The 2026 Ontario Open Hickory Championship was held at Whirlpool Golf Course on 3-4 October. This event is a must attend for all hickory stick lovers. Not surprising, this year’s attendance exceeded all expectations as this hickory event continues to grow. The field ranged from junior players to super seniors. Regardless of the age of participants, everyone had a great time by enjoying the wonderful golf course, fantastic weather, and great camaraderie. This year’s Open was a resounding success and a huge shout out to the organizers at the Golf Historical Society of Canada for another fantastic event.
As I made my way down to the Hickory Open, I had high hopes for my play this year. I put in a bit of time practicing and played a few more hickory rounds this year in preparation for this year’s event. I was not overly hyped because I knew the strength of the field, but I thought I could put on a great showing for all us northern hickory players. As it turned out, I was in the prizes, but did not meet my expectations. That is okay, I will get them next year.
Before I start with my overview of the first day, here is a great summary of all the winners and scores provided by the GHSC – organizer of the event.
On the first day of the event, I was placed in the top Open group. My playing partners were Jon Roy (eventual winner), Jonathon Harris and Nick Pileggi. This was a great group of players and we immediately hit it off very well. One of the fantastic benefits of playing in events like these is meeting new players. I had never played with Jonathon and Jon before and getting to know them was a treat. Nick and I played in the Open a few years back and it was great to get reacquainted.
Right from his first swing, I knew Jon was the player to beat. He is a smooth swinging, long hitting, steady player who made very few mistakes. His consistent swing is definitely something to emulate. It was his first time playing hickories in a tournament and that did not seem to matter. Other than hitting the ball straight virtually all the time, he was a master around the green. His smooth touch is rooted in his simple repeatable swing it was a pleasure to watch. As he looped around the course with easy, he shot a spectacular 75. We had some amazing conversations and I hope I get to play another round with him in the future.
Jonathon was experiencing hickory golf for the first time as well. He was a tall, strong player who pounded the ball down the fairway. His control was not as great as Jon’s (none of us was to be fair), but he could hit a ball a long way. The first few holes he was finding his way, but on the back nine he was in a groove. Like all hickory players, when Jonathon swung within himself and did not try to power the ball, he achieved very steady results. Considering this was his first time playing, I see great things in his future.
I would give the Nick the monacure of ‘great scramble player’. Nick’s round had some high points and some very low points. However, this did not affect his positive attitude and competitive grit. After a disastrous second hole, Nick buckled down and played some great golf. His strengths from within 25 yards of the green allowed him to post the fourth best score in the Open category. This was good enough to place him in the last group for day two. Nick is a fun player to watch and even a better player to chat with while looping the course.
My round was something out of the twilight zone. I was amazed at how much chilli I produced during my round. I bet I mishit at least 8 shots around the green which brought double bogey into play. I am not complaining mind you, I was just surprised at how poorly I hit the tight lies around the green. Well, I know what to work on for next year. I did hit some fun shots and one in particular I must share.
I cannot remember the number, but the hole was on the back nine, dogleg left, and a par 5. I hit my ball tight to the left and had to navigate through the greens to get back to the fairway. After my first shot, I saw that my ball was in a bit of hole, but playable….I thought. As I made contact, I felt the huge rock sitting under my ball which reduced the distance I thought I was making. Unfortunately, this was not the highlight of this diatribe.
As my ball sailed towards the fairway, it hit a tree and stayed 15 feet off the ground. Yup, my ball was stuck in a branch. Jon was the one who saw my ball get stuck and provided the bad news. Well, all I could do was laugh at my misfortune. So, I dropped my ball under the spot of where the ball was lodged and carried on. I was quite happy to eek out a bogey and move on to the next hole. I still chuckle about my ball coming to rest in the tree. I think this has happened only once before in my golfing journey…..another memorable incident from the 2026 Open Hickory Championship.
The Ontario Open Hickory Championship is always on my callander. It is a must play event and after the first day, I still believe that anyone interested in playing hickory sticks should consider attending. This year, my first round was amazing due to the players in my group. Everyone produced some noteworthy shots that were fun to watch. With day one in the books, I was looking forward to playing my next round on Sunday.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
