GOOD FOR HICKORY ?

( Courtesy of Colin Farquharson of Scottish Golf View ) 

The world professional hickory championship, and a prize fund of £12,500, is up for grabs by any one of at least a dozen players at the halfway stage of the 36-hole event of the Gullane 2 course.

The pros played the first round in conjunction with a pro-am in which their individual scores are carried over to Friday's round which is played as a straight stroke-play.

Well, with hickory shafts in their hands, can even the pros guarantee all the shots will be straight?
Only four strokes cover the leading 12 players after a day when high winds made conditions even more difficult for the use of old-fashioned clubs.

Gullane pro Alasdair Good - better known for being the "founding father" of the Wee Wonders children's championship - shares the lead on two-over-par 73 with Tartan Tour regulars Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) and former PGA championship winner Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre).

They are only one stroke ahead of Fraser Mann (Musselburgh), whose brother Lindsay won the title last year, and Paul Wardell (Whitekirk).

Sharing sixth place on 75 are Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), Mark King (Kingsifled) and past Scottish boys match-play champion Lee Harper (Archerfield Links).

Defending champion Lindsay Mann is one of four players ninth place on 76. He is not out of it yet.

Oldcorn led the amateur trio, rejoicing in the quaint name of "Baggies Bruisers," of Colin Binnie (handicap 6), Robert Skinner (18) and David Wishart (18) to victory in the team event with a net score of 10-under-par 61.

FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
73 Alasdair Good (Gullane), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre).
74 Fraser Mann (Musselburgh), Paul Wardell (Whitekirk).
75 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), Mark King (Kingsfield), Lee Harper (Archerfield Links).
76 Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park), Jacky Montgomery (Dunbar), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), David Orr (East Renfrewshire).
77 Klas Ohlsson (Sweden).
78 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh), Alastair MacKenzie (Duddingston), Thomas Buchanan (Duddingston), David Thomson (Carnegie Club), Perry Somers (unatt).
79 Norman Huguet (Musselburgh), Graeme Brown (Montrose), Andrew Marshall (Houston GR), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR).
80 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Derek Watters (Gourock), Marc Amort (Germany).
81 Stefan Bjaliruth (Sweden).
82 Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design), Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg), Iain Forrester (Holland).
83 Mark Pirie (Pitlochry).
84 Heather MacRae (Gullane), Owe Werner (Sweden).
85 Richard Valentine (Craigielaw & Loretto ).
86 James Mooney (Kingscliff Golf Solutions).
87 Jody Rostock (Carnegie Club), John McTear (Mar Hall Hotel).

See http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/ZwvnF_rn5S2/PGA+World+Hickory+Open+Kicks+Off/r4zyDlkEfv_ for some photos and see also http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Golfers-turn-back-clock-.5678753.jp

GOLFERS WHO KNOW SUPPORT THEIR PRO !  Get out there and support AG tomorrow !