Who We Are
The New Zealand Society of Hickory Golf was established to provide a national home for players interested in the traditions, equipment, history and fellowship of hickory golf.
Before the Society was formed, hickory golf had been played in New Zealand for many years, but generally within isolated pockets.
Enthusiasts at individual clubs established informal playing groups, while other players collected and restored early equipment or arranged occasional private matches. Royal Wellington Golf Club maintained a longstanding annual hickory event, Titirangi was known to have a small and committed playing group, and individual players were scattered throughout the country.
These players shared the equipment, enthusiasm and desire to play, but there were limited opportunities to participate within a larger field.
There was no national calendar, central organisation or common handicap system. Knowledge of equipment, restoration, competition standards and overseas events was generally passed informally between enthusiasts.
The New Zealand Society of Hickory Golf was formed to change that.
Our Purpose
The Society exists to:
- provide a national identity for hickory golf;
- connect players and regional groups;
- support and coordinate playing opportunities;
- administer the New Zealand Hickory Open;
- provide access to recognised hickory handicapping;
- encourage consistent competition and equipment standards;
- support players entering the game;
- develop regional, mixed and women’s participation;
- assist New Zealand players competing overseas;
- maintain relationships with international hickory societies; and
- preserve the history, equipment and culture of traditional golf.
The Society operates within the recognised New Zealand golfing framework while maintaining strong links with the wider international hickory community.
It also recognises that hickory golf must remain accessible, welcoming and enjoyable.
Players do not need to be historians, collectors or low-handicap golfers to participate. They simply need an interest in experiencing the game in a different and more traditional form.
From a Tournament to a National Society
The establishment and growth of the New Zealand Hickory Open demonstrated that interest in hickory golf extended well beyond a small local playing group.
As the tournament grew, its organisers recognised that a more formal structure was required. The event needed an independent and sustainable organisational framework, while New Zealand’s widely dispersed players needed a national body capable of connecting them.
Discussions were held with Golf New Zealand regarding the establishment of a Society that could work within the national golf system while remaining aligned with international hickory traditions and standards.
The New Zealand Society of Hickory Golf was subsequently established to provide that structure.
The Society now supports hickory golf at several levels:
- introductory and social play;
- regular club and regional participation;
- national competition;
- hickory handicap administration;
- equipment knowledge and assistance;
- historic research and preservation;
- international competition; and
- destination event development.
Our Vision
Our vision is for hickory golf to become an established and recognised part of the New Zealand golfing landscape.
We want to see:
- regular hickory play in multiple regions;
- a strong national tournament calendar;
- a growing network of regional representatives;
- increased participation by women and younger players;
- accessible equipment for new participants;
- regional and inter-regional competition;
- continued growth of the New Zealand Hickory Open;
- greater recognition of New Zealand’s hickory-era history;
- strong international participation and exchange; and
- New Zealand recognised as one of the world’s leading hickory golf destinations.
This growth must be achieved without losing the qualities that make hickory golf distinctive.
The Society will continue to place fellowship, inclusion, history, tradition and enjoyment at the centre of the game.
Our Identity and Logo – A Symbol of New Zealand Hickory Golf
The identity of the New Zealand Society of Hickory Golf reflects both New Zealand’s golfing history and the international fellowship of the hickory community.
The Society’s distinctive logo was created by Australian hickory golfer and historian Andrew Baker.
Andrew has developed a strong relationship with the New Zealand playing group and has described New Zealand and Australian hickory golfers as “brothers in arms.”
That sentiment reflects the friendships formed through competition, touring and a shared commitment to preserving and playing traditional golf.
Sir Harold Gillies
The Society’s logo is based on one of New Zealand’s most remarkable historical hickory golfers, Sir Harold Gillies.
Sir Harold is internationally recognised as a pioneering surgeon and a leading figure in the development of modern plastic and reconstructive surgery.
He was also a highly respected golfer during the hickory era.
Sir Harold competed in the Amateur Championship over an extended period between 1906 and 1931. He was part of the international golfing world during a period when the game was played with wooden-shafted clubs, handmade balls and a strong emphasis on creativity, touch and shot-making.
His inclusion in the Society’s identity recognises a New Zealander whose achievements extended well beyond golf while providing an authentic connection to the period the Society seeks to preserve.
What the Logo Represents
The New Zealand Society of Hickory Golf logo represents:
- New Zealand golfing heritage;
- hickory-era competition;
- innovation and achievement;
- international fellowship;
- respect for golf’s traditions; and
- recognition of the individuals who helped shape the game.
It is a symbol of both where the game has come from and the community carrying it forward.