Hickory golf revival drives popularity of wooden clubs

WOODEN golf clubs are making a comeback as a century-old version of the game undergoes a revival.

Hickory golf makes use of wooden-shafted clubs instead of metal and a surge in popularity has been inspired by players restoring old clubs and wearing golf outfits of the period.

Such is the growth in interest that the Cornwall Golf Union (CGU) has officially recognised hickory golf, giving it the same standing as modern forms.

Member societies across Britain and the US are now promoting the game and organising tournaments.

The British Golf Collectors Society has 52 fixtures planned throughout 2024, kicking off on March 7.

In July Great Britain and Ireland will play together against a European side in London.

Paul East, who will captain the British side, is among those to have made the switch to a wooden shaft.

He explained it was the history and tradition of hickory golf that sparked his interest.

“I thought, this is the game for me, not just having the hickory clubs hanging on the wall, but actually playing with them,” Mr East said.

“So for the last five years I’ve only played hickory golf, I haven’t touched a modern club since.”

Players of the game believe the traditional wooden clubs give them a “softer and more responsive feel”, as well as a sense of nostalgia from playing the game “the way it was meant to be played”.

Mr East said: “Hickory is a traditional game and it’s not a bad idea to dress appropriately, which basically means plus fours.”

The CGU has organised a hickory golf competition in Lostwithiel in August to promote the sport.

The London Hickory Open takes place every October, while the South of England Hickory Golf Club also organises events for members.

Boris Lietzow, the owner of Jack White, a hickory golf shop in East Lothian in Scotland, examines his wares. Hickory golf has undergone a revival in recent years as players get back in touch with the sport’s roots