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Rules Hickory Masters 2026

Version 11 dated 31.07.2025

Format of Play


13th and 14th of May – @ Circolo Golf Villa d’Este (100th Anniversary)

Format of Play: Stroke Play format over 36 holes played on 13th & 14th of May.
It is a Men’s event with a field limited to 80 players and a suggested handicap limit not exceeding 18.
Players must be over 18 years old (entries of U18 will be refused).

Entries Deadline will be Sunday the 12th of April 2026.

Registration - Practice Round and Welcome Dinner on Tuesday the 12th of May

Registration
Elegant clubhouse of Golf Club Villa d’Este, nestled in the hills, with Italian and Czech flags and a lush green fairway in the foreground

Categories and prizes

A. Open Category - Gross best two rounds total score wins the Title – name on the “Silver Rake Niblick Challenge”. All participants will be listed in this ranking list (Professionals, Amateurs and Seniors). 

B. Pros – Total Purse will be € 30’000 (available only to registered PGA Professionals – NOT to AM)

Winner will receive a check of             10’000 €

Runner Up will receive a check of         6’000 €

3rd place will receive a check of             4’000 € 

4th place will receive a check of            3’000 €

5th place will receive a check of             2’000 €

6th through 10th place will receive a check of     1’000 €  

C. Amateurs – 1° Gross prize & 1°, 2°, 3° Net prizes


D. Seniors over 50 – 1 Gross Prize & 1°, 2°, 3° Net prizes 
Senior players must specify at inscription in which category (C or D) they will compete 

Horton-Smith, Walter Hagen and Joch-Hutchinson

Competition rules:

The Hickory Masters is an “antique hickory clubs” mandatory pre 1935 built club head event, they may have been repaired or retrofitted with new hickory wooden shafts (both woods and irons). The Tournament Committee will check every club in the bag prior to the event up on registration. It is responsibility to everyone participant to comply with this condition. Any player competing with non-conforming antique clubs will be disqualified.

In case of ties only in the Open Category a sudden death play-off will be played over the 18th – 10th hole to be repeated till one player wins the event. Any other Category the winning score will be determinate by gross best scores on the last 9-6-3-1 hole played on the second day and the total score of the first day if needed.

  1. The players are informed that the following equipment, dress form and playing game technique  will not be allowed during the two days of tournament play:

  1. Trolley
  2. Gloves
  3. Range finder of any sort (laser, smart phones or watches)
  4. Modern golf bags carrying current golf brands logos
  5. Modern golf shoes, classic’s design shoes are welcome (no snickers type please)
  6. Replica clubs (Woods, Irons & Putters)
  7. Artificial grips other than suede or leather (type Tennis racket grip cover)
  8. Polo shirts, bermuda, baseball caps
  9. Fancy wild pattern mix in the clothing
  10. Aim point system on putting and chipping

All players will be wearing attire from the period in a joint effort to establish the historical value of the period. 
 The event will be played with the one ball for all players (the Goodman McIntyre ball will be used https://www.mcintyregolf.com/products/the-goodman-small-dimple-replica-golf-ball) and the balls will be provided to the single players attending by 1dz/each player.

  1. The players are welcome to use the following supports during play: 

  1. Official birdie book available from the club
  2. Caddy is mandatory (friend/partner) or local available from the Club
  3. A maximum of 14 clubs that are originals or restored but built prior to 1935
  4. Umbrella with no sponsors name on it
  5. Distance markers placed on the course 

Entries and process of selection of the players:

VIP players:
Fully invited

  • Entry fee, hotel costs, food (no beverages) will be covered (travelling costs are included)
  • Any MASTERS winner will be a VIP Guest costs including travelling will be covered
  • VIP to be considered: Golf YouTube influencer and other (max nr. players 3)

Special Players:
Reduced entry fee by 50% (@450€) to the following players entering the event (travelling & hotel costs not included). Special Players from different countries will be listed under this category as:

  • Pros & Top AMs – “list to be confirmed by Tournament Committee” (max nr. players 10)
  • World Hickory Open Past Champions all the way to 2014 (max nr. players 8)
  • National Hickory Champions 2023 – 2024 – 2025 from (D, CH, DK, Swe) (max nr. players 12)
  • Special Players from USA (max nr. players 8)
  • Organizer’s Invites (max nr. players 10)

Open field:
The rest of the field will be offered the regular event inscription fee of @ 900€

  • Fill up the list of entry by the lowest handicap players having priority to enter the event
  • Entry deadline will be fixed 30 days prior to the start of the event (Sunday the 12th of April 2026).
  • A waiting list will be established in case of excess of entries received. A reserve list will be published where the lowest hcp updated at closing date of entry will have priority.

Subscriptions deadlines:

  1. 1st Group:  Deadline to be set mid of DECEMBER 2025 (starting period September 2025)

  1. 2nd Group:  Deadline to be set by latest end of MARCH 2026 (starting period January 2026)

  1. Entries Deadline will be Sunday the 12th of April 2026

Prizes and Challenge for the event:

  • The “Silver Rake Niblick” will be the Challenge that remain within the organisation exposed at the Museum
  • Open Category 1 Gross Prize for the winner (the lowest Gross strokeplay 36 holes score)
  • Professional prize money: 30’000 € (best 10 players to be rewarded) – (Winner gets 10’000€)
  • AM Category (under 50 years of age) 1 Gross Prize for the best total score for 36 holes
  • 1° / 2° / 3°  Prizes for the AM Category based on total net score for 36 holes
  • AM Senior’s Category (over 50 years of age) 1 Gross Price for the best total score for 36 holes
  • 1° / 2° / 3° Prizes for the Senior’s Category based on total net score for 36 holes

We shall invite the VIP players (including the top Pros) as soon as Brochure will be ready (end of Aug 2025)
We will fill out the Pros Ranks in order to have possibly 10 confirmed by 1st closing deadline DEC’25


The prizegiving and the official Gala Dinner will take place on Thursday the 14th @ GC Villa d’Este.

Bobby Jones 1929 US Open Champion at Winged Foot GC, with Baseball Great Babe Ruth kneeing behind Jones 1