FOXBURG — When it comes to hosting a historical golf event, Foxburg Country Club seems like a proper home.

It will be Friday and Saturday as it hosts the 13th annual Foxburg Hickory Championship.

The FHC is one of 40 such events held across the country in a series overseen by the Society of Hickory Golfers, an organization designed to preserve the tradition of the game.

“This tournament is even more unique because it is a pre-1900 event,” tourney director Tom Johnson said. “There are only three of these east of the Mississippi.

“Since Foxburg Country Club has been around since 1887, there is no better place to hold this event.”

The only other two pre-1900 hickory tournaments on the schedule are the National Hickory Championship (slated for a few courses) and the Wisconsin Gutty Challenge.

Johnson said there will be 30 golfers participating in the Foxburg Hickory Championship with another 20 to 25 guests. The golfers will play 18 holes Friday and Saturday, with shotgun starts at 9 a.m. on both days.

“This will be a throwback to the way golf was before 1900,” Johnson promised. “Golfers are encouraged to dress the part.

In terms of equipment, they will definitely be playing the part.

“People who come out will feel like they're going back in time. It is a fantastic experience,” Johnson said.

“Sliced neck” hickory golf clubs will be used. These clubs are longer than basic clubs used today.

Gutty balls from the pre-1900 era — provided by the McIntyre Ball Company — will be supplied for the golfers. These synthetic golf balls are made from a gummy, rubbery substance.

“They travel about half as far as a regular golf ball would today,” Johnson said. “A good drive in this tournament would be 145 to 150 yards.”

Tees are not permitted. Golfers may strike the ball off the ground or use a sand tee to gain some leverage.

“Foxburg still has the sand and water tee boxes from when the course was first built,” Johnson said. “There is so much history there.”

Emlenton resident John Brosnahan, 69, will be playing in his eighth Foxburg Hickory Championship.

“Some other Foxburg members I know were playing and asked me to try it with them,” Brosnahan said. “That's how I got started. It's a unique event.

“There are people in this tournament who only play hickory stick tournaments all year. They believe this is the way golf is meant to be played.”

While Brosnahan uses eight clubs when he plays a hickory event, he said golfers can get by with only four clubs in the bag.

“I have two putters — a greens putter and a wooden mallet. Both come into play,” he said.

Hickory tournaments are played from the forward tees.

Brosnahan said a used hickory club can be purchased for $50, “or they can cost up to $500 or $600, depending on the quality you're looking for.”

John Lavendoski — the 2020 National Hickory Champion — won the Open Division (pre-1900 gutty) of the FHC here last year. His two-round total score was 165.

Tim Flynn was first in the Senior division and James Kaiser first in the Braid (pre-1900 equipment) division. J.W. McMath won the Fownes (post-1900 equipment) division.

“The key to success (in hickory play) is keeping your ball on the fairway. You need that run,” Brosnahan said.

Johnson said that 1850 was “around the time golf became a big draw, going from a gentleman's game to a commoner's game.”

He relishes this annual gathering at Foxburg.

“Just a tremendous, nice group of people who truly appreciate the history of this great game,” Johnson said.

He added that at least 10 states will be represented, including Ohio, Washington, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Kentucky.