The «World Hickory Tour» (WHT) is a traditional golf event that takes place every year between the end of September and the beginning of October. 2025 from 1 to 5 October in northern Italy. The WHT is organized by the Greystroke Golf Society. The idea of the tour is to offer the best hickory golfers in the world the opportunity to compete against each other on the most beautiful golf courses in the world.
In 2024, WAGNER was signed as a sponsor. The company’s long-standing connection to the game of golf helped to take the tournament series to a new level.
The tour has established itself as the largest and most successful hickory golf tour in terms of the number of events and rounds played. The tour is a premium product and a high-quality golf experience for passionate golfers. The tour offers access to some of the best courses in the world, many of which are not normally open to the public.
Contact: info@worldhickorytour.com
The weather was Scottish.
World Hickory Tour 24 is history. After unfortunate rounds in previous years, Balz Blumer (Ibizza) was able to win the individual classification of the World Hickory Tour 2024 with his consistent play. Maximilian Baumann won the Longest Drive Championship with a clear lead over Long Dominik Muller. «Break 65» went to the trio Florian Arber, Frank Baumann and Michel Wagner. Germany 2 was named the best team. The tournament was played on the challenging courses of Golf Club «Sylt», «Morsum» and «Budersand». The weather was Scottish. The atmosphere was Italian. Hickory Ho!
Hickory what?
Hickory golf is a variation of golf in which players use golf clubs with hickory shafts. The vivid image transports us to a bygone era of golf. They exude elegance in their tweed clothing, knickerbockers and sometimes moustaches. For the women, long dresses and fancy hats add charm, while the men wear flat caps, tweed jackets, ties or bow ties. Hickory golf’s popularity is growing worldwide and serves as an important means of preserving a significant aspect of the sport’s history.
Official Rules World Hickory Tour.
There are few rules easier to understand and more entertaining than those of the World Hickory Tour, which is played annually at select courses. For simplicity, most of the Rules of Golf currently supported by the USGA and R&A form the basis of competition, with differences highlighted in an addendum.
For now, the following are the most important and acceptable rules for conducting a hickory league or competition.
The World Hickory Tour is governed by a committee that reserves the right to be the sole judge of eligible clubs and other rules both during and on the qualifying path to the World Hickory Tour. Its decisions on matters related to official competition are final.
Hickory clubs are divided into three categories, defined for inclusion in one of the following categories.
o Antique Hickory Clubs: Equipment with clubheads manufactured before 1935.
o Modern (authentic) Hickory Clubs: Equipment manufactured to replicate clubs manufactured before 1935 as closely as possible.
o Refitted Clubs: Equipment originally manufactured before 1935 and available with either wood or steel shafts at the time of release. Refitted clubs with wood heads may be fitted with new wood or steel shafts – but only if they were offered with identical shaft materials before 1935.
World Hickory Tour Handicap Rules
Tournament organizers will use the British Golf Collectors Society handicap conversion rules. Evidence of national handicaps must be provided and will be converted as follows.
o Professionals – no strokes added, scratch play
o Add 3 strokes for scratch to 3 handicap
o Add 4 strokes for 4-8 handicap
o Add 5 strokes for 9-14 handicap
o Add 6 strokes for 15-20 handicap
o Add 7 strokes for 21 handicap and over.
In major events, the maximum steel handicap for men is 18. Therefore, the maximum hickory increase is +6 and the total adjustment is 24.
For women, it is 24 and the maximum increase is 7, bringing the total adjustment to 31.
Together, we appreciate the curiosity and craftsmanship of the 19th century (and earlier) that fueled the invention of early clubs and balls. We appreciate the intricacies of early golf course design, both as designed by forces of nature and as designed by architects whose careful plans added new dimensions to the golfer’s playing board.
The game of hickory golf has gained enormous interest in recent years. More and more golfers are enjoying the relaxed change from performance-oriented, modern golf. In addition, hickory golf has the pleasant side effect that playing with historical material improves one’s golf swing and thus also performance with modern clubs in the long term.
The Greystroke Golf Society
«The World Hickory Tour» is organized by the Greystroke Golf Society. The Greystroke Golf Society (established 2007) is one of the most exclusive golf clubs in europe. Among its members are grizzled personalities of both the economic and cultural life. They have come together as a group of weatherproof golfers with wide interests. And there is something else really special about the «Greystroke Golf Society». You cannot apply for a membership. You will have to be appointed. And as the «Greystroke Golf Society» is not a football club the number of members is limited at 54 persons. Why 54?A «perfect round» is a round of eighteen holes where all holes were played on average at one under par (average of birdie on every hole) resulting in a score of 54 on a par 72 course. This has remained the standard and has never been achieved by a professional golfer in a professional event. How can you apply for a membership?
Quite simply: You cannot! You will have to be appointed.