It all started back in Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Three when “Dandy Don” Armel loaded up his grey Granada with his son, Mike, his friends, Birdie, Jack McConchie and all of their golf clubs. With a Uhaul in tow, they were off to Seabrook Island in South Carolina for their “first” golf trip. With Dandy Don sporting his Bowl America jacket and “hurry up, let’s go” Mike, it’s true that Sea Island would never be the same.
It was only a couple of years later that Mike Armel met “Marky Mark” Wenners while working at Prince William Golf Club in Virginia. This newfound friendship led to lots of golf, plenty of adult beverages and great dance moves (from the waist up). Next thing you know, Dandy Don, Mike, Marky Mark, Darrin Armel, Mike Whorton, Jack McConchie (RIP), Joe Reid (RIP) and Eric Green headed to Myrtle Beach on another “golf trip,” hence creating the new tradition.
From this point forward, year after year, the “golf group” got bigger and bigger, with guys joining from Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Utah and Florida. Over the years, the group has gained a few, lost a few, and no doubts...gotten older. The trip traditions have evolved from late nights at Kitty O’Shea’s drinking Guinness and playing pool to now, getting to bed before dark. Nevertheless, the golf trip that Dandy Don started has evolved into a brotherhood, a brotherhood of family, fathers and sons, brothers, best friends, new friends and simply great times.
While there is a long list of CHAMPIONS since 1983, it’s the physical trophy created by Marky Mark in 2015 that changed everything. The stress, pressure and desire to win the newly dubbed “Prince William Cup” was and is still in full effect. Shout out to Mike Wyeth for being the first to win the “Cup.”
Thanks to Dandy Don Armel for starting a tradition that has withstood the test of time and created bonds and memories to last a lifetime.
Now, the only question is, “Who’s got next?”
