On the shores of Lake Como a new competition is taking shape, destined to carve out a space for itself in the international calendar: theHickory Golf MastersThe first edition is scheduled for May 13 and 14, 2026 at Circolo Golf Villa d'Este, a historic track inaugurated in 1926 and considered among the most evocative in Italy.
The initiative, promoted by the Swiss company Hickory Golf Masters SA, based in Lugano, aims to be the first major tournament dedicated exclusively to golfers using vintage equipment. This event combines sporting competition and historical reconstruction, with the stated ambition of becoming a recurring tradition.
Hickory Golf Masters: Returning to the Game's Origins
A distinctive feature of the tournament is its strict adherence to historical rules. Participants will use only original clubs with hickory shafts, manufactured before 1935, and will wear attire consistent with the style of the early 1930s.
This isn't just an aesthetic detail: the goal is to recreate playing conditions as close as possible to those of the origins, when technique, skill, and respect for etiquette were integral to the sport. The mandatory presence of caddies and the pace of play are also inspired by the standards of a century ago.
The context: a century-old field
The venue for the event, the Circolo Golf Villa d'Este, celebrates its centenary in 2026. The course, designed in 1926, extends for 5.760 meters with a par of 69 and winds through pine, chestnut, and birch forests, with views of Lake Montorfano and the Prealps in the background.
The technical characteristics of the course – narrow fairways, protected greens and well-placed bunkers – represent a challenge particularly suited to play with historic equipment, which is less forgiving than modern ones.
Formula and participation
The competition takes place over two consecutive days, each consisting of 18 holes in stroke play. The field is limited to a maximum of 80 players, divided into three categories: professionals, amateurs, and seniors.
For professionals, there's a total prize pool of €30.000, with €10.000 going to the winner. Entry is partly by invitation and partly by registration, with selection based on playing level if demand exceeds available spots.
An international audience
Participants include eight international tournament winners and three hickory golf world champions, a testament to the growing interest in this sport.
Alongside specialists from the hickory circuit, well-known names in professional golf will also take to the field, some of them playing for the first time with historic equipment. This combination will help boost the event's competitive and media profile.
The trophy: the “Silver Rake Niblick”
The winner will be awarded a unique trophy: the “Silver Rake Niblick”, a full-scale replica of a rare club designed in 1895 for play on sand and tall grass.
Handcrafted by Italian artisans from sterling silver, the trophy is engraved with the winners' names and recalls one of the earliest hybrids in golf history. The original, produced in very limited numbers, is now preserved in the hickory golf museum in Lugano.
Between sport and cultural heritage
In recent decades, hickory golf has experienced a gradual resurgence internationally. Dedicated events and championships have helped bring attention to a practice that combines competition, history, and the material culture of the sport.
In this context, the Hickory Golf Masters is an initiative aimed not only at promoting the discipline, but also at strengthening the role of Switzerland and the Insubria region as a European reference point for historic golf.
A debut that looks far ahead
The first edition represents a testing ground for a larger project: to transform the Hickory Golf Masters into a regular event, hosted every two years on significant historic courses.
The organizers' stated goal is to consolidate an international community of enthusiasts and professionals who share an interest in golf's roots. A return to the past that, they hope, aims to leave a mark on the game's present.
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