Hickory Golf Tournaments & Events Calendar 2026

If you've been swinging hickory in your backyard or sneaking a mashie into your regular weekend round, it's time to take the next step. Hickory golf events are some of the most fun you'll have on a golf course, and 2026 has a loaded calendar. I've been coaching golfers for 24 years and playing hickory for a good chunk of that, and I can tell you that tournament day with these old clubs is a completely different animal from your standard medal play event. The competition is there, but so is the camaraderie, and honestly, it's just a great time.

Here's what's coming up this year, what to expect if you've never played in one, and how to make sure your clubs are ready when your tee time comes.

The Big One: US Hickory Open 2026 at Gearhart Golf Links

The marquee event on the American hickory calendar is the US Hickory Open, and this year it lands at Gearhart Golf Links in Gearhart, Oregon, September 11 through 13. This is the tournament that sells out within an hour of registration opening. I'm not exaggerating. If you want in, you need to be watching the Northwest Hickory Players website the moment registration goes live.

Gearhart Golf Links is the oldest course in the Pacific Northwest, established in 1892. Playing it with pre-1935 clubs feels less like a novelty and more like a homecoming. The course was built in the hickory era, and when you stand on those tees with a brassie in your hands, you're playing it the way it was meant to be played. The layout is a classic links style with ocean breezes, firm turf, and the kind of conditions that reward creativity over brute force. Exactly what hickory golf is all about.

The tournament is run by the Northwest Hickory Players, one of the most active and well-organized regional hickory groups in the country. They maintain over fifty loaner sets for newcomers, which tells you everything you need to know about the culture. These folks want you there.

For those of us at Old World Hickory Golf, here in Aloha, Oregon, Gearhart is about 90 minutes up the coast. That makes us the closest hickory specialist shop to the event, and I'll be spending the weeks leading up to September making sure players have everything they need. If you need a full set tuned up or one specific club to fill a gap in your bag, come see me before you head to the coast.

Society of Hickory Golfers Sanctioned Events

The US Hickory Open 2026 gets the most attention, but the Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG) sanctions events all across the country throughout the year. SoHG tournaments are the backbone of competitive hickory golf in America. SoHG is the governing body for competitive hickory golf in the United States, and their sanctioned tournaments follow standardized rules about equipment eligibility, format, and scoring. If a tournament carries SoHG sanction, you know it's legit.

A bunch of great sanctioned events are on the 2026 calendar. The Mid Pines Hickory Open in Southern Pines, NC is one of the premier East Coast events, played on a Donald Ross classic in the spring. The Oakhurst Links Hickory Tournament in White Sulphur Springs, WV is played on America's first organized golf course. Over in Pittsburgh, the Fox Chapel Hickory Open is consistently one of the best-attended events in the Northeast. Closer to home, the Pacific Northwest Hickory Championship rotates courses around Oregon and Washington and is our regional pride. And the National Hickory Championship closes out the season and draws the strongest competitive field of the year.

The SoHG website maintains a full calendar with dates, registration links, and format details. I'd recommend checking it regularly starting in late winter, since the popular events fill up fast.

Regional Events and One Day Tournaments

Not every hickory event is a multi-day national affair. Regional groups run one-day tournaments and casual outings throughout the season, and honestly, these are where I'd tell a first-timer to start. The pressure is lower, the fields are smaller, and the veterans are eager to help newcomers get comfortable.

In the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest Hickory Players run monthly outings from spring through fall at courses across Oregon and Washington. These range from casual "play days" where scoring is secondary to just getting out and swinging, to more structured competitions with flights and prizes. The atmosphere is always welcoming, and you'll pick up more about hickory play in one afternoon with experienced players than you will in a month of practicing alone.

Depending on where you're located, other active regional groups are worth looking into. The British Columbia Hickory Golfers cover the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. The Southeastern Hickory Golf Society has events across the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. The Midwest Hickory Players run tournaments throughout the Great Lakes and Plains states. And the Texas Hickory Golf Association has a growing calendar of events as well.

Most of these groups are active on social media and have websites with event calendars. If there's a hickory community near you, they want to hear from you.

What to Expect at Your First Hickory Tournament

Walking into your first hickory tournament can feel a little intimidating if you don't know what you're getting into. Let me set your expectations so you can relax and enjoy it.

The Format

Most hickory tournaments use stroke play or modified Stableford scoring. Some events include a best-ball team component. Flights are common, so you'll be competing against players of similar ability rather than going head-to-head with someone who's been playing hickory for 20 years. Some events require period-appropriate attire (think plus fours, ties, flat caps), while others are more relaxed. Always check the event details so you know what to expect.

The Equipment Rules

SoHG-sanctioned events require clubs manufactured before 1935 with original hickory shafts. Professionally restored clubs absolutely qualify, and that's what most competitive players use. You can't show up with modern clubs or steel-shafted antiques. Balls vary by event. Some require reproduction gutta-percha balls, but most allow modern golf balls, which makes a big difference in playability. Check the specific tournament rules before you go.

The Atmosphere

This is the part that surprises first-timers the most. Hickory tournaments are genuinely fun. The competitive fire is there, but it's wrapped in camaraderie you don't always find in regular tournament golf. Players share clubs, swap stories about their latest restoration finds, and help each other with technique. The post-round gathering is as much a part of the event as the golf itself. Expect conversations about maker marks, favorite mashies, and which Scottish clubmaker produced the best niblicks. You'll learn more about golf history in one afternoon than most golfers absorb in a lifetime.

Scoring Expectations

Let go of your modern handicap. Hickory golf plays longer and demands more creativity, so your scores will be higher than you're used to. That's universal, even among the best players. A good hickory round might be 10 to 15 strokes above what you'd shoot with modern clubs, and that's perfectly normal. Focus on shot-making and having fun rather than chasing a number.

Getting Your Clubs Tournament Ready

If you've got a set that's been sitting in the garage or you're building one from scratch, here's what matters for tournament play.

Shaft Integrity

This is non-negotiable. Your hickory shafts need to be sound. No cracks, no splits, no soft spots. Give each shaft a firm twist. If there's any play between the head and shaft, it needs attention before you're on the first tee. A shaft that breaks mid-round isn't just disappointing, it's potentially dangerous.

Head Security

The clubhead should be tight on the shaft with no wobble. If you can feel any movement, the head needs to be re-pinned or re-epoxied. This is basic maintenance that any hickory restorer can handle, and it's the kind of thing you want checked well before tournament day, not the night before.

Grips

Old leather grips can get slick and hard over time. If your grips have seen better days, fresh suede or leather wraps make a huge difference in control and comfort, especially if you're playing 36 holes over two days. Every club I restore gets new grips as standard, but if you bought yours elsewhere, this is an easy upgrade.

Club Selection

Most hickory tournaments allow five to seven clubs. A solid tournament bag includes a driver or brassie for the tee, a mid-iron and mashie for approach shots, a mashie niblick for shorter approaches and chipping, a niblick for greenside work, and a putter. That's six clubs covering every situation you'll face. If you've got room for a seventh, a cleek (2-iron equivalent) gives you a versatile long iron option.

If you're not sure where your bag stands or you need to fill gaps, our seven-club play set is built around this exact philosophy. Matched for playability, restored to tournament standards, and ready to go.

Get Tournament Ready

The 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the best yet, with the US Hickory Open coming to Oregon and a full calendar of events across the country. If you're eyeing the big stage at Gearhart or just want to try a local one-day event, the hickory community is ready for you.

If your bag needs help before September, bring it in or send it. Restoration, re-grip, head reset — I do all of it from the bench. If you're still building your set, the seven-club play set covers every shot a hickory tournament will throw at you, and it's restored, play-tested, and ready to ship. If you're new to hickory, start with our beginner's guide or the club types guide. Curious what a tournament-grade set actually costs? The price guide has it all.

See you at Gearhart.

---

Tournament-prep gear from the shop. If you're heading to a hickory event this season, here's what's flying off the shelves.

Shop the Play Set