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Hickory Hills is the only current course in Springfield to see play from all of the golf greats from the area including Horton Smith, Ky Laffoon , Kerman Keiser, Payne Stewart and more. Hickory Hills has always been known as a golfers club. Hickory Hills boasts more Missouri State Amateurs champions than any other club. Bill Stewart 1953 and 1957, Bruce Hollwell 1975, Payne Stewart 1979, Alan Rosen 1991, Wayne Frederick 1996, and Chuck Green 1998. Cathy Reynolds won the women’s state championship in 1976. Hickory Hills was also home to the original Ozarks Open held from 1947 through 1951. The women's Trans National Championship was held at the club in 1958, 1977 and 1991. The 1977 tournament was won by Hickory Hills very own Cathy Reynolds.
The course itself was built in 1926 on John Woodruff’s farm in East Springfield. At the time the entire course was completely on the north side of Cherry Street. Together with Rev. Paul R. Talbot, Woodruff designed a course that was reported to be an almost exact replica of the famous St. Andrews in Scotland. The coursed was covered in Lispeduza grass. According to an article in the Western Golfer in 1926 by Lon Scott the course layout went as follows. The first hole was 450 yards with a deep ravine and a steep hill. The second hole was 370 yards with a difficult green sloping away from the fairway. The third hole was a dogleg measuring 345 yards. The fourth hole included a blind shot and measured 550 yards. On the fifth hole there was a punch bowl green. The sixth hole had a blind dogleg. The seventh hole was only 395 yard but had lake surrounding the green. The eighth hole demanded a tee shot from a high point to a very tough green. The ninth hole was 155 yards, while the tenth was 455 yards. Eleven and twelve traveled through valleys and trees. The thirteenth hole had a saucer green while stretching out to 590 yards. The fourteenth hole was the only one that included traps and bunkers. Fifteen had a severely undulating green. Sixteen and seventeen were on rough terrain with half moon greens. The finishing hole was 420 yards from a hilltop down a steep slope.
Hickory Hills Country Club started a lease in 1934 from Woodruff for the use of the course. The cost was $2,400 per year. In 1939 the original club house was destroyed by fire. Again the club house was destroyed by fire in 1954. In the mid 1970's the course was renovated. The course now occupies land on both sides of Cherry street. There have been 3 clubhouses due to fires in 1939 and 1954.
Known as the "Home of the Huckle."
Instigator of this grand tradition at Hickory Hills (which occurred on Hole 3, Old Glenstone Course, 1936) was Joe Fisher, Jr., who “huckled” (pressed)Art Sanders and Dick Farrington that fine day. After a bit of harassment, the “huckle” was accepted by the competitors and a bit of golf history was made.
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