Aug. 12, 2019
Tom Johnson, host of the Foxburg Hickory Championship, reports:
Great camaraderie
Great weather
Great food
Great golf
The above were the features of the 11th Annual Foxburg Hickory Championship held amid beautiful skies, and the handsome home of Foxburg Country Club this past Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9 and 10. The FHC is a 36-hole hickory golf event using period golf equipment. Divisions are based upon the type of ball used.
First round play on Friday resulted in several very good scores. Bill (Ernie) Ernst (Neenah, Wisc.) turned in the low score for the Open Division with a fine 80, followed by Tom Johnson (Tallmadge, Ohio) with 81, Rick Woeckener (Garrettsville, Ohio), and J. W. McMath (New Philadelphia, Ohio).
The Braid Division scores were led by an excellent 78 by James Kaiser (Louisville, Ky.), Bern Bernacki (Pittsburgh, Pa.), followed with a solid 83, with Ron Taylor (Wheatland, Pa.), Jim Clawson (Reston, Va.), and Mike Campailla (Lake Mohawk, Ohio) following closely.
The Fox Division was led by Ron Miller (Harrisburg, Pa.), following by 1 stroke was Barry Markowitz (Sanford, N.C.), Bob Mirt (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was 4 strokes off the lead.
Saturday scores were slightly better for all divisions with the contestants adjusting to the tricky greens and pre-1900 golf balls supplied by the McIntyre Brown Golf Ball Company.
In the Open Division Rick Woeckener played very well. He and Ernie were close down the stretch, but Rick’s consistency and strong play helped him surge ahead and win the Open Division, finishing with an excellent 79 and earning the Open Division title. J.W. McMath earned runner-up honors in the Open Division, with Lee Burton capturing the third place award.
Ernst held off Tom Johnson to win the Senior Open honors, with John Crow Miller (Dallas, Texas) earning third place honors.
Barry Markowitz improved his Friday score by 9 strokes earning him the Fox Division Championship. Ron Miller followed with another good round to earn Runner-up, with Bob Mirt following in third. I expect this Division and competition to grow in the next couple of years, there have been a number of inquiries recently.
The best scores of the competition came from the Braid Division. James Kaiser coasted to a 14-shot victory with a great score of 76 the second day, finishing with a total of 154 and a well-deserved Championship. Jim Clawson earned runner-up honors with Mike Campailla rounding out the top three.
Bern Bernacki earned the Super Senior Braid award with another solid score of 85 and 168 total. Ron Taylor finished as runner-up in the Super Senior, with local Foxburg Country Club member John Brosnahan finishing in third place.
We also had the opportunity to host four members of the First Tee of Pittsburgh on Saturday. Patrick Bush was the low score of the four with an 85, not bad for a young man approaching his mid-teens and playing hickories. Patrick was joined by Dylan Matthews, Harrison Salvi, and Hayden List. We are fortunate to enjoy this connection with the First Tee of Pittsburgh and the opportunity to add to their programs. It was exciting to meet them and watch them participate. Their families were in attendance, and meeting them and seeing the pride in their faces was a treat.
As noted above, the weather was excellent, and certainly contributed to a successful event. It is hard to describe the camaraderie and positive feelings experienced at Foxburg. The combination of a terrific period-correct golf course, the on-site museum, the difficult challenge of pre-1900 golf, good meals, and a great group of people is a recipe for success, and proves true year after year.
Karen and I would like to thank everybody, contestants and guests alike, who attended this year’s Championship. It was wonderful to see everyone again, and especially meet the new attendees and their families. We understand attending incurs considerable expense, as well as the time invested to spend a few days with us, we are honored.
The Foxburg Hickory Championship and gutty golf in general, the most difficult golf you can play, with the best people you could ever meet,
The 2020 Foxburg Hickory Championship is scheduled for Aug. 14-15. We hope you will make plans to attend.
Foxburghickory@aol.com
330-677-8997
2019 Foxburg Champion Rick Woeckener, right, accepts the trophy from event host Tom Johnson.
