Aussie wins US Hickory Open

Australian Alan Grieve has won this year’s US Hickory Open by five shots at the French Lick Resort in southern Indiana. Reportedly the first to sign up for the event, Grieve hails from Wynnam Golf Club in Brisbane and his scores of 75 – 75 were enough to secure the 2011 trophy.

Hickory golf is an old form of golf. Early golf club shafts were made from hickory and the clubs were given names such as mashie, niblick and brassie. The ball used was very different to the golf ball we use today and had a hard cover over a core of latex from a Gutta-Percha tree. Often referred to as the ‘guttie’ ball.

The few folk I’ve met who have played hickory golf rave about the ‘feel’ of playing a good shot and is nothing like what a good shot feels with modern equipment. Geoff Ogilvy tried out hickory shafted clubs at Royal Melbourne a few years ago and reportedly said “you just don’t even want to pull your normal driver out when you can play like this”.

If you’d like to try out hickory golf you may be in for a shock. The clubs are very rare now and cost a fortune. Your best best would be to head to the Australian Golf Heritage Festival held at Australia’s oldest golf course, in Bothwell, Tasmania.