The happy group for the 2015 Polish Hickory Championship.
Martin Panosh reports:
From 4th to 7th June 2015 the Polish Hickory Championship took place 25 km north of Warsaw at the First Warsaw Golf & Country Club.
A challenging course, which was several times venue of the Challenge Tour. Designed in 1989 by the Swede, Jan Sederholm, one finds the first 11 holes in a typical parkland with wide fairways and plenty of water. On the last seven holes the fairways narrow and the 150-year-old trees come near.
Thursday evening our charming hostess Sofia Lelakowska welcomed the international guests with a dinner at the restaurant Rozana in central Warsaw. An excellent restaurant serving Polish cuisine, with piano music and an enchanting garden.
Friday I had the honor to play my practice round with Lionel Freedman (founder of the World Hickory Open), Chesla Kruk (multiple Polish Hickory Champion) and Dariusz Bobinski (Polish Hickory Champion 2014). Their tips on swing and strategy helped me a lot on the tournament day. The practice round was won by Lionel. A lesson, that strength and youth is not important for a good swing.
On Saturday we played in bright sunshine in memory of Bobby Jones, one of the greatest players in the hickory era. With players from Scotland, England, France, Czech Republic, Israel, Poland, and myself from Austria, there was a truly international field. Winner with 90 strokes was Dalibor Prochazka from Czech Republic, runner up Dariusz Bobinski and Czesla Kruk. I was very happy with my round and was ranked 5th gross.
With a Roaring 20’s Party we celebrated under the stars and mighty weeping willows on the club terrace.
Sunday, after a short sightseeing trip to Warsaw, it was time to say goodbye.
Thank You Sofia for the wonderful weekend.
From left: Dariusz Bobinski, Sofia Lelakowska, Lionel Freedman, Chester Kruk, and Martin Panosh.
Sofia Lelakowska, left, and Lionel Freedman, far right, present tropies to the winners: Dariusz Bobinski, left, Dalibor Prochazka, and Chester Kruk.