On Friday, Sept. 7, the final rounds of the 2012 Gutty Slam were played at historic Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Course, in Ontario, Canada.

 

   In order to qualify for the finale, a player must have participated in at least two of the other three gutty golf events – the All American Hickory Open played at Downer’s Grove, the National Hickory Championship played at Oakhurst Golf Links and the Foxburg Hickory Championship played in Pennsylvania.

 

   Golfers “built” a 54-hole score using the best two nine hole scores from each of the events.

 

   Twelve golfers qualified for the finale. Ten accepted the challenge.

 

   In the Senior Division, David Ellis (Zanesville, Ohio) won the gross title with a score of +24.     

Greg Smith (DeForest, Wisc.) won the Senior Division net title with a score of +1 over 54 holes of gutty golf.

 

   In the Open Division, Tom Johnson (Tallmadge, Ohio) continued his fine pre-1900 season by amassing a score of +9 over 54 holes. J. W. McMath (New Philadelphia, Ohio) won the Open Division net title with a score of -1.

 

   Tom Johnson’s +9 score was one stroke less than 2011 champion Jim Wilhelm’s +10 total.

 

   Others participating in the Gutty Slam included Terry Howarth (Washington, Ohio), Mike Just (Louisville, Ky.), Ian Marshall (Toronto, Ontario), Doug Marshall (London, Ontario), Jim Wilhelm (Paris, Ontario) and Bern Bernacki (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Gordon Beggs (Ohio) and Bill Engelson (N.C.).

 

   The directors of the Gutty Slam events – Connor Lewis, Peter Georgiady, Tom Johnson, and Paul Dietz – thank the participants and encourage all hickory golfers to play pre-1900 hickory golf.

 

   Special thanks to Mike Just for his donation of trophies for the Gutty Slam champions.

 

   See you next year for another season of gutty golf!