NorCal Hickory Golf

October 2016, San Francisco - Lincoln Park Golf Course 80 degrees!

As promised, the weather for our San Francisco Hickory Open was perfect as it has been every year. In fact, we'll guarantee that next year's October tradition will bring the same wonderful playing conditions.





The NorCal crew hanging in the shade.



Nothing represents San Francisco and Northern California better than the unmistakable landmark that is the Golden Gate Bridge. Add a near 100 year old golf hole to the mix and you have NorCal Hickory Golf at its finest.





An early Lincoln Park GC postcard.



This weekend, as has been the case each year with fleet week, the Blue Angels dart back and forth over Lincoln Park with their rehearsed sorties. It might not be the most traditional arrangement and the engine roar can be a bit distracting for golf at times, but it's an amazing spectacle we look forward to every October.





Blue Angels on cue as part of the SFHO tradition.



While it's easy to get lost in the incredible sights and scenery that abound Lincoln Park, we actually were playing a "tournament". Lincoln Park is one of the most interesting short hickory courses in our state and a fair-for-all challenge. It certainly has a rich tradition of hosting prestigious and long standing amateur tournaments.





Bo Links, golf historian and San Francisco Public Golf Alliance writes:



The San Francisco City Championship, “The City,” as the local championship is known, is the oldest consecutively played competition in the world. Even the British Open – golf’s oldest championship, which began in 1861 – took time of when the world was at war. So did the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, the other events comprising the modern “Grand Slam.” So did virtually every other major event...



The San Francisco Hickory Open takes pride in knowing that we're in some small way, part of the oldest consecutively played competition in the world when we tee it up at Lincoln.



This installment of the Open crowned Michael Scott our 2016 San Francisco Hickory Open winner. Michael was the only player to break par this year with a solid 2 under par 66. Steve Henneuse was our low gross medalist with a 5 over par 73, playing the remaining 17 holes even par after an opening 9 on the 1st hole! :lol



Lincoln Park's rolling terrain, shot making, and short length, makes for an exciting skins game. New-to-hickory Andy Trice and his first-time-hitting-hickory friend, Chris, both won a skin and wowed us w/ their introductions. Thanks for playing and joining our group!



-- SKIN WINNERS --

Gross - 5 skins @ $9 each

Net - 7 skins @ $6 each



#1 par4) Stacy Brown - Net 3

#2 par4) Steve Henneuse - Gross 3

#3 par3 - dogleg!) Michael Scott - Net 2

#5 par4) Steve Henneuse - Gross 3 - Net 2

#7 par4) Chris Bunnel - Net 3

#9 par4) Michael Scott - Net 3

#12 par3) Steve Henneuse - Gross 3

#15 par4) Andy Trice - Net 3

#17 par3.5) Steve Henneuse - Gross 3

#18 par4) Orion Galioni - Gross 3 - Net 2



When the round ends at Lincoln, the fun just gets going! Last year it was brats and booze in the German Oktoberfest tradition. This year, it was just booze. Just across the street from Lincoln Park, the Tee-off Bar & Grill poured our post round hooch. All joined in singing the national anthem alongside a Gerry Garcia look-a-like as our beloved San Francisco Giants took to the field in the NLDS. Michael Scott's representative Orange and Black outfit unfortunately turned to just pure black the following day. All mourned our 1-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs in a tight game.





18th Fairway - Go Giants! Michael snubs tradition for color & fun.

San Fran Golden Gate in background



Here's a few more fun pictures sent in by Jim Thompson:













A big hole in our yearly tradition, and noticeably missing from our group, was John Sweeney and Tim England. John the thrill seeker had crashed his mountain bike a week earlier dislocating a shoulder. The doctor's orders were no golf for the remainder of the year. Tim had a hernia operation. That night at the Tee-Off Bar & Grill, we each signed a get well soon card for John. The next day, much to everyone's surprise, John made the one-handed drive to Sharp Park. Our card was waiting for him as an even bigger surprise.





John the Thrill seeker - Get Well Soon Card



For Tim, we raised a toast in his honor at Sharp Park in admiration of his beautifully hand crafted perpetual trophy. The individual award handed out to our eventual winner, was hand crafted by Tim as well. We very much appreciate your handiwork and artistry with these awards. Thank you, and get well soon Tim!





Tim England's beautifully hand crafted perpetual trophy gets in on the post round action!

Thanks Tim for another year of much appreciated awards.



While the San Francisco Hickory Open might not seem the largest scale tournament to those on the outside, we consider it a huge family event among intimate friends. It doesn't get much better than this and we look forward to reuniting again for next year's installment. The club has unanimously decided that future venues will be a single day of tournament golf followed by an optional fun day at nearby local courses.



The San Francisco Hickory Open will also rotate among a few of the surrounding bay area courses. Next year we'd like to visit historic Presidio GC just next door. Presidio being a Historic National Landmark built in 1895 and one of California's oldest courses.