About Us
As featured on The Golf Channel and in Golf News, Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine, Mail Tribune, Pacific Northwest Golfer magazine (again), Eugene Register-Guard, Golf Course Trades, and the Longview Daily News, the Northwest Hickory Players is a voluntary association of golfers formed to enjoy and encourage playing golf exclusively with hickory era, pre-1935 equipment.
The intent is to focus on Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and neighboring states. The idea had been in development for a couple of years and events had been held in the past, including a three day event in the Portland/Gearhart area in 2013 when players got to know each other and enjoy playing on several hickory era courses. In 2014, the decision was made to officially form an association. The Northwest Hickory Players was born.
Northwest Hickory Players served as host to the first-ever U.S. Hickory Open on the West Coast, at Pebble Beach Resorts (Del Monte Golf Course) in 2017 and again as coordinating host for the 2021 U.S. Hickory Open at Gearhart Golf Links on the Oregon Coast.
The Northwest Hickory Players have affiliated with the Society of Hickory Golfers an organization that works at the international level, and use their guidelines and information in the effort.
The NW Hickory Players join several other regional groups that are doing the same, including the Pacific Coast Hickory Golfers, the NorCal Hickory Golf in California and the British Columbia Golf House Society.
Co-founder, Rob Birman, speaks to Golf Channel about the sport.
> Sign Up for our E-mail List
We’re all about hickory golf. That’s it. No modern events, no hybrid events, just pre-1935 hickory play for the love of the game. We invite players from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia to join us by contacting one of us below. Loaner/rental sets available too! We have plenty. Come, join us!
Our Board is listed below. Click on the link (right) to read about our regional Affiliates program too!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Jim von Lossow, PGA, Captain e-mail Jim
[CO-FOUNDER] In his bag: Brassie (Carnoustie Bench Made); Spoon (McGregor model 73); Cleek (Gibson); Approach Iron (MacGregor A 1/2); Bakspin Mashie-Niblick (MacGregor); Bakspin Pitcher (MacGregor G-3); Putter (Forgan Black Magic, St. Andrews)
Martin Pool e-mail Martin
[CO-FOUNDER] In his bag: Brassie (Jack White); Spoon (Jack White); Mid-iron (MacGregor BB); Mashie (MacGregor BB); Lofter (T. Stewart); Mashie-Niblick (T. Stewart); Niblick (MacGregor OA); Putter (R. Johnstone, Seattle)
Rob Ahlschwede e-mail Rob
[CO-FOUNDER] In his bag: Driver (Ben Sayers Gruvsol); Brassie (Hagen Getaway); Spoon (Bowser); Driving Iron (Forgan); Mid Iron (J MacGregor A1/2); Mashie Iron (T. Stewart); Mashie (T. Stewart); Mashie (MacGregor Backspin); Mashie-Niblick (S.B. Davies Spalding); Niblick (Forgan Peter Pan); Sand Iron (H&B Par XL); Putter (Dunn, Monifieth)
Robert Birman e-mail Rob
[CO-FOUNDER] In his bag: Driver (D. Anderson & Sons “The Swilken” c.1920); Cleek, Bulldog (Louisville); Irons (Nicoll Precision c.1915); SF Niblick (Forgan c.1900); Ironman (Walter Hagen c.1934); Putter (Jean Gassiat, Gibson, Kinghorn c.1915)
Roberta Robbins e-mail Roberta
[CO-FOUNDER] In her bag: Driver (H&B Invincible); Spoon (MacGregor), Spoon (Churston Golf Club, Devon, England); Mid-Iron (Stewart), Deep-Grooved Mashie (Stewart), Mashie (MacGregor OA), Sky-Iron (Spalding); Niblick (H&B Par XL); Putter (Brown-Vardon, Spalding)
Gilles “Goose” Guenette e-mail Gilles
[BOARD MEMBER] In his bag: Brassie (Macgregor Peerless); Spoon (Macgregor Klaymor); Mid-iron (Macgregor BB); Approaching Cleek (Gibson); Mashie (Macgregor BB); Spade Mashie (Stewart); Mashie Niblick (Nicoll); Niblick (Macgregor OA); Putter (Gibson Dorminie Brown-Vardon Style)
Brad Harvey e-mail Brad
[BOARD MEMBER] In his bag: Driver (Macgregor Oakmont); Brassie (Macgregor Oakmont); Spoon (Macgregor Oakmont); 1-9 Irons (Tad Moore Victor); Putter (Schenectady)
Kit Ledbetter e-mail Kit
[BOARD MEMBER] In his bag: Driver (Tad Moore Jack White); Spoon (Louisville Black); Wood Cleek (Louisville MacGregor B25 Perfection model); Irons (Louisville Precision 3-8); Mid-Iron (Tad Moore Star OA); Niblick (Stewart Maiden Niblick); Putter (Tad Moore Dunn Aluminum)
John Quickstad e-mail John
[BOARD MEMBER] In his bag: Driver (Burke Sportsman); Spoon (Gibson); 1-8 irons (Nicoll Precision); Flanged Niblick (Louisville); Putter (Nicoll Precision)
Tom Tracy e-mail Tom
[BOARD MEMBER] In his bag: Driver (R. Jones Spalding Kro-Flite), Spoon (Tad Moore Pall Mall), Wooden Cleek (Tad Moore), Mid-Iron (Forgan), Mid-Mashie (Forgan), Mashie (Forgan), Spade Mashie (Forgan), Mashie Niblick (Forgan), Niblick (Forgan), Dominie Sander (Tad Moore), Jigger (Cleveland Golf School), Putter (Tad Moore Chicopee)
Jack Wilson
(deceased 2017)
[CO-FOUNDER] In his bag: Driver (Homewood Special); Spoon (A.J. Reach A733); Cleek (S.B. Davies-Duncan); Cran Cleek (Spalding) Sammy (T. Stewart); 3 iron (T. Stewart); 4 iron (T. Stewart); Mashie (T. Stewart); Spade Mashie (T. Stewart); Mashie-Niblick (T. Stewart); Niblick (Spalding Dedstop); Putter (Halley Gun Metal Mallet, London)
| Tom Driscoll | Colin Gants, PGA | Galen Peterson |
| Paula Anderson | Buck Barrie | Rick Reznick |
| John Wise | Steve Simmons | Liz Keeler |
| Richard Canapo | Robb Howard | Bill Razeto |
| Kent Quickstad | Jeff Dean | Gabriel Tonan, PGA |
| Tracy Skinner | Alina Dean | Roy Niznik |
| Scott Voetberg | Peter Yagi | George Randels |
| Kent Ahlf | Jacob Varnell | Chuck McCollum |
| Wedgy Winchester | Dana Niehaus | Matthew Nelson |
| Dave McDonald | Michael Sloan | Stacy Brown |
| Mike Kosich | K.C. Harrison | Scott Miller |
| Sharon McCarty | Tim Snyder | Hannah von Lossow |
| Jerold Olson | Rick Plumb | Joe Scorcio |
| Jimmy Bucher | Greg Cooper | Michael Adams |
| Kevin Biegel | Tim Wiebe | Joe Martinbianco |
| Rick Williams | Pam Rowland | Cash Parker |
| Ed Lindey | Deal Hudson | Erik Beer |
| Daniel Norstedt | Turk White | Steve Richmond |
| Patricia Kurz | Robb Stuart | Ed Downs |
| Kenn Looten | GaryLee Johnson | Tad Moore |
| Bob Forbis | Dave Hall | Glenn Thatcher |
| Hal Coward | Gene Pavola | Omar Arambul |
| Jeff Olsen | Mark Persinger | Rich Tokarzewski |
| Larry Bogert | Barry Field | Chris McIntyre |
| Seth Krufka | Ron Mahugh | Gerry McFaul |
| Franz Schwarm | Dennis Scott | Karen Booth |
| Seth Williams | Brad Harvey | Mark Hatala |
| Brandon Bunke | Albert Bruno | Anthony Burgess |
| Adam Columbia | Jim Coons | Colin Criss |
| Jill Firestone | Joy Lee | Sean Free |
| Auggie Goldsby | Jeff Groshell, PGA | Bill Herron |
| Marshall Huston | John “JJ” Jackson | Eddie Johnson |
| Ellie Lathrop | Carl LeBoa | Eric LeBoa |
| Greg Lunde | Derek Lunde | Allan Montpellier |
| Bill Pedersen | David Pedersen | Brian Pollack |
| Clint Steed | Jared Steed | Luke Sulpizio |
| Eddie Johnson | Woody Winter | Kevin Davis |
| Blake Snyder, PGA | Glen Snyder | Tim Pleas |
| Aaron Lamb, PGA | Jackson Wymer | Kathleen Turner |
| Kevin Curtin | Monte Sayer | Ken Everett |
| Kyle Beffa | Burke Spensky | Diana Sellers |
| Wojo Walczak | Robert Markwardt | Isaac Minor |
| Ben Plaunt | Bob Fairbrook | Brian Hansen |
| David Britt | Jake Britt | Duane Baylor |
| Keegan Spring | Kyle Marvin | Quinn Allen |
| Rick Lehman | Riley Wong | Roger Hill |
| Shaun Britt | Steve Malmquist | Taren Plaunt |
| Andrew von Lossow | John Sneed | Jennifer May-Baker |
| Jon Klingler | Bill Keeler | Stephen Lavendoski |
| John Lavendoski | Larry Hardy | Edward Fitzgerald |
| Walt Bankowski | Adam Barrows, PGA | Eric Matthews |
| Steve Franich | Larry Buckingham | Anthony Dietl |
| Craig Healy | Tim Vaughn | Arthur Harmala |
| Josh Immordino, PGA | Dan Petersen | Christopher Peterson |
| Devin Harmala | Rudy Kastelic | James Harper |
| Kevin Austero | Steve Henneuse | Rick Boudreau |
| Steve Wilt | Bob Wolfensperger | Scott Lonheim |
| Dave Paremski | Matt Cassarino | Troy Schnelle |
| John Henry Williams | Brock Bowen | Shawn Baker |
| Tom Kennedy | Ben Biggers | Rob Walker |
| Chelsea Guenette | Jeff Lefferts | Jennifer May-Baker |
| Lyle Rowland | Ray Tokareff | David Eaton |
| Arlan Thuringer | Leila Ung | Silas Kane |
| Jason Shaffer | Terry Sumrall | Matthew Combe |
| Donna Richmond | John Sweeney | Carter McGowan |
| Bert Downs | Tom Tracy | Emma Guenette |
| Sandy Bucher | Troy Brown | Richard McElroy |
| Tony Cassarino | John Hoffert | Ryan Fitzgerald |
| Bob Lesniewski | Gene Tompkins | Taylor von Ahlefeld |
| David Rimmer | David Foreman | Sean Gee |
| Brennon Leighton | Ralph Potter | Brian Hughes |
| Keith Orr | Tom Phillips | Erick Keating |
| Mark Livingston | James Bishop-Edwards | Floyd Lockie |
| Brian Free | Charlie Thurston, PGA | David Park |
| Gerry Cassel | Ken Coleman | Karen Verlinden |
| Tony Dietl | Torin Dooley | Richard Yagi |
| Jim Free | Gary Smyres | Joshua Lieb |
| Brent Hudgins | Natalie Sulpizio | Richard Moore |
| Mark Keating, PGA |
Seattle Hickory Golf, Washington Hickory Golf, Washington State Hickory Golf, Hickory Golf, Oregon Hickory Golf, Canada Hickory Golf, Puget Sound Hickory Golf, Northwest Hickory Golf
