With historic fairways, wooden clubs, and rules inspired by golf's past, Lake Como is preparing to host an unprecedented event. On May 13th and 14th, the Circolo Golf Villa d'Este will host the 2026 Hickory Masters, considered the first international Major to be played exclusively with hickory equipment, made from the traditional wood used in the early 20th century.
The event, promoted by Hickory Golf Masters SA, will bring golf back to an almost artisanal dimension, made of elegance, technique and respect for the origins of this sport. 37 players will compete coming from 16 nations, including professionals still active on the international circuit and specialists in historic golf.
A tournament that looks back at golf from a century ago
The atmosphere surrounding the tournament recalls that of early golf. The Circolo Golf Villa d'Este, celebrating its centenary, will be set up following a layout inspired by the 1926 course. The course will be played as a par 69 over 5.032 meters, with teeing grounds designed to be as close as possible to the historic layout.
Making the tournament even more unique will be the technical rules: participants will only be able to use original clubs manufactured before 1935. This choice significantly increases the level of difficulty compared to modern golf and forces players to adapt their swing, strategy, and course management.
To compensate for this complexity, the organizers have added four strokes to the amateurs' official handicaps when calculating the net score.
World Champions vs. Legends Tour Pros
The competition promises to be a high-level event despite the limited number of participants. Among the most anticipated names are three former hickory golf world champions: Perry Somers, world champion in 2010, Paul Quirici, 2013 world champion, and Andrew Marshall, world champion in 2015.
Marshall himself is considered one of the top favorites. The Englishman, now 52, continues to compete at a high level, even with modern equipment. At the end of April, he finished 14th in a tournament in Barbados, demonstrating his ability to combine traditional golf experience with contemporary competitiveness.
The list of professionals also includes several protagonists of the Legends Tour. Among these, the following stands out: Thomas Gögele, coming off a particularly positive few weeks: eighth in Barbados after three rounds under par and twenty-second at the Senior PGA Championship in the United States. Despite being his first experience with hickory clubs, the German showed confidence in his ability to quickly adapt to the historic equipment.
Also starting Emanuele Canonica e Markus Brier, both protagonists of a good start to the season in the Legends Tour.
The “Silver Rake Niblick” is up for grabs.
The winner of the Open category will inscribe his name on the “Silver Rake Niblick”, a traveling trophy created especially for this first edition and destined to become one of the symbols of international hickory golf.
The 14 competing professionals will also receive a total prize pool of 30 euros, with 10 euros reserved for the overall winner.
Amateurs, on the other hand, will be divided into the “Amateurs” and “Senior Amateurs” categories, dedicated to those over 50, with gross and net prizes.
A growing international movement
The tournament confirms the growing interest in hickory golf, a sport that has seen a growing international community in recent years. Participants will come from Australia, Austria, China, Germany, Finland, France, England, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, the United States, Sweden, and Switzerland.
The Swiss company is behind the project Hickory Golf Masters SA, born with the aim of preserving the original culture of golf through events, a museum, association activities and the sale of historical materials.
Among the founders is once again Paul Quirici, considered the most successful Swiss professional in the hickory golf scene. He is joined by Sergey Sarkisiants, who is involved in the strategic development of the initiative.
According to the organizers, the project aims not only at historical preservation, but also at building a global network of enthusiasts connected to the etiquette, materials, and original spirit of the game.
Public admitted free of charge
The 2026 Hickory Masters will take place on May 13 and 14 at Circolo Golf Villa d'Este, on Lake Como. Admission will be free and open to the public.
