Kilspindie, celebrating its 150th anniversary, stages the World Hickory Open for the first time in October

East Lothian, Scotland - Scotland’s Golf Coast is delighted to welcome The World Hickory Golf Open to East Lothian for the first time this autumn. This event, the Thirteenth World Hickory Open (Oct 2nd-7th 2017), continues to grow in popularity and has attracted over 120 hickory golf aficionados this year from many parts of the world.

According to The World Hickory Chairman Hamish Steedman, some 16 nations are entered - primarily from Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, France and The United States, with 20 professionals in the field this year.

This year’s event has moved to Scotland’s Golf Coast from Carnoustie. This will be particularly apposite as its founder and organiser Lionel Freedman, who lived in East Lothian, died earlier this year. The running of the tournament has been taken over by Lionel’s directors, although the various events were planned by Lionel himself - practice at Luffness on Monday, The Open at the hickory-bespoke links of Kilspindie on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a fun event at Craigielaw on the Thursday, ahead of a three-cornered Ryder Cup-format event at Musselburgh Old Course, recognised as the oldest continuously played course in the World and a fitting location for such an international field. The event, sponsored by LinkedGolfers, will be played in East Lothian for the next 3 years, hopefully becoming a permanent fixture in East Lothian’s events diary.

Sadly, the current holder Sandy Lyle is unable to play this year. However, several well-known names are likely to be in the field. For instance, former Lions captain Gavin Hastings will be taking part, as well as professionals Andrew Marshall and Zack Saltman, both these pros have previously managed the almost impossible feat of equalling Sandy Lyle’s magnificent 67 strokes with hickory-shafted clubs around the challenging Panmure links last year.

www.worldhickoryopen.com