from GOLF WEEK
“What if I buy myself a set of hickory-shafted clubs and play with the every now and then?” the 26-year-old attorney thought as he started driving back to his Portsmouth, Ohio, home.
“What if I purchase several sets so my friends and I can play together?” he asked himself about an hour later.
And just as he pulled into his driveway that January afternoon, Book cam up with an even bigger proposition: “What if I get several dozen sets of those old-time clubs and organize nostalgia golf tournaments?”
He liked the sound of that so much that he started buying hickory-shafted clubs wherever he could find them. He also discovered a company in Scotland that made replica versions of the classic gutta percha balls and began acquiring racks of period golf attire, including knickers, caps and neckties as well. And eight months after the that trip to the antique shop, Book put on his first event, with the players using golf equipment, clothes and rules from the early part of the 20th century. Since then, he has built his Old Hickory Golf Co. into a thriving business, staging more than 20 events from Oklahoma City to Boston and giving tradition-minded duffers a taste of what it was like to play the game in the days of Harry Vardon and Bobby Jones.
Most of the tournaments are for clubs celebrating their 75th and 100th anniversaries, though Book, now 30, has handled some corporate outings as well.“It gives golfers the chance to see and play a course the way the original architect had intended,” said the single-digit handicapper who competed on the old T.C. Jordan Tour for a summer after law school before hanging out his shingle. A typical event can include 70 to 100 players, though Book can accommodate as many as 140 golfers. The cost runs between anywhere from $4,000.00 to $7,000.00, depending on how much travel is involved, and Book provides all the clubs, balls, bags, and costumes. “We get the players to dress up in knickers, white shirts and ties and white caps,” he said. “And we give everyone five or six clubs in a small, 1904 replica canvas bag lines with lamb’s wool. The idea is to play the game as it was in the early part of this century.”
Most of the clubs are authentic remnants from a bygone era picked up from dealers, collectors and antique shops, though Book’s father, Tom, does make some on his own and replaces any hickory shafts that break, which is a fairly common occurrence.
The selection includes brassies, spoons, mashies and niblicks, and members of each foursome may share clubs, which was allowed back in those days.
Participants also must abide by the old “stymie” rule, which dictates that no one is allowed to mark or pick up his ball on the putting green. Instead, players must putt around, or over, a ball that lies in his path. “That adds a lot of excitement to the round and helps make the experience more authentic,” Book said.
Getting all the right clothes, balls and clubs is one this, but playing with such vintage equipment is something different altogether. The gutta perchas, which only have a compression of about 75, do not travel nearly as far as the modern balls, and even a top player has a had time getting more than 215 yards out of his drives. And the sticks are nothing like the Pings and DCIs you have in your bag today.
“A hickory-shafted club will torque more, so you must eliminate any quick or forced moves in your swing,” explained Book. “Otherwise, your ball will go screaming off to the left or right.”
It also is important to swing slowly and on a flatter plane. “These long-nose clubs require more of a sweep,” he said. “It’s very similar to a slap shot in hockey, and the easier you hit it the better.” Another difference is that the wood shafts can break if you swing too hard. “That happens every once in a while,” Book said. “So we always have some extra clubs on hand.”
The vast majority of the courses that have an Old Hickory golf event are classic tracks such as Jeckyll Island Golf Club in Georgia and Scarsdale Country Club outside New York City, and Book finds that the old-time equipment is very adaptable on them. “But it’s tougher with the new layouts,” he said. “We had an outing at the Country Club of the South, a Jack Nicklaus design in Alpharetta, GA., and there were all sorts of problems. Most of the holes have water hazards of some sort, and we went through nearly eight-dozen balls. People kept losing them because it was set up for players using modern clubs and balls, and not the vintage gear we provided.”
Old course or new, it is still hard for players to score well with those hickory sticks. But according to Book, that is not really the point. “This isn’t about shooting a low number,” he said. “It’s playing golf the way it once was, and appreciating an old course in a completely different way.”
Hackers who had participated in one of Book’s tournaments at the Portsmouth Elks Country Club, in Ohio, agreed.
“I had a hard time adjusting to the clubs and getting the ball airborne because of the torque,” said Greg Weddington. “Actually, it took me about 14 holes to figure it out. It was very challenging but also great fun.”
Added Jim Starker: “We all really enjoyed ourselves. There is nothing easy about it, but it was good giving it a try. It was like taking a step back in time.”
That’s exactly the point, Book said. And while golf with hickory-shafted clubs is a game with which most modern players are not familiar, it can still make for a very good round.
For information, call 800/349-2286.