GRAND HICKORY MATCH AT ARBROATH ON THURSDAY

NEWS RELEASE / PHOTOCALL NOTICE ISSUED BY Carnoustie Country

DATE: Tuesday, 1 October, 2013

First Grand Hickory Match To Be Held at Arbroath

On Thursday, October 3, two teams of top international hickory golfers will take to the fairways of Arbroath Golf Course for the first ever Grand Hickory Match.

The Grand Hickory Match will be contested by Team USA and the World Hickory International Select. Each team will have 16 members, all playing with hickory-shafted golf clubs and immaculately dressed in golfing outfits inspired by the golfers of yesteryear - with Team USA wearing a uniform specially designed for the occasion.

Tournament organiser Lionel Freedman explained that the Grand Hickory Match is being held immediately after the World Hickory Open, which is being played on another Carnoustie Country Course, Montrose Medal, on Tuesday, October 1 and Wednesday October 2. 

“With a high proportion of the world’s best hickory golfers competing in the World Hickory Open, the Grand Hickory Match will provide the perfect conclusion to our 2013 visit to Carnoustie Country,” said Lionel, who is also the co-founder and director of the World Hickory Open.

Lionel revealed that holding a Grand Hickory Match on one of the historic Carnoustie Country courses was initially suggested by several of the American hickory golfers who competed in last year’s World Hickory Open, which was held on two of Carnoustie Country’s 30 courses, Monifieth Medal and Carnoustie Burnside.

“These hickory golfers enjoyed their time in Carnoustie Country so much, they were keen to stay and play for longer so they came up with the idea of having a Grand Hickory Match at the end of the World Hickory Open,” said Lionel.

“Since then, there have been further developments and the 2013 Grand Hickory Match will now be the forerunner to the full Ryder Cup-style tournament that will take place following next year’s World Hickory Open, which is being held at Panmure,” continued Lionel. “The Grand Match at Arbroath on October 3 marks the beginning of an international, team event which we hope will last for many years and will be a highly-enjoyable – and highly-competitive - adjunct to the World Hickory Open.”

North Carolina hickory golfer Mike Henderson, who is a member of Team USA, agreed. “The Grand Hickory Match could be the start of something very big,” said Mike. “Hickory golf is true golf, where skill and technique still matter. The Grand Hickory Match will highlight the extremely high level of golfing expertise of every member of both teams – and also the excellent spirit of camaraderie fostered by hickory golf.”

English golf professional Andrew Marshall is one of the members of the World Hickory International Select team. “I can’t wait to play in the Grand Hickory Match,” said Andrew, who is a regular on the European Tour circuit. “Although I had a hickory 3 wood when I was six years old, playing in the World Hickory Open was my first experience of playing competitive hickory golf so it’s a great honour to be selected for the World Hickory International Select.”

To find out more about the World Hickory Open 2013, and the Grand Match, visit www.worldhickoryopen.com. To find out more about Carnoustie Country and the Carnoustie Country Festival of Golf, visit www.carnoustiecountry.com/festival 2013.