When I began my voyage of discovery on the S.S. Hickory Golfer two years ago to the day, I started this blog to enlighten others about the journey. Now, terms like "Mashie", "Niblick", and "Jigger" pepper my everyday conversations. I've played in quite a few hickory tournaments, been part of a demonstration booth at the Seattle Golf Show, helped out at a couple "Intro To Hickory Golf" sessions, and gone out for casual rounds with my bag of hickory sticks, much to the amusement of my modern club centric buddies.
As a result of joining the world of hickory golf, I've become even more engrossed with golf history. Owning clubs which were made in St Andrews whetted my desire to play golf there. I got to realize that dream last August, playing the fabled Old Course for the first time. I sadly must confess that I didn't take on this course with hickory clubs, as I rented the set I used, but the modern Callaways didn't detract one bit from my feeling of walking backward in time. When I birdied Hole 15, then parred 16, 17, and 18, it was an out of body experience! Posing on the Swillken Bridge with my caddie, Davie, then walking to my ball, hitting my second shot on to the green, and two putting for a final par, and getting a round of applause from the impromptu gallery surrounding the 18th green, brought tears to my eyes. (For which my wife laughed at me, but in an affectionate way...I think.) Following in the footsteps of Old Tom and Young Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods...well, there's nothing like it.
So I'm going back to Scotland next summer, joining noted golf writer Tom Coyne ("A Course Called Ireland", "A Course Called Scotland") on a golf trip of a lifetime...and I've decided to bring both my modern clubs AND my hickories! I may only play one or two rounds with them, but it'll be great to bring them back to where they were made, and take on the links in proper and respectful fashion.
The British Military's version of "Taps" is called "Last Post"; I chose this as the title on purpose, since I don't plan to add any more writing to this blog. But while I'm saying "Farewell" to The Hickorookie Golfer, my love for Hickory Golf will live on as long as I do. My thanks to all who have aided and abetted this Auld Golf passion: Tom Kennedy, Durel Billy, Barry Field, Glenn Thatcher, Rob Alschwede, Jerry Olson, Kit Ledbetter, and Tom Coyne...Plus of course Tom Stewart, George Nicoll, and whoever made my first set of "common" clubs, purchased originally by the Hinsdale Golf and Country Club near Chicago! (100 years old, and they still play like new!)
Sl'ainte! Fighting Leprechaun, Over and Out!
