Hickory golf: an adventure for epicureans
This profile originally appeared on RedBull.com – https://www.redbull.com/ch-fr/hickory-golf-une-aventure-pour-%C3%A9picuriens?fbclid=IwAR2ypaA1hRwKp1OD0uGvg2evK6hZvL2BvqhKllJLKETPm4GLfepBWkPc3xA
January 2022 – Switzerland’s Andi Ahlm is a mathematician, founder of a fintech start-up – passionate about hickory golf.
Whether working or pursuing his talent, the same philosophy guides him: for something to work, you don’t always need the latest in novelty and the pinnacle of complexity – if you dare to break with the usual norms, we notice that simple means are often sufficient.
To see hickory golfers on a course for the first time is to feel teleported to the past: dressed in a knickerbocker, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat and long socks, they pay homage to the original game as now practiced by a few happy few. Hickory golf is played with clubs made from hickory wood, just like it was over 120 years ago.
“The modern game of golf owes a lot to technology, club heads and shafts designed with power and maximization in mind, longer, further, newer, more expensive. Playing with the old hickory clubs and realizing that you don’t need all of that to play well and feel happy is extremely rewarding,” says Andi Ahlm. The Swedish-born Zurich native is a mathematician, founder of a fintech start-up, and has always had a talent for exercising in various forms. He discovered hickory golf a few years ago, in perfect harmony with all the facets of his personality.
Switzerland’s Andi Ahlm is fascinated by the many levels of hickory golf.
“Know less, learn more”
“Hickory golf is a thing for ‘fools and freaks’,” Andi says with a smile. A description without mischief since he considers himself part of it: “For those who want to delve a little deeper into the traditions, the handmade work, the material. Those who appreciate the holistic nature of the sport rather than the pursuit of pure performance – and who also like to swim against the tide. The David vs. Goliath aspect has always fascinated Andi somewhere – not just in hickory golf but also, as a young entrepreneur, with his start-up in a market full of big players. Or, if we want to put it another way: show the elders that it often also works differently, with very simple means. A conviction which, in his profession as in golf, never ceases to animate him. “Know less, learn more” is one of the statements that stuck in his head despite having read countless very intelligent books – because it gets to the heart of what inspires him: “Never think that the ‘we have learned enough and know that the learning process brings a lot of satisfaction.”
In addition to his training and his work, that Andi has always loved the sport is no wonder. From snowboarding to golf to surfing, he’s done it all. It was golf that came to be one of his great passions. He discovered the alternative form of hickory golf while on a trip to Scotland. In the country of golf’s origin, this traditional way of playing is not only very widespread, but the world championships are also held there every year. “Freaks and pros from all over the world are participating,” says Andi. He too goes there almost every year – and indeed with success: three years ago, he became world champion in amateur hickory golf (World Hickory Open, 2018, net winner).
Compared to Scotland, the hickory golf scene in Switzerland is still very limited. Now, however, there is also an annual tournament here, the Swiss Hickory Open, which Andi helped create and which anyone who wants to can participate in. The only condition: permission to travel. In his country, Andi does not only play hickory golf but also with “normal” clubs – and even, within his club Solothurn, in the highest league in Switzerland. “Currently I may still be playing with normal clubs for a third of the season. But hickory keeps growing in popularity,” he said, before adding, sounding mischievous, “I haven’t dared to do it yet, but one of these days I’m going to show these normal golfers that I can live up to the hickory clubs! In fact, every time I switch back to normal clubs, I wonder why I still play with them. ”
Once you find the flow and precision with the hickory clubs, they are almost as good as the new ones. And to get there, what should be done? Andi advises: “It’s obviously easier if you’ve played with normal clubs before. They make no more mistakes. And a general rule of thumb in golf is not to be afraid of setbacks and to accept that you will miss a lot of shots. When we learn to play golf, we are embarking on an adventure, a journey. This is even more true in hickory golf. Even a beginner will quickly find an affinity for hickory golf because the holistic nature of this tradition is quite simply enjoyable: the clothes, the clubs … and last but not least the people who take themselves a little less seriously and also maybe tune in. be a little more attention to style and fun.
But in the end, the key to success is to firmly believe that the recipe for it lies within itself, according to Andi. “A lot of people focus on the technique you need – or your coach. I find it much more important that everyone find what works for them. And thereby discover its own limits. Personally, this is what motivates me deeply and what drives me to always innovate.”
Those wishing to embark on the adventure of hickory golf can visit www.swisshickoryopen.ch, get a hickory club, and give it a try. Maybe even follow some of Andi’s advice: “The best way to start is to buy old club sets on ebay – or just ask someone who already has them. I have a few: anyone who wants to give it a try can contact me and come see me!”