RUMPLE 2004: WILD WING WEEKEND
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RUMPLE 2004: WILD WING WEEKEND |
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MYRTLE BEACH, SC OCTOBER 13-15, 2004 
Wild Wing Plantation 
Myrtle Beach, SC 
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2004 was a turning point for our tournament. 7 men showed up in Myrtle Beach to decide the fate of every Rumple to come. What we had was a core of golfers that played 5 rounds together and truly enjoyed each others company. But 7 was not enough to sustain us and we knew it. So, instead of keeping the group small and by strict invitation only, we opened up the gates and actively recruited additions, seeking 16-24 and the ever elusive full foursomes. The tournament would never be the same. We spent that weekend playing cards and drying golf shoes in the oven, but played all 90 holes. Everyone played two, three or four rounds with everyone else. It gave us a shared experience that may no longer be possible . Still, we knew what we had to do and would gladly make the same choice again. To keep this tournament alive and the camaraderie it fosters is our mission. |
The Golf: Wild Wing afforded us a tremendous improvement on the previous year. We stayed in condos on the plantation property and were surrounded by the courses we were playing which made for easy commuting. The proximity also allowed us to stop off between rounds for a snack, a drink and a chance to put your shoes in the oven. 2004 was also our first taste of terrible weather. We had seen some rain, but none of us were prepared for the monsoon that hit us during our morning round on Friday. The winds blew 50 MPH for a time and we were forced to wait 15 minutes as the puddles on the greens subsided. The wind, on the contrary, did not subside, and blew us about the course. The courses were fun and varied from forced layups and creeks bisecting fairways to cart-path only links style. All of the courses were bird themed, named the Avocet, Hummingbird, Falcon & the Woodstork. Sadly, on the Avocet survives as an 18 hole venue. As a tournament and as a group, we were stepping out of the shadows and into our own. 
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The Story: Our trip to golf's mecca was spectacular. Sure, Myrtle Beach has an entire industry based on guys just like us, Restaurants, bars, entertainment targeting weary dudes, exhausted from 36 holes of golf, but not willing to give up a moment too soon. Some fellas hit the bars and others played poker at the condos. One night we all raided a seafood restaurant, downing oyster shots and crawling into their rowboat, then cruising Myrtle Beach and enduring walk-up karaoke. In the end, the group was small enough to share golf, dinner and cheers. And, in a tradition that would continue for Rumples to come, we gained our first mascot, the wolf squirrel. AKA, Squirrilla. On the shoulders of these 7 men, those who came before and the many that came after, the Rumple Invitational was established. |
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