Yes I play hickories every day. Yesterday I shot a 75. Why play hickories? It's kinda like the old saying about Harley's "If you have to ask you wouldn't understand". Suffice it to say that I've played golf my whole life. Went to state in high school and was a medalist in one tournament then. Won the club championship once and then lost it the next year by 4 strokes after taking a nine on a par 4 and 6 on a par 3. Most of us play the game because modern golf is too easy. Mistakes aren't killers like they were a few years ago. With the hickories, particularly the vintage hickories, mistakes cost you strokes so you end up being a much better player. My swing is improving with hickories where it was stagnant with modern clubs. Nothing like hitting a 1 iron 215 yards low off the tee.
Now as for a few of the comments, let me provide some correction. We typically use Shellac on the shafts not linseed oil. It's easy to reapply mid-season.
As for the ball you can play many of the modern balls. Many play the Pro V1 but a lot of the top players are now playing the Wilson Fifty Elite or the Wilson Zip. They're cheaper and just as good. Oh and you don't have to get reproduction balls. Yes the Top Rocks will cause problems on mishits but a good quality 3 or 4 piece ball works just fine. And yes I have shattered more than a half a dozen shafts but only 2 because of the ball. The rest were really crappy swings.
As for the clubs reproductions are allowed for play in hickory events in the US but not British. A good share of us have vintage clubs that are restored. They aren't that expensive if you know what you're buying. I have 4 sets of Tom Stewarts which is what Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet played. A really good niblick will set you back $100 prior to restoration. A mid-iron maybe $39. Overall the Scottish clubs are some of the best with Tom Stewart being a choice of many of the better players. Louisville Golf and Tad Moore have really good replicas. So good I think they're a little too modern but still good.
If you want more information there are a number of websites, including my own, and organizations that support hickory golf. If you're in NC there is a great league that meets at least once a month. In SOCAL there is a group that plays weekly at Rancho Bernardo. Other areas have plenty of hickory golfers. If you're in CO holler and I'll take you to play a round. You'll get hooked quickly.