HICKORY GOLF NEWS

Another classic of good golf, great fun in the Arizona Desert
March 10, 2024

Playing pre-1935 hickory shafted clubs, 88 players celebrated the 12th Arizona Desert Hickory in Sun City West, Ariz. Equipped with vintage equipment, and attired in knickers, argyle socks, woolen caps and vintage outfits, they challenged Grandview & Pebblebrook Golf Courses in grand style over a two-day competition. During the last weekend of February, players from across the USA and Canada, […]

Win Padgett, co-founder of the SoHG, 1945-2024
March 7, 2024

Win Padgett Jr. passed away on March 6, 2024. He was one of the original co-founders of the Society of Hickory Golfers, a gentleman and a strong influence on the early growth of modern hickory golf. Win was 78 and had been in poor health for several years.  “Win loved hickory golf and was a giant for the hickory game’s […]

Cold weather no match for hot scores at Winter Park
February 22, 2024

The cold that settled on much of the country during the weekend of Jan. 20-21 did not overlook Winter Park, Fla. Despite the chilly, and at times drizzly, conditions the players delighted in the classic Winter Park Golf Course, a 9-hole beauty on the Florida Historic Golf Trail. The field was once again maxed out at 48 players on Saturday […]

Founded on fun, friendship, new Canadian hickory golf tournament has high hopes
February 10, 2024

“The impetus for this tournament is really all the great events I have been able to attend through my short time as a hickory golfer, says Christopher Hawes. “Everyone is welcoming and full of character, and the emphasis, while being competitive, is on the pure enjoyment of the game.” Though he enjoyed the sport so much, there were few people […]

2023 was a great year for hickory golf
January 10, 2024

As this snapshot of global hickory activity shows from 2023, tournament fields are growing and players continue to enjoy this fascinating sport which brings pleasure on so many levels. It’s hoped these brief summaries will serve as a document, of sorts, certainly not to be considered exhaustive, of the sport in the various countries in which it is played. We […]

First PGA-sanctioned Japanese Hickory Golf Tournament
January 4, 2024

Alex Bruce reports: The PGA Hickory Golf Tournament TAIHEIYO CLUB CUP 2023, Japan’s first PGA-sanctioned hickory golf tournament (total prize money 8 million yen) was held at the Taiheiyo Club Yachiyo Course on Dec. 8-9. The tournament was played with hickory shafted golf clubs; all players wore knickerbockers. The competition format was a two-day pro-am tournament, with 30 professionals playing […]

Wells, Peterson, Debarros are 2023 Florida hickory champs
December 12, 2023

Saturday/Sunday – December 9 & 10, 2023 – Mount Dora GC The 2023 Florida Hickory Golfers Championship was contested Dec. 9-10 at the Mount Dora Golf Course. It was a great weekend on which to close out the year. Once again, Will Peterson captured the Stevens Trophy. Carlos Debarros took home the Heritage Trophy, and Natalie Wells bested all the […]

20th Mid Pines Hickory Open won in dramatic fashion
November 6, 2023

The 20th annual Mid Pines Hickory Open welcomed about 75-80 golfers to the lovely Mid Pines golf course in Southern Pines this past Nov. 1-2. The weather was glorious, said one participant. The greens were tough, said another. Both agreed it was one of the best managed tournaments they had played in this year, from the course and conditions right […]

Flory, Moore, and Griffen repeat winners at Wisconsin Hickory Open
September 26, 2023

Ernie Ernst reports: The 13th annual Wisconsin Hickory Open was contested Sept. 21-23 on the Lawsonia Links at Beautiful Green Lake, Wisc. Peter Flory came out on top as our Champion, defending his title.  The weekend of activities started with a picnic and welcome party at the House on No. 2, complete with music provided by Dicky Walsh. The club […]

Ellington snares third McNabb title in dramatic fashion
September 25, 2023

Reported by MacDuff The great tides of human affairs wash our mortal shores with a seeming indifference; for the greater part of mankind will feel no moving hand, no guiding influence but what is ascribed to fate or the whim of deities beneficent or cruel. And yet we strive. Small creatures in a cold universe, we endeavor to govern ourselves […]

Minoprio Challenge a one-club test of golfing skill and creativity
September 23, 2023

The first-ever Gloria Minoprio Challenge, hosted by Robert Birman of the Northwest Hickory Players, took place on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Port Townsend Golf Club. A field of 20 players competed with one club (an iron cleek or driving iron) in a 9-hole event, all wearing trousers in honor of the great one. Gloria Minoprio, a British woman golfer of […]

Greenbrier assistant pro Matthew Hoffman is 2023 USHO champion
September 12, 2023

Early in the going Inwood, N.Y. looked like it would present a rainy prospect and the practice rounds were indeed somewhat drizzly; but the skies cleared and all was well for the 16th U.S. Hickory Open. This year, 100 years later, the sounds of hickory clubs echoed again over the storied course on which Bobby Jones outlasted Bobby Cruickshank in […]

Australian Championship adds Asia/Pacific competition for international flavor
September 11, 2023

Report by Les Browne The 28th Australian Hickory Shaft Championship was recently played on Melbourne’s world renowned sand belt courses. The courses were set up for hickory play and although the clubs are 100+ years old the winning scores were surprisingly low. Hickory players from around Australia, as well as, for the first time, contingents from New Zealand and Japan, […]

Ben Plaunt adds Canadian title to 2023 victories
September 7, 2023

Canadian Ben Plaunt, who also won the 2023 Gearhart Hickory Open title, added the Canadian Open Hickory Championship title to his successes for the year. Always blessed with a great turnout, this year’s event hosted 94 players, many of whom enjoyed the two-day pre championship golf trip. Beautiful weather, good times and lots of wonderful hickory spirit and friendships. Click […]

Australian Hickory Championship gets a little love from Golf Australia Magazine
August 30, 2023

It’s always good fun when some of the mainstream golf publications work to provide their readers a little taste of hickory golf. In Australia, the Golf Australia Magazine found a good thing in the upcoming 2023 hickory championships for the great “Down Under” country. Click here to read the post. Good on ya, mate!

SoHG Housekeeping

The Autumn/Winter 2023 edition of A Wee Nip has been mailed to all members. A PDF has also been posted to the website. A Happy to New Year to everybody!
ADVERTISE IN THE WEE NIP – Send your message to all SoHG members in the bi-annual magazine. Your ad also helps the SoHG. Click here for 2024 ad rates and information.
SoHG Book Club – Sam Sinclair, our new member director, is also a reader and would like to start an SoHG Book Club for a monthly Zoom chat on all things golf and golf history, or whatever's tickling your reading fancy. Once we have a few signed up, Sam will set up a monthly Zoom meeting for an hour or so chat on the latest good reads. Reach him at txhickorygolf@gmail.com.
Support the USHO with a donation to the USHO Patrons Fund or the donation of a raffle item to the 2024 USHO. Donations of any amount to the Fund are welcome, but a $1,000 donation earns a Lifetime Membership in the Society. Click here to learn more and donate. As for 2024 raffle donations, email Dave Brown or Jim Davis for information on how to do so. All raffle items are welcome, no matter the size.
Let us know about your hickory hole-in-one. Click here to check out reports from others who have managed this rare shot with a hickory club. Timothy Chenevert, of Baton Rouge, La., got his on the City Park Golf Course in late September.
Send your letters, comments, photos, and articles for A Wee Nip and website contributions to Jim Davis. Do it! Let's hear about your hickory golf travels and adventures.

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