hickory shaft

Hickory Stick Tour Comes to The North

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

This Friday and Saturday, the Golf Historical Society of Canada (GHSC) is making is annual Northern Hickory Tour to North Bay and Mattawa. Spearheaded by GHSC president, Lorne Emery, this will be the fourth year that the hickory sticks will be playing in the area. The intent of this tour is to promote the history of golf through playing with vintage equipment. This will be my third year participating in this fantastic event and I am thrilled to host a stop at the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort on Saturday.

Northern Hickory Tour
This is a 4-day hickory extravaganza in Northern Ontario and involves three different golf courses, as follows:

  • Thursday, August 24 early afternoon – Couchiching GC (Orillia)
  • Friday, August 25 noon – Osprey Links – Callander) 
  • Saturday, August 26 noon– Mattawa GC (Mattawa)

This is the third time the hickory tour is being organized and a few spots are still available. Southern Ontario players should contact Lorne Emery, GHSC President, by email at lorne.emery9945@gmail.com if you want to be added to one, two or all three rounds. Bill Vossen (vossenb69@hotmail.com) and Jim Burton (“The Grateful Golfer“) is the GHSC Hickory Ambassador from North Bay coordinating this event.

I am looking forward to playing two days of hickory golf this year. The Northern Hickory Tour is a great way to promote the history of golf and seeing some old friends with the same interests is really the big prize!

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


The Home and Away Final Results

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

The second leg of the the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort versus Osprey Links is in the books. Yesterday, the Osprey Links team venture to Mattawa to try and close out their 9 to 5 lead they developed during the first round of this event. My partner, Ray, were matched up against Don and Don again for a fun competitive round. The match did not disappoint because as in previous rounds a great time was held by all! There was a big surprise to this year’s friendly competition that made everyone smile!

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Watching The Pros Hit Hickory Shaft Golf Clubs

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

My love of golf expanded last year. As you may know, I bought some hickory shafted golf clubs. I am about three weeks away from pulling them out of storage and I am excited! In the meantime, I thought I would share some other golfers having fun hitting vintage clubs.

I wish I was there with them, but my turn on my own course is coming. What do you think? Does it look like fun?

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

A Long Winter’s Nap

/ The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

As winter plods along in the great white north, it is becoming more of a challenge to focus on my golf game. This happens every year about this time and I am fully prepared to accept the doldrums of the lack of golf. I know I am feel sorry for myself, but it is the time of year when my desire to play golf wanes. I do not mind practicing, however I love playing much more. I am not a traveler for golf, so I have a limited opportunity to reconnect with my game. So what is a golfer to do?

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What Drives You To Play Golf

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Over the years, my desire to play golf has waxed and waned. Depending on the stage of my game I was experiencing, the drive or desire to play golf was minimal or overpowering. As I enter the back nine of my career, I find that different things drive me to play golf. Of course, throughout all of my hills and valleys of my game, I remain grateful that I can play. Golf is a big part of my personal life and through it I remain centered with a perspective of what is important. Recently, I have notice my golf journey is taking a new path that is leading me backwards (historically) to the evolving roots of the my passion. I am not 100% sure what direction it will finally lead, but I am going to enjoy the ride.

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