What Is Hickory Golf?

Step onto the first tee with a set of wooden-shafted clubs and you're not just playing golf, you're connecting with the very soul of the game. This growing movement, known as hickory golf, is a return to the sport's roots. This guide will walk you through exactly what hickory golf is, cover the unique antique equipment you'll use, explain how the swing differs from the modern game, and give you actionable advice on how to get started yourself.

What Exactly Is Hickory Golf?

At its core, hickory golf is playing the game as it was played in the early 20th century, primarily before steel shafts became the standard in the 1930s. This means using clubs with hickory wood shafts and antique-style club heads. But it’s more than just the equipment - it's a different approach to the game. It emphasizes feel, strategy, and creativity over raw power and technology.

Modern golf is often a game of perfection and precision, fueled by technology designed to minimize mistakes. Hickory golf, by contrast, embraces imperfection. The hickory shafts have significant torque, meaning they twist during the swing, and the antique clubheads are far less forgiving. You can’t just swing hard and expect the club to save you. Instead, you learn to swing smoothly, manage the course thoughtfully, and accept that not every shot will be perfect. It’s a rewarding challenge that forces you to rely on rhythm and touch, reconnecting you with the fundamental skills of golf.

A Quick trip Back in Time: The Hickory Era

The "hickory era" is generally considered to be from the late 1800s until the mid-1930s. This was the golden age of legendary players like Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, and Harry Vardon. These players weren't pounding 350-yard drives with graphite shafts and titanium heads. They were artistically crafting shots with tools that demanded finesse.

The clubs were often handmade by skilled artisans, each with its own character. Club makers' names were stamped directly onto the heads, and players formed deep connections with their equipment. The transition away from hickory began when steel shafts were legalized by the R&A and USGA in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Steel offered more consistency and power, and by the end of the 1930s, the wooden shaft had all but disappeared from the professional game. Today, organizations like the Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG) work to preserve the heritage and fun of this throwback style of play, organizing tournaments and events around the world for a growing community of enthusiasts.

Understanding the Antique Equipment

Your first look at a hickory set can be a bit confusing. The clubs don't have numbers like 7-iron or 9-iron. Instead, they have names that described their function. Understanding the clubs is the first step to feeling comfortable on a hickory course.

The Woods: Brassy and Spoon

In a hickory set, what we think of as modern woods are typically called the Brassy and the Spoon. A classic set might have a few of these.

• Brassy: This is the equivalent of your modern Driver or 2-Wood. It gets its name from the brass plate on the sole of the club, which protected the wooden head from damage when hitting off the hard, scruffy fairways of the time. It has very little loft and is the most difficult club in the bag to hit well.
• Spoon: This is your fairway wood. The name comes from its noticeably concave or "spooned" clubface. It has more loft than the Brassy and is a more versatile club used for long shots off the fairway.

The Irons: From Cleek to Niblick

The irons are where the naming gets really interesting. Instead of a set of nine numbered irons, you have a smaller progression of clubs, each with a specific purpose.

• Driving Iron or Cleek: This is a long iron, equivalent to something like a modern 2 or 3-iron. It has a thin, blade-like head with very little loft and is used for long running shots or low shots into the wind. It’s a very demanding club.
• Mid-Mashie: Think of this as your 4 or 5-iron. It's the beginning of the "mid-game" clubs, used for long approach shots into the green.
• Mashie: This is the workhorse of the hickory set, comparable to a modern 6 or 7-iron. It's the club you'll likely use most often for approach shots, offering a good blend of distance and control. Its name likely comes from its ability to "mash" the ball towards the target.
• Mashie-Niblick: A critical club for scoring, this is your 8 or 9-iron equivalent. It has more loft than the Mashie and is used for shorter approaches and high-lofted shots that need to stop on the green.
• Niblick: This is your wedge. With the most loft in the bag (though still less than most modern wedges), the Niblick is used for pitching, chipping, and getting out of trouble, like bunkers or deep rough. The club head is often small and "spade-like," making it tricky but surprisingly effective.

The Putter and the Ball

Hickory putters come in all shapes and sizes, many with thin-bladed heads. The ball used in hickory tournaments is also different. While you can play with a modern ball, purists and event organizers often use lower-compression balls that replicate the feel and spin characteristics of the gutta-percha or early rubber-core balls from the era.

The Hickory Swing: Rhythm Over Force

Picking up a hickory club and trying to use your modern, powerful swing is a recipe for frustration. The hickory shaft is heavier and has much more torque (twist) than a steel or graphite shaft. If you swing aggressively from the top, the shaft will twist, leaving the clubface wide open at impact. The secret to a good hickory swing is smoothness and tempo.

As a coach, here’s how I get players to adapt:

1. Think "Swing," Not "Hit": The goal isn’t to smash the ball, it’s to swing the clubhead through the ball. The hickory swing is much more of a rotational movement, where you use the turn of your body to move the club. Unlike the modern swing, which can be more linear and "up-and-down," the hickory swing feels much more rounded, with the club working around your body.
2. A Slower, Wider Takeaway: Start the backswing low and slow. Feel like you are dragging the club away from a ball in one piece with your shoulders and torso. This creates width in your swing and prevents you from getting too "handsy" and yanking the club back too quickly.
3. Wait for It at the Top: This is probably the most important feeling. At the top of your backswing, you need a distinct pause. It might only be a split second, but it’s enough time to let the heavy, whippy shaft "load" and complete its journey. If you rush the transition, you’ll lose all control and power. The saying among hickory players is, “Wait for the clubhead.” Listen to it.
4. Let the Body Unwind: The downswing is powered by the body unwinding, not by the arms and hands throwing the club at the ball. Let gravity start the downswing, and then simply turn your hips and chest through the shot. This body-driven rotation allows you to deliver the clubhead squarely to the ball without the shaft twisting out of control.

Your goal is to sweep the ball off the turf. The shallow, rounded nature of the swing means you'll be taking very thin, "bacon strip" divots, if any at all. It's a completely different feel, but once you find that smooth rhythm, striking a hickory club purely is one of the most satisfying feelings in golf.

How to Get Started in Hickory Golf

Intrigued? Getting started is easier than you think. You don't need to spend thousands on an antique set right away.

• Find a Play Group or Event: Your first step should be to look for a local hickory golf group. The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG) website is ground zero for this. It has a list of regional chapters and a calendar of events. These players are incredibly passionate and welcoming to newcomers.
• Rent, Don't Buy (at first): Many hickory outings and tournaments offer rental sets for a small fee. This is the perfect way to try the game without any big investment. You get to play with a proper set and decide if it's something you want to pursue. Louisville Golf and Tad Moore are modern companies that make excellent "replica" hickory sets if you do decide to buy.
• Hit the Thrift Stores: For a real treasure hunt, visit local antique shops, flea markets, or even Goodwill. You can sometimes find authentic hickory clubs for very little money. It takes some know-how to spot a playable club versus a wall-hanger, but finding an old Mashie for a few dollars is a thrilling experience.
• Dress the Part: While not required for casual play, dressing in period-appropriate attire is part of the fun and encouraged at most organized events. For men, this typically means plus-fours or knickers, a button-down shirt with a tie, and a flat cap. For women, a longer skirt and classic top fit the part. It adds to the immersive feeling of stepping back in time.

Final Thoughts

Playing hickory golf is about more than just your final score, it’s about embracing a simpler, more strategic kind of game. It forces you to think your way around the course, to feel the shot you want to hit, and to celebrate the shared heritage that connects us all as golfers.

While the timeless joy of wood-shafted golf connects you to the past, the strategic part of your mind is always a golfer's companion, regardless of era. That’s a challenge we wanted to make simpler. To help you become a smarter, more confident player on the course, we built Caddie AI. Our app brings expert-level strategy to your pocket, helping you think through tough shots or get a clear plan for an unfamiliar hole. It’s like having a 24/7 coach available to sharpen your on-course decision-making so you can enjoy every part of this great game, hickory or otherwise.