Old Skills For Old-Style Golf

Just sharing another photo of Hickory Golf's excellent representatives..."Billy Bogey" and "Tommy Tuttle" aka "Golf Pig"...to lead off a brief commentary about another discovery. What I've learned after a short time pursuing this sport is that I don't have to spend lots of money to do this. (My Spousal Unit endorses this approach, by the way, which is essential to my continued participation!)

I've previously pointed to examples of cost-saving, like converting thrift store trousers into Plus Fours (Total cost: $3). Well, my latest experiment was to construct a bipod stand to hold up my golf bag. These are listed in the spendy golf bag catalogs for $45, and they are very nice...but I can't afford that. So I stopped by the local Home Depot yesterday, and for a total cost of $6.27 I purchased a couple of 3/4 inch square dowels, some brass machine screws, washers and nuts, and made my own set. Since this was a trial run, I didn't varnish the dowels, but I will make another set later this season with all of the steps. As for the golf bag, although the kind gentleman who sold me my clubs included a very lightweight vintage canvas bag, I needed something sturdier. While eventually I may end up ordering one of those top-end leather and canvas reproduction bags ($200 at a minimum), I got a nylon-canvas "pencil bag" for $20 on Amazon.com...and then my regular golf buddy happened upon a vintage but good condition leather pencil bag at a thrift store, which he acquired for me...$5! So now I'm fully outfitted to stroll alongside the Hickory OGs without looking like a complete "Hickorookie"...even though that's who I am!

"Golf Pig" and "Billy Bogey" Recruit Again!

I did promise pictures in my last post...Here's a photo of yours truly,getting ready for my first full round with a highly-motivated AND motivational Hickory Golfer, who goes by the alias of "Billy Bogey" (He's the young fellow on the left). B.B. is a sparkplug who gets rookies like me charged up to play golf in a 1920s fashion.

Having received my initial invitation to the "Hickory Golf Family"from a first class gentleman by the nom de plume of "Golf Pig",I've enjoyed seeing first-hand how he and "Billy Bogey" pull in legions of recruits to the sport of Hickory Golf. (Photo credit: Tom Kennedy) This photo was taken on the 17th tee at The Home Course today...This is Winter Golf in the Pacific Northwest, with a nice vista of the snow-capped Olympic Mountain Range behind us!

Any re-enactor worth their salt knows that the attire worn during the re-enactment must appear authentic. This is much easier to do as a Hickory Golfer, especially when the Hickorookie is a senior citizen, like I am! The outfit I'm wearing in preparation for my second group outing tomorrow consists mostly of stuff I already had on hand...yep, geezer attire...The "Plus Fours" are merely a pair of wool dress slacks I purchased at the Goodwill Industries store for three bucks. I just cut off about three inches, and used some old Army "blousing bands" to secure the legs at the proper length. A Brooks Brothers dress shirt, sweater, and a Filson wool hunting vest completed the outerwear; Army cold weather socks, and my well-worn tweed cap from Scotland finished off the reasonably authentic attire. My shoes, alas, aren't replica 1930s golf footwear, but they are leather, so that should suffice! Though I possess quite a few wool plaid tartan ties, I'm going casual tomorrow...because I hate wearing ties.

The club I'm holding in the photo is my only purchase: It's a 1932 Spaulding "Kro-Flite" driving iron, which I found on Ebay for $20. It's in pretty good shape, and I've already learned to hit it pretty well. (It is the best chipping club a player could want...I've been sinking 30-40 foot shots on a regular basis!) Of course my wife's first words to me this evening when I appeared before her, dressed up like the ghost of Bobby Jones, were simply, "You're actually planning to go out in public wearing that get-up?" Why yes, my dear...Yes I am. I will post photos from tomorrow's event, which will be at the golf course I work at part time during the summer. I'm expecting sarcastic comments from most of my co-workers, but I know that they'll secretly be full of envy.