Activities
National Competitions are held in May, with The Scottish Hickory Championship
at Gullane; July, at a course close to The Open Championship; and September,
at Rye for the English Hickory Championship.
There are also a number of regional meetings. An England vs Scotland match with
hickory clubs takes place in September and matches are also held against golf
clubs, often in association with centenary celebrations.
2002 National
Fixture List
[ Jan ]
[ Feb ] [
Mar ] [ Apr ] [
May ] [ Jun ] [
Jul ] [ Aug ] [
Sep ] [ Oct ] [
Nov ] [ Dec ]
January 26 (Saturday)
Golfing Memorabelia Auction - Bonhams,
Chester
March 31 (Sunday)
Centenary Hickory Match v East Devon Golf Club, Budleigh Salterton,
Devon arranged by Brian Smith
April commences-
Scottish Region Matchplay Championship, arranged by John Rigg
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April 19 (Friday)
Presidents Day, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, Cheshire arranged
by Graham Brown
Founded in 1869 as one of the very first English Clubs, Royal Liverpool
was the home of John Ball and Harold Hilton, frequent winners of both the
Open and the Amateur Championship. The Club founded the Amateur Championship
in 1885, was its early home and has been host on a number of occasions since.
It has also been host to the Open Championship on 10 occasions, the last
of which in 1967 saw the popular win by Roberto de Vicenzo of Argentina.
After the Society's AGM, Dinner will be followed by a light-hearted auction
of memorabilia supplied by members. |
Three BGCS members, Tony Thorpe, Walter Mechilli and Dale
Concannon, enjoying dinner after their golf at Hoylake.
Photo courtesy of Eiron Morgan |
May 3 (Friday)
Hickory Match v Fairhaven Golf club, Fairhaven, Lancashire arranged
by John Pearson
BGCS won this most enjoyable match by 3.5 games to 2.5. (If the match had been
decided on "holes up" then Fairhaven would have won!) Results were
as follows:-
Fairhaven
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British Golf Collectors' Society
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| Derek Pine (Captain) and John Waite |
3/2 |
Alan Jackson and Dick.Durran |
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| Bryan Houghton and Ken Johnson |
|
John Mullock and Graham Walters |
1up |
| John Cockerill (Vice Captain) and Mike Hill |
half |
David Kirkwood and Chris Homer |
half |
| Ray Wood and Jack Borrow |
|
Bill Druce and Eiron Morgan |
3up |
| David Lodge and Eric Shipston |
3down |
Rod Lambert and Peter Gompertz |
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| Brian Clark and John Irving |
|
Tony Thorpe and John Pearson (Captain) |
1up |
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2.5 (6 holes up)
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3.5 (5 holes up) |
May 18 (Saturday)
Centenary Hickory Match v Bulwell Forest Golf Club, Nottingham arranged
by Tony Thorpe
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May 31 (Friday)
Scottish Hickory Championship, Gullane No 3, East Lothian, Scotland
arranged by John Rigg
The first official Championship took place in 1987, although the first
gathering was held in 1985. Always a most popular event, attracting members
from home and overseas, it is played over Gullane No 3, an ideal course
for hickories.
Foursomes are played in the morning over the Old Links at Musselburgh
on an as-you-come basis. This is always good fun and is an ideal precursor
to the serious business of the day at Gullane.
Report
In the morning some members played foursomes around the nine-hole Musselburgh
Old Course for the George Colville Trophy, which was won by Alan Stewart
(Lundin Links) and Nigel Notley (Porters Park).
 The
Scottish Hickory Championship was held in the afternoon over Gullane No
3. Over 40 competitors competed over this short, but tricky course, ideally
suited for hickory golf. Many of them wore the costume of the times.
The Guest prize was won by Lionel Freedman (secretary of Musselburgh Old
Course) 93 (12) net 81.
Best Scratch was won by Nigel Notley (Porters Park) 75. Runner up was
Randy Jensen (USA) with a 78.
Hope Letters (North Berwick) won the Scottish Hickory Championship with
83 (15) net 68. Runner up was the Society's Captain, Peter Heath (Edgbaston)
82 (12) 70 who won on the better inward half from Tom Tew (Royal Dornoch)
80 (10) 70.
After golf, the members and their guests dined in the Gullane clubhouse,
where the guest speaker, Lionel Freedman, Secretary of Musselburgh Old,
delighted the audience by announcing plans for the extension of Musselburgh
Old Course from 9 to 18 holes.
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Hope Letters
winner of the Scottish Hickory Championship 2002
Nigel Notley (Porters Park)
winner of the Scratch award
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June 20/21 (Thursday/Friday)
Golf and Sports Sale - Messrs Mullock
& Madeley Telford Moat House
June 21 (Friday)
Midland Region Spring Meeting, Notts Golf Club, Hollinwell, Kirkby in Ashfield,
Notts arranged by Tony Thorpe
July 9 (Tuesday)
Golf Memorabilia Sale - Christies,
South Kensington, London
July 10 (Wednesday)
Golf Memorabilia Auction, Lyon
& Turnbull, Edinburgh
July 11 (Thursday)
Summer Sports Sale - Sothebys London
July 14 (Sunday)
Golf Auction Bob
Gowland International Golf Auctions, Chester
July 15 (Monday)
Golf Memorabilia Auction Bonhams,
Chester
July 16 (Tuesday)
Golf Collectors Fair, Mallard Hotel, Gullane, arranged by David Kirkwood
Sixteen collectors and two local artists took stalls at the Mallard Hotel from
12pm until 5pm. Although parking was a great problem, the organisers and stall-holders
were extremely pleased to see so many members of the public (at a rough estimate...
four hundred) attending.
The highlight of the day was the late arrival of a well-known BGCS member,
for whom this was his first foray into stall-keeping. His stall was immediately
surrounded by other collectors, and the adage "bees round a honey-pot"
applied.
This event was successful, not only for the stall keepers, but also for BGCS
members who spent the afternoon renewing and making new friendships.
July 17 (Wednesday)
Open Championship Meeting, Gullane No 2, East Lothian, Scotland arranged
by David Kirkwood
Fifty-five members and guests took part in the BGCS Open Championship Meeting
over Gullane No 2. Ladies played from the red tees, men from the whites and,
for the first time in BGCS history, we had a Lady winner.
BGCS member, 14 handicap, Mrs Ros Weston, with 40 Stableford points,won the
Ray Gossage Memorial Trophy and the top prize of a framed Smart Print of North
Berwick. Ros was almost pipped at the post by Stephen Grimoldby in the last
group who came in with a total of 39 points. John Holt was third (37 points),
and Manfred Schotten and Peter Gompertz took fourth and fifth places respectively
with 36 points apiece.
The organisers had a problem deciding on top Guest and top Lady.... Ros obviously
could not win two prizes, and her playing partner, 12 handicap, Paula Gompertz,
with 37 Stableford points could have been fourth overall or top Guest, but the
Ladies Prize was of more value and so she was awarded Top Lady. Mrs Carol Ashley
(who did not score any points in the final two holes!) took Top Guest with 36
points.
Best Overseas was won appropriately by the person who came the longest distance,
Hiro Ishikawa, from Japan. Hiro had 37 points and would have been fifth overall.
Seven people played with hickories, a difficult feat on a windy day on a long
course. American guest, Allan Wallach, tied with BGCS Captain, Peter Heath,
on 30 points, and both were awarded prizes.
Best dressed prize went to Walter Mechilli, always immaculately turned out.
Nearest the hole at the 18th was won by Martin Balchin.
Golf was followed by dinner for 88 people in the Gullane Clubhouse. The diningroom
at Gullane is small and consequently the BGCS party were spread across three
rooms on the first floor, with a sound system to relay speeches. After a delicious
dinner and prizegiving, the party were entertained by Peter Heath, with a toast
to Gullane Golf Club and the GGC Captain, Hector Hawley-Groat, who replied.
Golf Magazine Editor, George Peper, finished off a most enjoyable evening with
an entertaining speech of reminiscences and golf experiences. His insight into
his and other American's change of attitude consequent to September 11th was
very touching.
August 6th (Tuesday)
North of Scotland Regional Meeting (their first!) at Braemar Golf club,
arranged by Tom Tew and Hamish Ewan
August 9 (Friday)
Captains Day, Edgbaston Golf Club, Edgbaston, Birmingham arranged
by Peter Heath
August 21 (Wednesday)
Midland / South West Region Summer Meeting, Tadmarton Heath Golf Club, Banbury,
Oxon arranged by Tony Thorpe
September 7 (Saturday)
Centenary Hickory Match v Heswall Golf Club, Wirral, Cheshire arranged
by Bob Grant
September 13 (Friday)
South West Region Autumn Meeting, Saunton Golf Club, East Course, North
Devon arranged by Peter Gompertz
September 18-22
Golf Collectors Society Annual Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, USA
September 20 (Friday)
England v Scotland, Seaton Carew Golf Club, Hartlepool, Durham arranged
by John Pearson and Archie Baird
Scotland emerged the victors in this most enjoyable match by four games to
three. Tony Thorpe stepped in at the last minute to Captain the England side,
and with a slight shortage of Scots, two English players were given honorary
Scottish nationality for the day. The event was rounded off by a dinner in the
Seaton Carew clubhouse, where the club Captain, Jim Sinden, was presented with
a BGCS plaque to commemorate our visit, and Archie Baird was presented with
a copy of the club history by the editor Ron Trotter.
Results were as follows (English names first)
T Thorpe (A/Capt-Eng) & Bill Druce lost to David Kirkwood & Gillian
Kirkwood 5 down
Neil Hutchinson & Nigel Notley beat Graham Lennie & Barry Kerr 7 up
Chris Homer & Tom Tew halved with Scott Patrick & John Still
Philip Truett & Ron Trotter (SCGC) beat v Ron Beet & Mike Farmer 2 up
Keith Bilbie &Rod Lambert lost to Harry Ward &Ian Connan 3 down
R Carr & Graham Walters lost to John Dixon & Eiron Morgan 4 down
Alan Sowerby & R Mann halved with John McMullock ? & Derrick McMoore?
September 25/26
Ryder Cup Golf and Sporting Sale, Messrs Mullock
& Madeley, Sutton Coldfield
September 27 (Friday)
English Hickory Championship, Rye Golf Club, Rye, Sussex,arranged
by Tim Smartt
October 12 (Saturday)
Annual Hickory Match v Aberdovey Golf Club, Aberdovey, Gwynedd, Wales
arranged by Philip Truett
October 13 (Sunday)
Welsh Hickory Championship, Aberdovey Golf club, Aberdovey Gwynedd, Wales
arranged by Eiron Morgan
October 17 (Thursday)
Annual Hickory Match v Clapham Common Golf Club, Mitcham, Surrey arranged
by Philip Truett
© British Golf Collectors Society 1 June 2002
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