Kevin Buntrock and Donny Ward make golf a social game.
Two friends who love to play golf. It can’t be that simple, can it? Well, yes. And no.
Back in 1999, Kevin Buntrock and Donny Ward, eventual Founders and Managing Members of The Golf Club at Red Rock, took part in a golf tournament in Sheridan, Wyoming. “On the way home, we were talking about how Rapid City could really use a good golf course community, similar to The Powder Horn Golf Club in Sheridan,” said Donny, 61, a Rapid City local.
At the time, Kevin, 67, originally from Aberdeen, worked for a company called Sodak Gaming, Inc., while Donny dabbled in real estate. Neither of them had any golf-related professional experience.
They were serious enough about the idea to acquire property southwest of Rapid City proper, just off Old Highway 40. “When we bought the land in 2000, there was a gravel road from Sheridan Lake Road that came to a single house,” Kevin said. “That’s all that was out here.”
The duo soon discovered that, in order to stand up a golf course, they would have to build additional roads and bring utilities like water out to the property. They found themselves becoming not just golf course owners, but land developers, as well.
“We developed and sold lots. We had to do that to pay for the golf course,” said Donny.
They secured investors, hired construction companies and, of course, recruited a golf course designer.
“The city knew we were building a golf course, but they’d never seen something like that come through, because we really didn’t have an official set of plans,” Donny said. “Our designer, Ron Farris, drew holes on his hand, drew them on rocks, drew them in the dirt, to show the golf course contractors what he wanted them to do.”
The first nine holes opened in 2002. The back nine followed in 2003. Kevin and Donny continued selling lots. Over about 20 years, they created and sold about 500 lots across multiple developments surrounding the golf course.
Residents of the developments walk their dogs on the course. Kids from the area are found on the grounds after school and in the summer. That lone, old house that was there back in 2000 when they bought the property became part of the clubhouse.
“We really wanted it to be an enjoyable experience and to create an atmosphere where people come and like to hang out,” said Donny. “We have very good food as well. That’s the thing—it’s not a country club atmosphere.”
There were, however, significant challenges along the way. The 9/11 attacks threatened to end the whole project before it began. The real estate market collapse of the mid-2000s jeopardized the golf club’s financing resources. Then, of course, COVID-19 brought more uncertainty.
The sense of community that they fostered around the club helped ease the anxiety. “During COVID, we had members out here calling and asking if they could help with anything, just because they love this place so much,” said Donny.
It is the social aspect of golf that Kevin and Donny embrace the most, not just with the course and members, but with employees, too.
“We hire good people and let them do their job,” said Kevin. “Our golf pro, Jason Young, has been with us for 20 years. The course superintendent, Rick Wit—his daughter got married here two weeks ago. She was three months old when he started for us. They’re incredibly talented, incredibly dedicated, and we’re successful because of their efforts, as much as anything we’ve done.”
“I joke that it’s taken 25 years to become an overnight success,” said Donny.
It may have been a long time in the making, but it paid off. The Golf Club at Red Rock is the number one public golf course in South Dakota. It’s a challenging course, but there are multiple sets of tees so golfers of all abilities can play. It was designed with the idea that there are many different approaches and that, once you play a round, you immediately want to come back and try again.
“We didn’t reinvent the wheel,” said Kevin. “I think we built a very great golf course on the piece of ground we had. We’ve been very fortunate. I can’t imagine anything I would have done that would have been more fulfilling to me.”
They’re just two friends who love to play golf. It’s that simple.
This story was originally published in the August 2025 issue of Elevate Magazine.
