Hickory Golf
by Bradley Turner Keiser University College of Golf Director of Online Golf Instruction – MBA, PGA
At the College of Golf at Keiser University, one of the traditions embedded in the associate degree program is the opportunity for students to experience hitting golf equipment from a century ago. Every semester, students in the Traditions of Golf: History and Culture class get the chance to play a 9-hole scramble format using hickory shafted golf clubs that were used in the early 1900s. Golf has been played with wooden shafts since the earliest days of the game, dating back to the 1400s. The “modern game” has been played with hickory shafted golf clubs by hall of fame greats Francis Ouimet, Bobby Jones, and Walter Hagen. On hickory golf days, College of Golf students dress the part and enjoy an afternoon on the links playing old-fashioned golf. This tradition provides a unique golf memory for College of Golf students, one that very few golfers today have experienced.
Hickory Golf Playing Opportunities
You are not alone if hickory golf has sparked an interest in this form of golf. Hickory golf has slowly been making a comeback for those interested in the history of the game or golfers who just want to play the “purest” form of the game. The Society of Hickory Golfers continues to grow in membership as well as providing playing opportunities. Hickory golf tournaments are being played all around the world, with many states sponsoring their state Hickory Open championships. These events are usually open to amateurs and professionals competing in various divisions. The US Hickory Open has been played at some historic golf venues since the first championship in 2011. This year the US Hickory Open will be played at the El Campeon Course at the Mission Inn Resort in central Florida. In October, a unique opportunity for hickory golfers is to replicate the first Open Championship held in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Participants will play the exact 12-holes used for the first Open Championship, which was won by Willie Park Sr. with a score of 174 over three rounds of play (a total of 36 holes).
I have always wondered what it must have been like playing tournament golf against Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen during the golden age of golf. Dressed in the golf attire of the day and playing with hickory shafted golf clubs is something most of us have never had the chance to experience. If you have ever watched the movie the Legend of Bagger Vance or The Greatest Game Ever Played, you may have contemplated the same thing as me; what was it like to play in those days?
Florida Hickory Open 2022
I got my chance last month when I played in the Florida Hickory Open. The event was sponsored by the Florida State Golf Association and held at the Donald Ross designed Bradenton Country Club. The course was a typical Ross design with mounded greens with plenty of slope to challenge today’s golfer. The course played firm and fast like a Scottish links of the early 1900’s. Hickory golf clubs from prior to 1935 were required for participation. Any golf ball approved by the USGA was allowed for this competition. Replica golf balls from the 1920s are difficult to acquire, but they are available to hickory golfers. My brief research led me to the conclusion that a softer golf ball like the Callaway Supersoft ball would perform better than today’s modern golf ball.
The challenge for most golfers interested in trying hickory golf is access to the equipment. I was fortunate to be provided a complete set of hickory golf clubs to participate in the event. I used a driver, spoon, and cleek along with 1 9-iron and putter. In preparation for the tournament, I played nine holes with these hickory clubs, followed by an 18-hole practice round the day before the event. I spent most of my preparation time trying to determine how far the ball was going to fly and which direction it was going to go! I dressed the part in a long sleeve shirt and a tie, expecting that my golf swing would be restricted by the 90-degree heat. However, I found that it was not a problem and could not use my attire as an excuse for a bad golf shot!
The lofts of the hickory clubs are different than my modern equipment. I normally hit a 7 iron about 155 yards and found that a 5 iron was about right for a 150-yard shot. I used 10-yard increments between all the irons, and this proved to be an accurate assessment, but only if I hit the ball solidly. For some reason, I seemed to hit my 3, 4, and 5 iron well, while the 6 and 7 irons cost me a couple of strokes and I quickly did not like those two clubs. The putter and special 9 iron were my favorite clubs in the bag. I slowly got the hang of the driver and hit a few drives that bounded past 250 yards which was a pleasant surprise. I also learned that hitting the ball in the center of the clubface became essential as off-center strikes do not perform like today’s equipment.
My takeaway from the Florida Hickory Open is that golf requires judgment and execution regardless of the equipment used. The mental challenges of the game are exactly the same, and so is the frustration of a poorly executed golf shot. The pure strike with a hickory shafted driver or today’s titanium/graphite driver brings joyful satisfaction to any golfer. At the end of the day, I was playing the game that I love and experienced the diverse emotional roller coaster that golf can often evoke in a competitive golfer. My score of 77-79 was good enough for a runner-up finish in my first hickory golf tournament. Most importantly, I met new friends that share a unique passion for hickory golf and the history of the game. There are plenty of opportunities for you to experience hickory golf in your community. Check out the Society of Hickory Golfers website for more information on hickory golf events in your area.
Brad Turner teeing off in the Florida Hickory Open
If you’d like to study with Bradley Turner and other PGA Master Professionals, contact the College of Golf today.
