Hickory Dickory Dock...
The history of Hickory golf
Hickory Golf, which refers to the playing of golf with hickory-shafted golf clubs, has many devotees around the world. In the United States the main organizing body is known as The Society of Hickory Golfers. In Canada its the Canadian Golf Historical Society and in the United Kingdom, the British Golf Collectors Society. There are also active groups in Sweden and Finland that conduct national tournaments.
In Hickory Golf, there are two main divisions of play: pre-1905 and pre-1935.
The pre-1905 group plays with the old Gutta Percha ball or its equivalent, and clubs are limited to those produced before 1905 or authorized reproductions. The main tournament for this group is the National Hickory Championship, which has recently conducted its 10th tournament. Most tournaments are conducted at Oakhurst Links, the oldest golf course in the United States.
The pre-1935 group plays with modern balls, but play is limited to clubs manufactured before 1935 or to authorized reproductions.
Proponents of Hickory Golf say part of the attraction of playing with hickory clubs is that they reintroduce ‘feel’ to the shot, which allows golfers to play classic golf courses as they were meant to be played.