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.
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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!
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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
[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 | Andrew von Lossow | John Sneed |
Paula Anderson | Buck Barrie | Rick Reznick | Jon Klingler | Bill Keeler |
John Wise | Steve Simmons | Liz Keeler | John Lavendoski | Larry Hardy |
Richard Canapo | Robb Howard | Bill Razeto | Walt Bankowski | Adam Barrows, PGA |
Kent Quickstad | Jeff Dean | Gabriel Tonan, PGA | Steve Franich | Larry Buckingham |
Tracy Skinner | Alina Dean | Roy Niznik | Craig Healy | Tim Vaughn |
Scott Voetberg | Peter Yagi | George Randels | Josh Immordino, PGA | Dan Petersen |
Kent Ahlf | Jacob Varnell | Chuck McCollum | Devin Harmala | Rudy Kastelic |
Wedgy Winchester | Dana Niehaus | Matthew Nelson | Kevin Austero | Steve Henneuse |
Dave McDonald | Michael Sloan | Stacy Brown | Steve Wilt | Bob Wolfensperger |
Mike Kosich | K.C. Harrison | Scott Miller | Dave Paremski | Matt Cassarino |
Sharon McCarty | Tim Snyder | Hannah von Lossow | John Henry Williams | Brock Bowen |
Jerold Olson | Rick Plumb | Joe Scorcio | Tom Kennedy | Ben Biggers |
Jimmy Bucher | Greg Cooper | Michael Adams | Chelsea Guenette | Jeff Lefferts |
Kevin Biegel | Tim Wiebe | Joe Martinbianco | Lyle Rowland | Ray Tokareff |
Rick Williams | Pam Rowland | Cash Parker | Arlan Thuringer | Leila Ung |
Ed Lindey | Deal Hudson | Erik Beer | Jason Shaffer | Terry Sumrall |
Daniel Norstedt | Turk White | Steve Richmond | Donna Richmond | John Sweeney |
Patricia Kurz | Robb Stuart | Ed Downs | Bert Downs | Tom Tracy |
Kenn Looten | GaryLee Johnson | Tad Moore | Sandy Bucher | Troy Brown |
Bob Forbis | Dave Hall | Glenn Thatcher | Tony Cassarino | John Hoffert |
Hal Coward | Gene Pavola | Omar Arambul | Bob Lesniewski | Gene Tompkins |
Jeff Olsen | Mark Persinger | Rich Tokarzewski | David Rimmer | David Foreman |
Larry Bogert | Barry Field | Chris McIntyre | Brennon Leighton | Ralph Potter |
Seth Krufka | Ron Mahugh | Gerry McFaul | Keith Orr | Tom Phillips |
Franz Schwarm | Dennis Scott | Karen Booth | Mark Livingston | James Bishop-Edwards |
Seth Williams | Brad Harvey | Mark Hatala | Brian Free | Charlie Thurston, PGA |
Brandon Bunke | Albert Bruno | Anthony Burgess | Gerry Cassel | Ken Coleman |
Adam Columbia | Jim Coons | Colin Criss | Tony Dietl | Torin Dooley |
Jill Firestone | Joy Lee | Sean Free | Jim Free | Sean Gee |
Auggie Goldsby | Jeff Groshell, PGA | Bill Herron | Brent Hudgins | Brian Hughes |
Marshall Huston | John “JJ” Jackson | Eddie Johnson | Mark Keating, PGA | Erick Keating |
Ellie Lathrop | Carl LeBoa | Eric LeBoa | Joshua Lieb | Floyd Lockie |
Greg Lunde | Derek Lunde | Allan Montpellier | Richard Moore | David Park |
Bill Pedersen | David Pedersen | Brian Pollack | Gary Smyres | Karen Verlinden |
Clint Steed | Jared Steed | Luke Sulpizio | Natalie Sulpizio | Richard Yagi |
Eddie Johnson | Woody Winter | Kevin Davis | Shawn Baker | Jennifer May-Baker |
Blake Snyder, PGA | Glen Snyder | Tim Pleas | Rob Walker | Stephen Lavendoski |
Aaron Lamb, PGA | Jackson Wymer | Kathleen Turner | Jennifer May-Baker | Edward Fitzgerald |
Kevin Curtin | Monte Sayer | Ken Everett | David Eaton | Eric Matthews |
Kyle Beffa | Burke Spensky | Diana Sellers | Silas Kane | Anthony Dietl |
Wojo Walczak | Robert Markwardt | Isaac Minor | Matthew Combe | |
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