Hickory golf · since 2005
Hickory golf on historic courses in Scotland. Open to players of all nations.
Mathias Lorentzen (Royal Copenhagen GC)
213 (73, 73, 67) · Pro Division · Golf Genius
Swiss 1 – 97 Stableford points
2. Trans Atlantic Alliance (87) · 3. Japan 1 (82) · Golf Genius
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
The 2027 championship takes place in Scotland. Region, courses, hotel and entry fee are published with the announcement.
Placeholder: dates, region, courses, hotel and entry fees for 2027 are not yet decided. The structure below follows the 2026 programme.
| Day | Programme |
|---|---|
| Sunday | Registration and welcome reception |
| Monday | World Hickory Team Cup (Archie Baird International Trophy) |
| Tuesday to Thursday | Individual championship, three rounds |
| Tuesday evening | Social evening |
| Closing | Gala prize-giving dinner |
| Category | Equipment | Divisions |
|---|---|---|
| Professionals | according to SoHG | women, men |
| Amateurs – Originals | club heads made before 31 December 1934 | women, men; Senior 65+, Super Senior 75+ |
| Amateurs – Replicas | SoHG-approved replicas, all retro-fitted clubs, mixed sets | women, men; Senior 65+, Super Senior 75+ |
Prizes per category: gross winner and runner-up; amateurs also one net prize; awarded if at least 2 players take part. Overall titles: World Hickory Open Champion, men and women (best gross across all categories).
Amount to be confirmed
Amount to be confirmed
Amount to be confirmed
Registration is handled through Golf Genius and opens with the announcement.
The Championship Office issues an annual call for bids to the regions of Scotland. Where possible, hire clubs are provided so that newcomers can take part.
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
The team championship of nations. The Archie Baird International Trophy is the trophy. The best players of each nation should take part.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Team | 4 players, ideally from one national SoHG association |
| Scoring | Gross only; the 3 best gross scores per hole count |
| Flights | The 4 players play in 2 separate flights with players of other teams, drawn at the come-together on day 1 |
| Tie-break | Better gross over the last 3, then 6, then 9 holes |
| Trophy | Three consecutive wins (from 2027) by one association: the trophy passes to that association; the sponsor provides a replacement |
| Year | Winner | Team members | Stableford points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Swiss 1 | Joerg Schmitt, Rudolf Hunziker, Jürgen Martin Müller, Richard Redding | 97 |
| 2025 | Japan 1 | Takuya Yoshikawa, Yukinori Suzuki, Katsuyuki Eguchi, Kawaguchi Hideyuki | 86 |
| 2024 | Japan 2 | Takuya Yoshikawa, Katsuyuki Fukumoto, Masaki Jyoni, Yukinori Suzuki | 90 |
| 2023 | Japan 1 | Yoshihiro Okubo, Ryuji Asano, Kazuyo Hasegawa, Khoruko Nagaya | 87 |
Up to 2026 played as best 2 of 4 (Stableford on Golf Genius 2026).
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
From 2027, equipment, play and handicap follow the guidelines of the Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). The WHO Codex sets out the principles of play and organisation.
Sources: WHO Codex (draft, 12 October 2026); SoHG Equipment Guidelines; SoHG Tournament Guidelines.
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
Carnoustie Country, 4 to 8 October 2026. Rounds: Panmure, Monifieth Medal, Carnoustie.
Source: Golf Genius – WHO 2026 Leaderboards (accessed 12 October 2026). Men Amateur Gross shows the top 5 of 27.
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
All World Hickory Open Champions since the first championship in 2005.
| Year | Champion | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mathias Lorentzen | Carnoustie Country |
| 2025 | Roberto Francioni | Aberdeen |
| 2024 | Roberto Francioni | Inverness |
| 2023 | Olle Widegren | Ayrshire |
| 2022 | Olle Widegren | Highlands |
| 2021 | Cancelled (planned in Fife) | – |
| 2020 | Not played (COVID-19) | – |
| 2019 | Olle Widegren | Kilspindie, Gullane |
| 2018 | Johan Moberg | Luffness New, Gullane |
| 2017 | Fraser Mann | Kilspindie |
| 2016 | Sandy Lyle | Panmure |
| 2015 | Andrew Marshall | Carnoustie |
| 2014 | Sandy Lyle | Panmure |
| 2013 | Paolo Quirici | Carnoustie Country |
| 2012 | Rick Valentine | – |
| 2011 | Lloyd Saltman | Craigielaw |
| 2010 | Perry Somers | Gullane |
| 2009 | Mark King | – |
| 2008 | Lindsay Mann | Craigielaw |
| 2007 | Lloyd Saltman | – |
| 2006 | Zak Saltman | – |
| 2005 | Mike Stewart | Musselburgh Old Links |
2005 to 2018: list of champions on the previous website. 2019 to 2026: results reports and prize-winner lists; from 2022, winner of the professional division. Short biographies are based on the sources named on each card.
2026
Danish golfer, Royal Copenhagen Golf Club. Winner of the gross division of the 2024 Open Danish Hickory Championship. Won the 2026 World Hickory Open at Carnoustie Country with 213 (73, 73, 67), five shots ahead of Peter Ruymann.
Sources: golfbladet.com, simonsgolf.dk, hickorygolfers.com
2024 · 2025
Swiss PGA professional. Professional champion of the World Hickory Open in 2024 (236) and 2025 (225); third in 2026.
Sources: worldhickoryopen.com, worldhickoryopen.com, worldhickoryopen.com
2019 · 2022 · 2023
Swedish professional and former Coastal Carolina University golfer. Won the World Hickory Open in 2019 at Kilspindie and Gullane with 207, five shots ahead; professional champion in 2022 in the Highlands (234) and in 2023 (240).
Sources: hickorygolfers.com, hickorygolfers.com, worldhickoryopen.com
2018
Swedish professional (Norrköping GC in 2015). Third in 2015 and joint runner-up in 2016. Won in 2018 on Luffness New and Gullane with 144, playing clubs dating from 1910.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: hickorygolfers.com, pressreader.com, hickorygolfers.com
2017
Senior golf professional from Carnoustie, runner-up in 2015. Won in 2017 at Kilspindie with 141, four shots ahead of Rick Valentine.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: scottishgolfview.com, hickorygolfers.com
2014 · 2016
Scottish professional, winner of the 1985 Open Championship and the 1988 Masters, five-time Ryder Cup player and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame since 2012. Won the World Hickory Open at Panmure in 2014 and 2016.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, usgtf.com, hickorygolfers.com
2015
English professional from Norfolk. Won in 2015 at Carnoustie with 143; joint runner-up in 2016 and runner-up in 2019.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: hickorygolfers.com, hickorygolfers.com, hickorygolfers.com
2013
Swiss professional who played on the European Tour until 2001. Won the World Hickory Open in 2013, two years after taking up hickory golf; US Professional Hickory Champion in 2013 and 2014.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: scottishgolfview.com, swissinfo.ch, hickorygolfers.com
2012
PGA professional and Director of Golf at Loretto School, Musselburgh, who played in every World Hickory Open from 2006. Won in 2012 after a six-hole play-off against Perry Somers.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: scottishgolfview.com, scottishgolfview.com
2007 · 2011
Scottish golfer from Edinburgh. Leading amateur (Silver Medal) at the 2005 Open Championship and Walker Cup player in 2005 and 2007. Won the World Hickory Open in 2007 as an amateur and in 2011 as a professional, the first player to win twice.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, scottishgolfview.com, worldhickoryopen.com
2010
Australian teaching professional based in Germany. In 2010 he also won hickory championships in Germany, France and the Czech Republic. Won at Gullane with 154.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: scottishgolfview.com, scottishgolfview.com
2009
Scottish professional and Tartan Tour winner; Scottish Boys' Match Play champion in 1989. Won in 2009 with 148.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: scottishgolfview.com, worldhickoryopen.com
2008
Scottish golfer from Carnoustie, former Scotland amateur international and Walker Cup player (1983). Won in 2008 at Craigielaw with 73, one shot ahead of Lloyd Saltman.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: scottishgolfview.com, scottishgolfview.com
2006
Scottish golfer from Edinburgh, youngest brother of Lloyd and Elliot Saltman. Won in 2006 with a round of 67.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: scottishgolfview.com, golfmonthly.com, en.wikipedia.org
2005
Listed as the first champion (2005, Musselburgh Old Links) on the previous website. No further verified information found; the name is to be checked with the organisers.
Photo: previous WHO website
Sources: worldhickoryopen.com, worldhickoryopen.com, golfmonthly.com
From 2027 there are two overall titles: World Hickory Open Champion, men and women (best gross across all categories).
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
Photos and videos by year. Own photos only, each credited with year, place and photographer.
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
The World Hickory Open was initiated by Lionel Freedman in 2004 and first played in 2005 at Musselburgh, with 36 players. Since then it has been held in Scotland every year. Lionel Freedman summed up its guiding idea in one word: "fun". He died on 10 January 2017.
World Hickory Open Council (draft proposal)
The national hickory associations and the organisers of national opens form a World Hickory Open Council. The championship itself continues to be delivered by the existing organising team in Scotland.
National hickory associations and organisers of national opens, for example the Swiss Hickory Open. Associate membership could be offered to clubs, partners and individual players.
Open questions: legal form and ownership of the WHO today; whether the Council is initiated by the WHO organisers or by the national associations; legal form and seat of the Council; funding (membership fees, sponsorship or a share of entry fees).
Championship Office: the existing WHO organising team in Scotland (Stuart French) – to be confirmed.
Anyone who would like to help put these plans into practice in the coming days and weeks is welcome to join. Please get in touch via the contact page.
Source: worldhickoryopen.com – The Story.
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
Partners and sponsors are shown openly. Partners for 2027 are to be confirmed; the list below shows partners named on the previous website.
Partner logo on previous website
Sponsor Archie Baird team event 2024
Partner logo on previous website
Partner logo on previous website
Tournament software and scoring
National hickory associations and organisers of national opens are members of the World Hickory Open Council (draft proposal) and nominate teams for the World Hickory Team Cup.
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
Questions about the championship, the Team Cup, partnerships or working on the implementation.
Draft: this form is not connected. Nothing is sent.
Last updated: 12 October 2026 (draft)
