By Bill Reed
The hickory teams of the USA and Canada just completed the Annual battle for the ” Swift Cup ” Hickory Match held at the Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, TX. In a tight team battle, the USA team upsetthe favored Canadian Team 16 to 14 to reclaim the ” Swift Cup.” This annual battle happens every March in Texas in conjunction with the Region 4 Hickory gathering of the Golf Collectors Society. A rubber match is held in August at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in conjunction with the Canadian Hickory Open at the Legends Golf Club, hosted by owners Edwin Chan and Ron Lyons of Edmonton.
This event was hosted by Rives McBee, the GCS Region 4 director and was also attended by GCS directors Eddie Breeden (Region 9) and Jim Jeselnick (Region 6) as well as GCS President Bill Reed. The editor of the GCS Bulletin, Jimmy Apfelbaum, was the keynote speaker at the Tournament Awards Banquet.
Also in attendence at this staple of hickory golf made popular by the late Johnny Henry of Ennis, Texas, were many members of the Hickory Golf Association and the Society of Hickory Golfers and a contingent of 19 hickory players from our neighbor to the north. It is a very healthy venue when varying groups join together.
Brendan Tomiuk of Canada took medal play honors with a stirling 75. Senior medal play champ was John Piffer of Indianola, Iowa with a fine 80. He won in a five-hole card play off with Chris Ream of Canada who also shot 80. The winning scramble team, which posted 68, was composed of three Canadians – Bob Maksymic, Stephen Wong and Ryan Galloway – and John Ausen of Des Moines, Iowa.
Kay McBee was recognized for her “behind the scene” contributions to not only this event, but for her years of support to the game of golf at all levels of play, professionally as well as amateur and hickory golf. Again, thanks to Rives McBee for a wonderful experience in hickory golf and a three-day trade show.