Les Browne reports:
May the 4th is not only Star Wars Day but the World Hickory Golf Day also celebrated internationally.
To celebrate Down Under, the Australian Golf Heritage Society scheduled an event played on sand greens using 100-year-old hickory shaft clubs.
So the inaugural World Sand Green Hickory Championship was founded.
Throughout Australia, there are approximately 400 courses that have greens comprised of biodegradable oiled sand or some other similar material, usually due to the prohibitive cost of maintaining grass greens by small clubs in dry rural areas.
The player is able to smooth the putting surface with a provided smoother/rake prior to putting.
The Championship was hosted by Portland Golf Club, an easy three-hour drive west of Sydney, which was appropriate as the club recently celebrated its centenary. The course is a combination of traditional links and parkland elements which gives the golfer a truly enjoyable experience and well set up for hickory play.
Keen hickory players as well as some locals enjoyed the terrific weather and local hospitality.
Attending the event were Casandra Coleman, the local mayor, and Paul Toole, the Bathurst Member of Parliament. Toole is familiar with golf history as he opened the Golf Museum at Tuncurry a few years ago.
As most players had never experienced playing on sand greens, a training session was provided to demonstrate how to ‘rake/smooth’ the sand, chipping and putting. They were quick learners as demonstrated by the results.
Hickory golf is a game where the low running shot is paramount, which is ideal when playing sand greens which are small and don’t hold a full shot.
The quality of play was spectacular with the average net score under par.
The Men’s Champion was NSW and Australian Hickory Champion, Tim Sayers (Bankstown) with a 4-under 68; runner up Darron Watt (The Rock) with 78; and third was first timer Cliff Smith (Castle Cove) on 81. The Women’s Champion, also a NSW and Australian Hickory Champion, was Suz Brown (Manly) with an 83, her best round for some time. Handicap honors went to Paul Gladwin (Avondale) with Net 67 on the count back from Les Browne.
Tim, an experienced sand green player commented the ‘greens’ were the best he had played on – they were smooth and running at Stimp 8.
Best of the locals was Andrew Davies with Net 69. Club President Bob Roberts commented “he can’t do this with his regular clubs!”
Best dressed was a close decision with Avondale’s leftie Warwick Stanwell taking the prize.
AGHS arranges regular hickory events and encouraged players to experience the100 year old clubs. Loan hickory clubs are available.
Just contact Les Browne at: lesnkate@bigpond.net.au.
Vintage cars complemented the event.
Major Prize winners Tim Sayers, Suz Brown, Paul Gladwin with Paul Toole and Casandra Coleman.
Part of the group prior to teeing off with those attending the Sunday Junior Program.
All the winners with Paul Toole and Casandra Coleman.