CATRIONA PLAYS RICK WITH HICKORY CLUBS OVER THREE HOLES ON THURSDAY

NEWS RELEASE

The first day of the Open will be grabbing the headlines on Thursday – but it’s not the only international golf tournament making the news. 

To launch the World Hickory Open 2013, on Thursday, two of the top golfers from the worlds of women’s golf and hickory golf will battle it out across three holes on Montrose Golf Links, where golf has been played for over 450 years.

The World Hickory Open 2013, which takes place in Montrose on October 1 and 2, is one of the main events in the inaugural Carnoustie Country Golf Festival, which is being held this autumn.

To launch this high profile, international event, on 18 July, Carnoustie Country Ambassador Catriona Matthew, one of the main contenders at the Ricoh Women’s British Open next month, will compete in a mini hickory golf tournament against the current World Hickory Open champion, Rick Valentine. 

“I have no experience whatsoever of hickory golf,” admitted Catriona, who’ll be swapping her state-of-the-art golf clubs for hickory-shafted golf clubs which are exact replicas of those used 100 years ago.

“I'm intrigued to know how different the whole experience is from the golf that we play today,” continued Catriona, who, in keeping with the spirit of the World Hickory Open, will be wearing a golfing outfit similar to those worn by lady golfers in the early 20^th century. “I know that the equipment has advanced massively but this will really put it into perspective for me. 

“I’m really looking forward to competing against the current WHO champion, Rick Valentine, although I must confess to being slightly nervous. I fear he may have the slight advantage over me - but we will see. Either way, it will be fun to do something a bit different.” 

Rick Valentine, who is Director of Golf at Loretto School in Musselburgh, won last year’s competition, which was held on Monifieth Medal and Carnoustie Burnside.

“Playing hickory golf anywhere is special but it’s fantastic to have the opportunity once again to compete in Carnoustie Country, home of so many of Scotland’s greatest and oldest golf courses,” said Rick, whose grandmother, Jessie Valentine, was one of Britain’s top lady golfers between the 1930s and 1950s.

The World Hickory Open 2013 is a two-day event played across 36 holes of Montrose Medal. This is the ninth year of this tournament and Organiser Lionel Freedman, co-founder and Director of the World Hickory Open explained that, as a result of the success of the World Hickory Open’s move to Carnoustie Country in 2012, a couple of additional events have been added to the programme. “These will enable the competitors to experience hickory golf on as many of the excellent Carnoustie Country courses as possible,” said Lionel.

“We’re definitely making the most of being located in the cradle of golf, where there are an almost unbelievable 30 golf courses within a 40min drive of the Carnoustie Championship Links.”

The World Hickory Open 2013 is for amateur and professional golfers, with categories for individuals and teams. “Well over 100 competitors and 40 teams are expected to attend this year’s tournament,” said Lionel. “We’ve already had entries from as far afield as America, Australia and South Africa, with many entrants joining us for the first time.”

Entry to the 2013 World Hickory Open costs £250 per golfer. This includes the warm-up round on Monifieth Medal, two rounds on Montrose Medal during the tournament, the possibility of a place in the Ryder Cup style competition that will be played at Arbroath on Thursday, October 3, hire of hickory-shafted clubs and the gala prizegiving dinner. 

“Places are still available in this year’s World Hickory Open,” added Lionel. “Experience of hickory golf is not necessary and neither is wearing period golfing gear, although most of our competitors agree that this is the perfect finishing touch.”

To find out more about the World Hickory Open 2013, or to download an entry form, visit www.worldhickoryopen.com. To find out more about Carnoustie Country and its golf courses, including ‘stay and play’ packages, visit www.carnoustiecountry.com, ‘like’ the Carnoustie Country Facebook page or follow Carnoustie Country on Twitter.