Charley Hull and Nelly Korda deliver a hickory tutorial
Charley Hull and world No. 1 Nelly Korda put on a vintage-club clinic ahead of the Women's Scottish Open, swinging hickory gear as they embrace links golf life. Hull crushed a wooden driver; Korda tried a hickory set at Wednesday's pro-am. The pair open with defending champion Lottie Woad.
The moment, captured ahead of the LPGA's annual stretch of links golf, shows why Celebrity Breaking News fans are buzzing: two of the tour's biggest names leaned into old-school tradition—and looked comfortable doing it.
Key Takeaways
- Charley Hull teed off with an old wooden driver ahead of the Women's Scottish Open and struck a low draw into a crosswind.
- World No. 1 Nelly Korda swung a hickory set during Wednesday's pro-am and joked about using the clubs next week.
- Hull has said she loves 1970s and 1980s-style equipment and would welcome a tournament played with old clubs.
- Hull, Korda, and 2025 champion Lottie Woad are grouped together for the opening rounds at Dundonald Links.
Why did Charley Hull pick up a hickory driver?
Hull has made no secret of her taste for classic golf. Earlier this year on the Vanity Index Podcast, the three-time LPGA winner said she wishes the game would return to 1970s and 1980s equipment, when players had to shape draws and fades like artists.
"Back then, I thought golf was so interesting to watch," Hull said. "The way they'd have to draw a ball in, fade the ball in. [I] would love to play in a tournament where we play with all the old clubs and everything."
Ahead of this week's Women's Scottish Open, she got a taste of that wish with a wooden driver—and, per Yahoo Sports, struck it "insanely well."
What did Nelly Korda say about links golf?
Korda joined the hickory fun at her Wednesday pro-am, even asking in jest whether the set might be available for tournament week. Asked about strategy at venues such as Dundonald Links and Lytham, she stressed low ball flights and creativity.
"Low shots. You definitely have to hit more of like the imagination button," Korda said, adding that players must be "a little bit more artistic" around this style of course.
Hull echoed a growing comfort with links golf in her pre-tournament remarks: "I'm kind of understanding links golf a little bit more in tournaments. Just kind of got out of my head that links doesn't suit me, and just try and make it suit me."
Who tees it up with Hull and Korda this week?
Both stars are set to play the opening rounds together with Lottie Woad, who won the 2025 ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open on her LPGA professional debut—only the third player in tour history to do so.
Woad returns to Dundonald Links this week as defending champion and sits No. 5 in the Rolex Women's World Rankings. She was also grouped with Korda during last year's breakthrough win and expects big galleries again beside the world No. 1.
Hull, a Brit with a runner-up finish at last year's AIG Women's Open and strong major form this year, arrives with home-crowd momentum as the tour settles into its two-week links stretch.