Andrew Von Lossow won the gold medal and U.S. Hickory Open trophy at the golf tournament held recently at the Gearhart Golf Links.

GEARHART — Andrew Von Lossow took home the gold medal and U.S. Hickory Open trophy by shooting scores of 74 and 72 at the recent golf tournament held Sept. 12 through Sept. 14 at the Gearhart Golf Links. Making it a family affair, his dad, Jim Von Lossow, took home the second-place silver medal in the Senior Division.

Originally from Seattle, the younger Von Lossow lives in Spokane where he plays Indian Canyon and Spokane city courses such as Down River, Creek at Qualchan and the Esmeralda Golf Course.

“With modern clubs, I play to a +4 handicap right now and then for Hickory it’s scratch. Hickory is an unrelenting style of play. You know your misses. The distances are different in Hickory golf.

“I played at Southwestern Oregon Community College for one season in 2009 over in Coos Bay. I’ve got my apparel company, Glen Cove Trading Company, in Spokane, which keeps me busy, but I try to tee it up as much as possible during the season.

“… I won the Spokane City Championship in 2018 and 2019, the Mid Pines Hickory Open in 2018 and others. (Others includes the 2021 Washington Men’s Champion of Champions, the 2019 Spokane Hickory Open, the 2020 Pacific Northwest Hickory Championship) I’ve played hickory clubs since 2013. That’s when we started the Northwest Hickory Players. My dad has played golf all his life as a PGA member. He played the PGA tour in ‘79 and ‘80. A few of his friends started playing hickory and he gave it a go. He got me interested in hickory as well.”

Tournament organizer Rob Alhschwede said “Because Andrew is still an amateur, he is also the low amateur of the tournament, which awards him a second gold medal and he also gets to take home the John Fischer Jr. trophy. John Fischer was the last player to win a U.S. Amateur with wood shafted clubs.”

Appreciation was high for Gearhart Golf Links General Manager Jason Bangild and Head Golf Professional Zdravko “Z” Barbic. Both were awarded medals from the Northwest Hickory Players.

A local favorite, Wedgy Winchester, using a set of hickory clubs he borrowed from Alhschwede, placed second in the Super Senior Division. In presenting his medal, Alhschwede said, “Wedgy has been here since Northwest Hickory Players has been coming here and he’s been watching us and has become a close friend.”