National Hickory Championship: Jensen Wins 6th in ‘06
Besting the strongest field in NHC history, Randy Jensen yet again prevailed as National Hickory Champion of America at Pinehurst, NC, July 29-30. Heat was the order of the weekend and the two 18-hole rounds were a made doubly difficult by the high temperatures and course lengths longer than past championships. Jensen’s nearest challenge came from Jay Harris, the 1999 champion, who was two strokes back after Saturday’s round and three back when it was all over. The winning score was 157 (79-78); Saturday’s round played on Pinehurst #8 and Sunday’s on Pinehurst #1.
All four past NHC champions were in the field and all finished in the top five in 2006. The newcomer was Chris MacIntyre (San Diego, CA, 164) who placed fourth and also turned in the best round of the tournament (77 on #1). Third place went to Fred Fruisen (Savannah, GA, 163), the 2001 champion, with Mike Stevens (Tampa, FL, 167), the defending champ, coming in fifth.
Besides temperatures in the 90s, the other big challenge was the larger, deeper bunkers. The tournament requires the use of 19th century equipment and hitting the ball out of a steep-faced sand bunker without the equivalent of a flanged sand iron (which was only perfected in the late 1920s) was highly problematic. The NHC is the tournament that takes golfers back to the true origins of the modern game and frustration in the bunkers is a genuine part of experience.
In the Reserve Division (net), the winner was Frank Boumphrey of Chagrin Falls, OH followed by John Axe (Lecanto, FL), kilt-wearing Coach Terry Strock (Blacksburg, VA) and Bill Engelson (Pinehurst, NC). Caty Goidel, Chattanooga, TN won her third NHC Ladies Championship. Behind Caty were Lawren Just (Louisville, KY) and Peggy Rendely (Olney, MD). Caty won by nine strokes despite putting the entire Sunday round with her splice head spoon—her putter had accidentally been left at the #8 course clubhouse the day before.
A new competitive division was added this year and the first NHC Vintage Division Championship was won by Tad Moore, Lagrange, GA. Second place ended in a tie between Chris Deinlein (Greensboro, NC) and Jeff Miller (Dulles, VA). First place in the Ladies Vintage Division was taken by Lisa Carr, Calgary, Alberta.
On Friday, before the tournament rounds began, the Elmore Just Foursomes Competition was held. Golfers played true foursomes—teams of two playing alternate strokes on one ball—in the style of golf of the early 19th century. Winners in the three flights included Rick “Brownie” Brown and Jack Busic, Dave Ellis and Bob Reheard and Tad Moore with Jeff Miller.
The highly coveted Allen Wallach Best Dressed Award went to Mike Stevens. Peggy Rendely was the finest outfitted female and Tom Johnson won the Bogey Award given to Tom Johnson. All competing members of the Society of Hickory Golfers are eligible to win the Bogey Award.
Site and dates for the 2007 NHC, the tenth anniversary Tournament, will be announced in September. Details can be found at www.nationalhickory.com as well as the Hickory Golf and GCS web sites.
Pete Georgiady