The Northern Hickory Tour made its second stop in my area on Saturday past. The Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort hosted 11 golfers out to play with vintage golf clubs manufactured in the early 1900s. It was a fun time had by all because of uniqueness of the golf course and the friendships forged by all. Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort is a unique course because it fits perfectly for playing hickories as the distance played and the layout provide a historical nuance not felt on modern courses.

The event went over without a hitch. Playing in under four hours was a boon, however the great company, reliving history, and gorgeous weather made the time fly when on the links. As the organizer, I decided that we play the Stapleford system of scoring. This system is easy, fair and allows for players to make a mistake or two without hurting their score. As we tabulated the scores, Lorne Emery (president of the Golf Historical Society of Canada) came out on top with 27 points. I tied for second with 25 and rest of the scores were typical of players teeing it up on a new golf course.

As I looped around my home course, I noticed that the hickories produced much more roll than my modern clubs. They produced less spin on approach shots, so landing before the green and let it roll up was the shot of the day. Lastly, my ball travels much lower and normal with all my clubs. Overall, it was great trying to solve the mystery of ball flight and distance control. It really made me think about how the technology of the day was maximized by some famous golfers like Harry Vardon and Old Tom Morris.

The Northern Hickory Tour is a great experience. Next year, they plan on making three stops and will be looking for curious players to join us and confront the fun challenges of using hickories. More to follow on the future stops.

The shot of the day in our group was made by George. He hit a perfect tee shot on the par 3, 6th hole that set up an easy par. See if you can find his ball in the picture.

The Northern Hickory Tour was a great success this year. I want to thank the 7 GHSC ambassadors who made the trek to our neck of the woods. Also, I want to thank Lorne Emery and the crew for continuing this fantastic initiative to grow golf at the grass roots. Understanding the history of the game only enhances our desire to play more golf!

Lastly, a huge thank you to Mike and Brenda (owner/managers of the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort) for hosting this event. Everyone enjoyed your hospitality and the especially the fantastic Whistle Dogs and Club Sandwiches.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!