Do you know what a hickory hacker golfer is?
One definition may be a person who either collects or plays golf with hickory shafted golf clubs. But a pizza from the Port Alberni Pizza Factory may have been the start of Port Alberni’s first ever Hickory Hacker event.
Warren Bailey, a retired surgeon originally from the United States and now living in Qualicum Beach, entered the pizza business on Argyle Street for some of Port Alberni’s finest pizza and saw Alien Sports around the corner.
There, on the hunt for hickory shafted golf clubs, Warren was referred to us by Alien Sport’s owner, Gary Robertson. Warren and I met after, and the idea of a hickory shafted golf event was hatched here at Hollies.
The date and times are still ahead to work out, but the Hollies is a perfect place for just such an event.
It’s perfect because the length of the course is consistent with the length of golf courses back during the turn of the twentieth century when hickory shafts were the predecessor of steel and graphite.
The golfers in our event will play nine holes with their regular clubs, and then the second nine using old hickory shafted golf clubs, with dinner to follow. It should prove to be a hit as it sold out last year in Qualicum. We will keep you up to date with details.
Some golfers thought Bob Veenkamp was a hickory hacker, as the concrete genius came out of the woodwork during nine holes of rain to win low gross on Men’s Night.
Veenkamp not only tied with Preban Rasmussen and Barry Ensor of the Hollies shooting 34, but won in the countback, and shot his personal best all at the same time. It was Veenkamp’s first visit to the low gross podium.
Newcomer Robert Edgell took the low net beating out Barry MacMillan. Joining the winners were: Denis Debolt, Scott Fuller, Jean Monette, and Wayne Johnstone for K.P. winnings. There were no deuce pot winners, and our Ty Watson contributions were just shy of the $1,000 mark.
Ron Lange continues to lead the Remax player of the year point total, but has found competition in the ringerboard from Barry Ensor, as both now lead with scores of 25.
To all of the players who braved the rain, thank you for saving the evening for us.
We had a large number of steaks marinating and the rain threatened to wipe out the food revenues for us until the guys all came through for us. You are the best.
* Pat Little pens the Hollies Golf column.