College of Golf September 2023 Events
College of Golf Students Participate in Historic Hickory Open Putting Championship
Keiser University College of Golf (KUCOG) Professor Ken Martin’s History of Golf class members recently enjoyed a unique opportunity. Martin and KUCOG Executive Director of Golf Operations Dr. Eric Wilson organized a putting competition using hickory-shafted putters and golf balls from different historical eras, beginning in the early 1800s and progressing through the modern day.
Students gathered at the KUCOG’s Outdoor Putting Green as Martin explained each of the different putting stations, culminating in a 36-hole putting competition. The group putted three-hole segments with each of the following:
- Long nose putter and featherie golf ball
- Wry-neck blade putter and hand-hammered gutta percha golf ball
- Brown-Vardon semi-mallet head putter and bramble pattern gutta percha golf ball
- Schenectady center-shafted putter and balata-covered golf ball
- Calamity Jane putter (used by Bobby Jones) and replica mesh dimple ball
- Hackbarth putter and Pro V-1 golf ball
- Wright Ditson Cash-In putter and Dunlop 65 Balata golf ball
- MacGregor Roll Face Technology putter and Dunlop 65 Balata golf ball
- Acushnet Bulls-eye putter and Dunlop 65 Balata golf ball
- PING Answer putter and Titleist Professional golf ball
- Bass-Ackward putter and Titleist Professional golf ball
- MacGregor Response putter and Titleist Professional golf ball
Par for the course was 72, and student Amber Gao won the event with a score of four-over-par 76. Hayden Gamache finished second with a score of 78, while Faye Wheatley and Michael Roppolo tied for third with a score of 79.
Historic Putting Championship Group Photo
Amber Gao, Historic Putting Championship Winner
