The 2012 United States Professional Hickory Golf Champion
2013 Tournament Date: Monday, January 21, 2013
Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club, Temple Terrace, Florida
2012 Tournament Results
Eddie Peckels from Winter Springs, Florida becomes the second United States Professional Hickory Golf Champion.
Eddie Peckels, playing out of Tuscawilla Country Club in Winter Springs, Florida took the honors at the United States Professional Hickory Golf Championshipplayed on Monday, February 20, 2012 at the Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club in Temple Terrace, Florida. The tournament honoring the memory of John Shippen, America’s first golf pro is played at the course which also hosted the Florida Open in 1925. The Tom Bendelow designed course remains true to its original design and plays at 6.400 yards. All participants used wood shafted golf clubs popular until steel shafted models came on the scene around 1927.
Aided by an eagle 2 when he holed out his mashie from the fairway on hole number 12, Peckels finished with a 76 to tie Temple Terrace head professional Jim Garrison. Garrison had to retire due to an injury and was unable to participate in a playoff and conceded the championship to Peckels. Mike Stevens of Tampa, the tournament director, finished in third place 2 shots back at 78. A double bogey on the 14th hole cost Stevens a shot at the title.
In addition to securing his name on the permanent trophy, Peckels takes home $1,500 from the $5,000 purse. This year’s field included two female professionals, Jennifer Cully of Apollo Beach and Alice Brown of Tampa. The tournament is open to all golf professionals, male and female.
The United States Professional Hickory Golf Championshipwas originated by Mike Stevens, teaching pro at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa to preserve and remember golf as it was played in the early years of the sport in America. The Temple Terrace course provides an historically accurate setting for competitors to play exactly like the early pros who started it all.
