Oct. 15-19
Various Courses
East Lothian, Scotland
Sandy Lyle is expected to play this year. The former Masters’ champ has already won two World Hickory titles. Perhaps a third? He’ll have some keen competition from at least 20 other pros, according to a report just issued by Ginny Lawson of Ginny Lawson PR, on behalf of the event’s organizers.
The 14th World Hickory Open (WHO) will be held over two days in early October over the demanding links of Luffness and Gullane 3 on Scotland’s Golf Coast, East Lothian, 10-miles east of Edinburgh.
Boris Lietzow, who has been named the new CEO of the championship, has said current entries predict another record year in which the WHO Festival of Golf will tee off on Oct. 15 with 120 players comprising up to 20 pros in a field of mainly amateurs from 15 nations including the U.K., Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, France, Czech Republic, Japan, South Africa, and the USA. The Festival lasts for five days. The 2017 title was won last year by Carnoustie pro Fraser Mann
Lietzow is a specialist in hickory golf who manages the Jack White shop in Gullane, Scotland, a shop replete with historic golf collectables.
The main event in the five-day Festival of Hickory Golf will be the World Hickory Open played over the historic links of Kilspindie as well as the nearbyk courses of Longniddry, Luffness, and Gullane No. 3. The entry of Mr. Lyle will be counted a coup for the organizers. His presence in the field will certainly cause some concern among those pros out to win the championship title and trophy.
The tournament has lost none of its pre-eminence, even though national and qualifying events are being held in the States, South Africa, and in Japan this year. Extraordinarily, even without founder and organiser Lionel Freedman, who very sadly died quite suddenly 18 months ago, the World Hickory Open seems to be a must-attend date for hickory players worldwide – and they all knew Lionel!
Aspiring players from Scotland should also be aware of two new features just added for the 2018 event. First, with so much international focus on Loretto College’s Golf Academy, paradoxically only 10-miles away, WHO organisers have introduced a new World Junior Hickory category; the second is a special discount first-come-first-served for local Scottish entrants.
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- Gullane No. 3 Photo by Jim Davis
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- A player walks the course during the 2017 championship. Photo by Neil Hanna.
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- Players at the 2017 World Hickory Open. Photo by Neil Hanna.
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- Players at the 2017 World Hickory Open. Photo by Neil Hanna.
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- A photo of the Kilspindie Golf Course. Photo by Jim Davis.
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- A hickory player follows through with a shot on the Kilspindie GC. Photo by Jim Davis.
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- A view of the Gullane golf course and the town. Photo by Jim Davis.