A hot start helped foursome, Bart Kuntz, Dylan Lawrence, Ian Robinson and Mike Ikari, win the last major event of the year at the Prince Rupert Centennial Golf Club.
The club held its annual men’s scramble on Sept. 16. Eighteen teams of four strolled the course, soaked in the beautiful late summer sunshine and enjoyed a competition that had its best showing in years.
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The Kuntz, Lawrence, Robinson and Ikari team finished their round with a low net score of 53.58 to win the tournament. Following them closely in second place were Joe Thompson, Shane Forman, Frank Repole and Andrew Schaeffer with a low net score of 53.88. The third place finishers were Gerard Dolan, Peter Drake, Alain Chan and Ted Arney Jr. who shot a combined low net of 55.78.
The scramble was played in a shotgun format, with each team starting their round of 18 from a different hole on the course. Kuntz said his team was fortunate to begin play from the first hole, which allowed them to build some momentum for the rest of the afternoon.
“We just got off to a really good start and kept it going through the first nine holes and then kind of held on through the back and brought home the win,” he said.
Kuntz said the highlight and key of his team’s round were back-to-back eagles on holes eight and nine, the course’s two consecutive par five holes.
“I’ve been in scrambles for the last 30-35 years with our club and I’ve never ever had a front nine session like that,” Kuntz said. “It was pretty neat.”
Following, the scramble, the teams enjoyed a banquet where results from the men’s days leaderboard were announced.
The golf club has also been going through a transition with changes to its maintenance staff, most notably Peter Drake, who was hired as the club’s new greens superintendent earlier this summer.
Kuntz said the playability of the course has improved significantly since Drake began working at the course, with both members and out-of-town players providing positive feedback.
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“I think it shows Peter and his staff have been putting in a complete effort and trying to have a course that people can be proud of,” Kuntz said. “And I think now with the way the course is and the condition it’s in, I think everyone is noticing the difference.”
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