golfers in need of nourishment, or encouragement.
Oddball hosts and feather ball makers, Denny and Cathy Lane.