Nearly fifty golfers - spanning a fifty year age range whom hailed from eight states and the District of Columbia - ascended upon the newly reborn Royal New Kent Golf Club - an original Mike Strantz design - for thirty-six holes of fun & games at the inaugural event presented by GolfCrusade.com, #TheIronMaverick.
From nearly dawn to dusk, 12 teams competed in a variety of competitive and playful formats to determine a champion team for the event. Minutes after sunset in Strantz Pub, Team 'Animal Golfers' were awarded the Stantzesque Bull Skull Trophy via scorecard tiebreaker (-4). The team from Southern Maryland captained by Robert Broom earned its way into the top flight for round two via the lowest team score on the first 18-hole round.
Each player received pro shop credit, a team photo and a 36" x 11.75" hi-resolution panoramic wall print of the sunrise over the 10th & 18th holes, taken the morning of The Iron Maverick. A lo-res sample of the winner's bounty:
In the second flight, Team '@StrantzFantzClub', captained by Golf Crusader BMAC, took home top honors, also at four under par.
After the morning round (an 18-hole 4-man scramble) was completed, the lowest six scoring teams were placed into the first flight, the other six in flight two and the board wiped clean. After a fantastic lunch spread provided by the RNK team, teams shotgunned off for their second rounds under a trio of formats:
Holes 1 - 6 Four Ball - take low score from 4 players playing own ball
Holes 7 - 12 2-man Scrambles - take best score between them
Holes 13-18 2-man Mod. Alternate shot - all drive, alt shot thru green, best score carded
Before each round began, the field was brought together for a single swing of the club - at the same time!
To get the morning started, we had ourselves a little 'Firing Squad'!
Players lined the edge of the cliff on the 18th fairway. The field was broken into two groups (first riders then drivers of each cart) with $100 awarded to winner of each group. The 125 yard shot was captured in a group video here below. Whoever could hit their ball closer to the pin than their competitors won the cash.
Will Barnack of Wake Forest, North Carolina won the first group (above), while local folk hero Ben Gates of Richmond, Virginia took home $100 in group two (below).
While one player hit, the other filmed their teammate hit their shot in the 'Firing Squad Start'. Players were then encouraged to upload their videos to us, thus how we got these shots!
To get the blood flowing again after lunch, the field gathered once again en mass for a group competition, this time on the chipping green. All players gathered in a circle around a single hole with their putters. Rules were simple, first one at the bottom of the cup takes home the bounty! This time the prize was a deluxe pair of Costa Del Sol sunglasses.
One participant gave us the name we'll forever call this little competition...
THE #CLUSTERPUTT
Bryan Christopher of Rochester, New York found the cup and earned himself a hot new pair of shades (that we're sure he'll break or lose by end of year). We're sure he won't let us soon forget it either, but does provide some great advice (or more like an excuse if questioned under oath)...
Two more winners were crowned for Closest to the Pin (#7) & Longest Drive.
Matthew Lawless (Wilmington, NC) had an early lead on the short par-4, thirteenth hole, but couldn't hold on to it after Adam Wimmer (Chesterfield, VA) drove one OVER the green but stayed in the short stuff to win Longest Drive.
Closest to the pin was claimed by somebody. If its you, let me know and we'll update this posting. We seem to have misplaced that winner's name.
Each winner took home $50 cash and a free round of golf upon their return trip to Royal New Kent.
None of this would have been possible without the group of investors whose vision of a full-scale restoration to the former Best New Upscale Course in America (Golf Digest '97) brought back a true work of art. Some artists paint with brush on a canvas. Mike Strantz carried a sketchpad and a pencil while riding on horseback to uncover his holes, then took a bulldozer to them to sculpt his masterpieces.
To posses the vision to restore is one thing. To make it happen is another. Such great detail was paid to the restoration of the course that some of the guys from the original Strantz build were brought back to help reshape the bunkers.
We never spoke with anyone from the grounds crew, but those guys deserve a medal for the condition in which they've got this course playing just a few short months after reopening.
Well done gents!
We also owe the golf and service staff a giant thank you. General Manager/Head PGA Professional Chip Sullivan and his crew catered to every need, large or small, for not just the ninety combined rounds we played during the event, but the other eighty players who showed up to play that day too.
First class folks all-around!
They deserve a visit from YOU! You deserve to play a course like this at least once in your life. If you couldn't play with us this fall, you need to make it happen!
Finally, to the participants of The Iron Maverick...
We really had no idea what to expect. We had hoped to create an event that was interesting and fun enough that you went back telling your buddies and the social media world about it, mainly in order to bring some good press to a great course that we now know deserves more of it. We did not expect the kind words and support thrown our way. When everyone was asking when the next one was or that they'd be there next year, that sealed it for us.
We're definitely bringing it back!
Stay tuned to this channel for info on Iron Maverick II - coming Summer 2020! Don't forget to check out the photo gallery - coming next to The Golf Crusade!
Thank you all again! See you very soon!
Sincerely Fores,
BMAC & Dooner
