SoHG Medal Policy (Revised February 2019 and September 2020 for the Order of Merit)
(Please note – As the SoHG Order of Merit series is being revised, medals for this program at not being ordered for 2022. However, qualifying tournament directors are free to order their own following the guidelines below.)
Purpose: This policy is developed to provide consistent standards for the use, availability and awarding of SoHG medals for hickory competitions. The medals are intended to be awarded for performance only. Continue reading…
Background: There are a variety of hickory tournament competitions conducted around the world on a regular basis. The SoHG has developed tournament and equipment guidelines for use by anyone presenting a wood shafted event. The intent is to make competitions fair and equitable from event to event. Currently, there are four categories of wood shafted events and the Society believes that quality medals should be available for important competitions.
SoHG conducts two events – The U.S. Hickory Open annually using a rotation of locations the Society offers the most important event of the yearly schedule. There are four areas for the rotation – East Coast, Midwest (Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River), Heartland(Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains) and the West Coast. These are general areas, not specific. The Society also offers the International Cup (The Freedman Trophy), which is an international Ryder Cup-like competition, every two years (even years). These tournaments are conducted by tournament committees designated and overseen by the SoHG USHO and Events Committees. These two events use the SoHG official medals.
SoHG Order of Merit Series – The Society identifies 3-5 events during the competitive year as “Order of Merit” events, which includes the USHO. These events have the ability to assign points to SoHG members for the OM year-long competition. The OM series events are selected and supported by the Society board of directors and are expected to follow all SoHG guidelines for competition and equipment completely.
Regional and Local Wood Shafted Events – These events are usually offered by local or regional hickory golf groups or clubs and can be one-day or two-day events. Qualifying events can apply for and receive OM points for finishers, which depends on the number of contestants and the use of the SoHG guidelines. For a one-day event there must be 24 players entered playing wood shafted clubs. Two-day events must reach the threshold of 36 players playing wood shafted clubs. One-day events can earn 1/4 OM points and two-day events can earn 1/2 OM points. These events can use the SoHG official medals with the consent of the Society board.
Other wood shafted tournaments – Basically, any event that is organized and does not choose to follow the SoHG guidelines falls into this category. Examples might be using non-approved clubs, requiring a certain type of club only, designating a particular ball for the competition. These events will not be allowed to use the SoHG official medals. The Society does not discourage this type of event but would encourage organizers to consider following guidelines in the future to ensure a fair and enjoyable competition.
Medal design and distribution: The SoHG has worked with one of the world’s leading medalists and engravers, established in 1826 in Edinburgh, Scotland to develop a tournament medal die, proprietary to the SoHG. This die is used to strike SoHG tournament medals in gold, silver and bronze, with the capability for suitable engraving to identify the tournament and divisional details. Three medals are awarded at the SoHG-conducted U.S. Hickory Open in the various divisions: gold for the champion, silver for the runner-up and bronze for the third place finisher.
The SoHG makes these special official medals available for use in any of the first three event categories. The events using the medals are responsible for ordering (see below) and paying for the medals for their events. Regional and local events are welcome to use their own medals as well as applying to use the official medals. The SoHG Board may also authorize the purchase of these medals on a case-by-case basis and upon application by the tournament director after certifying his/her intent to conduct a hickory competition that follows SoHG guidelines. SoHG medals are not authorized for other hickory tournaments under category 4 above.
Medals should be ordered at least six weeks prior to an event to enable accurate engraving and shipping. The cost for the medals, which will come in quality display boxes and includes engraving and air mail delivery, is approximately $35 each. Prices are estimates, and subject to change primarily due to shipping charges and exchange rates. Chris Deinlein is the SoHG representative who will facilitate your order. He can be reached at 336-210-4125 or cdeinlein@triad.rr.com.
Click on the link below to download a PDF order form for the medals.