The Early New Zealand Hickory Community
Hickory golf has been played continuously in New Zealand for many years, although much of that activity remained largely unseen by the wider golfing community.
Royal Wellington Golf Club maintained a longstanding annual hickory event, while Titirangi was known to have a small but committed playing group. Elsewhere, players participated individually or formed informal groups within their home clubs.
These groups generally existed outside the wider golfing framework. Their activities were often dependent upon one or two committed organisers, and there was no national mechanism through which players could locate events, maintain a hickory-specific handicap or connect with enthusiasts in other regions.
Despite that fragmented structure, interest in the game continued to grow.
The turning point came with the establishment of the New Zealand Hickory Open at Christchurch Golf Club in 2022.
The Inaugural New Zealand Hickory Open
The inaugural New Zealand Hickory Open was initiated through the combined efforts of former Christchurch Golf Club Men’s Captain Glenn Bongartz, hickory enthusiast Stu Upton and Sir Bob Charles.
Sir Bob was the primary driver behind gaining recognition for the event and establishing it on his home course at Christchurch Golf Club.
For Sir Bob, the 1963 Open Champion, the tournament represented a return to the traditional foundations of the game.
During the inaugural event, he competed using a century-old set of clubs that had belonged to his father. This created a direct connection between the modern tournament, Sir Bob’s own golfing origins and an earlier generation of New Zealand golf.
His participation also demonstrated an important principle: hickory golf is not simply about collecting or displaying old equipment. It is about continuing to understand and play the game using the implements with which it developed.
Sir Bob described the establishment of the tournament as a significant milestone in the history of golf in New Zealand and positioned it as part of the growing international revival of hickory golf.
Growth of the Tournament
The inaugural event proved highly successful and quickly developed beyond its original local club format.
Additional competitions were introduced, including the New Zealand Hickory Foursomes Championship, while the individual championship attracted an increasingly strong national and international field.
International team events were also established, including:
- the ANZAC Flask;
- the China Cup; and
- the Japan Cup.
These competitions created stronger relationships between New Zealand and overseas hickory organisations and helped establish the tournament as an important international meeting point.
In 2023, just two days before his 87th birthday, Sir Bob Charles won the individual title.
His victory reinforced the inclusive nature of hickory golf and demonstrated that experience, skill, rhythm and course management remain every bit as important as power and modern technology.
The success of the tournament ultimately provided the foundation for the establishment of the New Zealand Society of Hickory Golf.