Hot Springs Country Club welcomed the 18th annual U.S. Hickory Open for the first time this past weekend, drawing more than 100 golfers from across the country and abroad.
By: Branden Sarver, Sports Reporter for The Sentinel-Record – Published October 8, 2025
Photos by: Beverly and Greg Wise, Golf the Wise Way
“Tournament couldn’t have been any better,” Hot Springs Country Club General Manager Barry Howard said Sunday. “The weather was great. Golf courses were great. All the hickory golfers are really nice people. They were here to have fun and had a good time.”
The Society of Hickory Golfers aims to preserve the traditions of how the “royal and ancient” game was originally played. Competitors, dressed in 1920s-style attire, used hickory shafted golf clubs to play through the course. All of the gear was pre-1935, with some of the clubs over 100 years old.
High school golfers from the area served as caddies, assisting players across four divisions: men’s open, ladies’ open, seniors, and super seniors.
“The community of Hot Springs just rolled out the red carpet for us, from the Visit Hot Springs organization, the Convention Center hosting our dinner Saturday night,” tournament committee member Alan Alison said Sunday. “We couldn’t have asked for more from the city. They welcomed us with open arms and for me personally as we came and visited throughout the year getting things ready and we visited several entities getting the history from different people’s point of view was really neat. I really enjoyed that part. The history of Hot Springs is pretty neat.”
The event kicked off Friday morning with a practice round followed by a welcome reception in the afternoon, which included a complimentary buffet, cash bar, trade tables and silent auction.
Tournament play started Saturday morning with a procession of players for photos and introductions before a 10 a.m. shotgun start. Hole-in-one prizes included a Lexus from Parker Lexus in Little Rock and an Ireland Golf Experience from Hawes Golf Experiences. The day ended with a reception and dinner at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
Winners included Morgan Hanson and Mark Laken who won the ladies’ and men’s open divisions, respectively. Hanson said it was her first experience in a tournament like this, and it was great.
“It was absolutely gorgeous days,” she said. “We played pretty decent. The course is in great shape. Great conditions. … You definitely have to position yourself very well. The greens are tough. So just being smart about clubs and where you’re going to place it at.”
Laken won the U.S. Hickory Open last year at his home course in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and came to defend his crown which he did successfully. He said it seemed the organization put even more effort into the tournament this time around.
“It was definitely a different tournament than I’m used to playing in just with the different grass,” Laken said. “Coming from Wisconsin, I don’t get to play on courses like this a lot. It is a beautiful course, and couldn’t have asked for any better weather. They did a really good job hosting everything out here.”
Laken added that Park Course is pretty difficult, as it rewards conservative play, but has a few holes where aggressive play can pay off. His grandmother Nancy Laken caddied for him.
“She tagged along with me in the cart,” Laken said. “So she was my helper today.”
The next hickory golf events include the Australian Hickory Open and the Johnny Goodman River City Hickory Championship in Omaha, Nebraska.
“It was pretty cool,” Howard said. “They actually brought me a pair of knickers and I wore them today. That was pretty cool. I want to thank Visit Hot Springs and the Arlington Hotel. I think Parker Lexus helped out as well. And our members just to make this a successful event here in Hot Springs.”
