Hickory golf comes to Kintyre
Players turn back the clock to the days of hickory clubs and plus fours as iconic competition comes to Machrihanish
MACHRIHANISH Golf Club welcomed golfers from across America and Europe on Monday at an opening ceremony for the 10th bienniel Hickory Grail competition.
The Hickory Grail is the oldest international hickory match in golf, where players are only allowed to use 90-year-old or older hickory-shafted clubs and gentlemen dress in keeping in plus-fours and ties, with long skirts for the ladies. The USA and a European team compete for the honours.
World-famous
The competition celebrating the history of golf was right at home on the world-famous Machrihanish course designed by Old Tom Morris himself.
The two teams and their supporters gathered at the clubhouse on Monday evening and were piped onto the field by Kintyre Schools Pipe Band, and Campbeltown Brass played during the opening ceremony and flag-raising ceremony held close to the first tee.
The flags were raised by Belle Robertson MBE, from Southend. This honorary member of Machrihanish is a member of the Scottish Golf Hall of Fame. She is a former Curtis Cup player and team captain, and a lady who is regarded as one of the best Scottish golfers of all time.
Two days of golf followed, with the closing ceremony on Wednesday. Today (Friday) it is the start of the Scottish hickory players visit to Machrihanish to hold their championships.