HSC News Item: June 8, 2023 – Guttyfest ’23 Part I1 (2023) Reported by: George Supol, GHSC Hickory Ambassador

Despite the hazy sky due to distant wildfires, Guttyfest ’23 Part I was successfully held at Oak Gables Golf Course on June 8, 2023. Of the three available nines, Pine and Maple were used.

Twelve gowfers (i.e. golfers) assembled for the event—eleven players played their replica pre-1900 long-nosed woods and original smoothie irons (both with wooden hickory shafts) along with replica gutty flight-restricted balls. These ten fine gentlemen gowfers and one talented lady gowfer formed A-flight.

One additional player played his original pyratone woods and irons (early metal-shafted clubs) along with a modern ball. That player formed B-flight, which normally includes Allan Lew, but he was on holidays at the start of the round and so the stand-in player was needed to maintain the usual historical play group structure.

A Modified Stableford point scoring system was used (4 points for eagle, 3 points for birdie, 2 points for par, 1 point for bogey) to add some friendly competition. The winners were as follows:

A-flight (hickory, pre-1900):

• 1st: Gerald Achtymichuk – 27 points
• 2nd: Russell Dick – 26 points
• 3rd: Lorne Emery – 25 points

• 1st: George Supol – 29 points

Below are pics provided by Frank and Donna Collis, Allan Lew, Rocky Zannella and Lorne Emery. Click on an image to see a larger version. We extend a warm GHSC official welcome to Rocky who played his first game of gutty gowf. He’s the fellow with the blue top standing next to Russell in the third team pic below.

Note: Although Allan Lew didn’t play, he managed to get to Oak Gables in time to participate in the after-gowf libations. Below is a pic of Allan presenting George with the  “Allan Lew Cup” as the Champion Gowfer of B-Flight.

P.S. In case you think that “gowf” is not really a correct word, here’s a link provided by Russell to Loudoun Gowf Club, a course he plays in Scotland.