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US Hickory Open Registration
Northwest Hickory Players will host the 19th annual U.S. Hickory Open, presented by the Society of Hickory Golfers, at Gearhart Golf Links (1893) on the coast of Oregon. The event will be held Sept. 11-13 (practice round on the 11th) in 2026.
All players must be a member of the Society of Hickory Golfers with an established hickory handicap.
$450 Tournament Entry Fee
The entry fee covers a Welcome Gift, One Practice Round, Two tournament rounds*, First tee snacks Saturday and Sunday, Welcome Reception Friday at 6:30 p.m., and Dinner Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Please note: For the U.S. Hickory Open, no measuring devices are permitted.
Registration for the 19th USHO at the Gearhart Golf Links in Gearhart, Ore., was activated at NOON Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, Feb. 15.
THE FIELD HAS BEEN SOLD OUT FOR THE 2026 USHO
A waitlist has begun, so if you did not quite make the deadline to register, the waitlist is the next best thing.
*Rolling Tee Times start at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The entry fee does not include a power golf cart (this can be an additional fee upon registration). Gearhart Golf Links is an easy walk. Caddies are available for $80 per round plus gratuity.
To request a caddie, please email our Caddie Master, Jamie Dunnam. jamied@gearhartgolflinks.com
If you have questions about the tournament, please email our Tournament Coordinator, Casey Poore at: caseyp@gearhartgolflinks.com
The field will be limited to 72 players. Entries will be collated on the basis of the date and time of day the entry is received. If a wait list is necessary that list will be developed in the same fashion and vacated spots will be filled in that order. The SoHG website’s U.S. Hickory Open page will be used for the entry, completed over the Internet.
Please Note:
There will be caddies available for the event and if you desire to have a caddie for the tournament make sure you indicate that in the provided space on your entry form. There should be enough caddies available for anyone who desires one.
Power and Walking Carts: Your entry fee does not include the use of a power cart. There are power carts and walking carts available for a fee paid in the Golf Shop. Gearhart Golf Links is a relatively easy walking course.
Handicaps: Only handicap indexes from the SoHG’s website handicap system will be accepted for this tournament. Those members that do not have such a handicap will play off scratch. The only GHIN handicap that might be used is if the member has only entered hickory rounds to establish that index. The tournament handicap committee reserves the right to confirm all handicaps as well as make adjustments to handicaps during the tournament as may be necessary. All decisions of the tournament handicap committee shall be final.
Equipment Compliance: It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that his/her equipment complies with the SoHG equipment guidelines. Penalty is disqualification. A copy of these guidelines can be found on the Society’s website, under “Tournaments/Guidelines/Hickory Golf Equipment Guidelines. Any questions, please contact Rob Ahlschwede (Equipment Chair) at swedeberger@gmail.com
The Course: The four divisions will play off different tees.
The Open will play off the Black tees (6,176 yds; 70.8/137)
The Senior division will play off the White tees (5,741 yds: 69.3/131)
The Super Seniors will play off the Green tees (5,157 yds: 66.1/121)
Women will play off Special designated tees (4,283 yds: 66.3/120)
Accommodations and travel: Check the links on our U.S. Hickory Open page to find additional information.
All players must be a member of the Society of Hickory Golfers with an established hickory handicap.
This marks only the third time the USHO will be contested in the western United States, the first being at Pebble Beach Resorts’ 1897 Del Monte Golf Course in 2017, also hosted by Northwest Hickory Players, and subsequently in 2021 at Gearhart Golf Links.
“Gearhart Golf Links is an exceptional venue for this tournament,” says Northwest Hickory Players tournament organizer and Olympia (WA) resident, Rob Ahlschwede. “David McLay-Kidd, acclaimed architect of Bandon Dunes and Mammoth Dunes, ranked Gearhart in his “Top 10 Favorite Places” in the March 2020 edition of Golf Magazine. Golf Professional, Jason Bangild, is also one of the best in the business, and has welcomed NWHP’s three-day Columbia Cup to the course every July since 2015. The seaside course offers a true links-style experience, perfectly suited to the original equipment used by global hickory golf collectors and enthusiasts.”

