The Last One for the Year

 

I want to provide context for this week's image. It is meant to reflect the saddest day of the golf season. For me, the last Men's Night of the year fits this description. I know that there may be a few more opportunities for golf before the course shuts down, but Men's Night ends this Wednesday.  The Club House will be closing after the upcoming long weekend.  

On a positive note, we get to have a Men's Night in October for the second year in a row. That has not happened previously.

Last week was an excellent final Men's Night for September. We had 23 golfers and the conditions were more than reasonable. Darren Ostash handled the wind better than anyone and scored the low round of 39. 

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Jason Gorrell/Logan Tanner ($40.81 on #1), Vern Snyder/Barry Nychuk ($113.07 on #3, $40.81 on #8), and Wayne Griffin/Ron Hubderdeau ($28.76 on #9).

Phil Ostash was closest to the hole on #5 and Kendal Koroscil was closest on #9. There were no deuces.

Since I noted Wayne Griffin previously, I should mention that he is moving to England later in October. If you see him around before he departs make sure to wish him well.

Given the rapidly declining daylight, tee off will be at 5:30 pm. Let's hope for a reasonable day of weather so that we may get this final day in for 2023.

Let's Do It Again!

Tomorrow is September 27 and the forecast is 22 Celsius and sunny. What more of a reason do we need for another Men's Night?

Last week we had 23 golfers. Skins went on only two holes. Winners included Jason Neufeld ($38.93 on #5) and Tyson Wood /Stephen David ($54.68 on #6).

Closest to the holes were Terry Susinski on #5 and Ryden Lanouette on #9. Ryden hit it to two feet, made the birdie, and claimed the $43.13 deuce pot.

Still Time to Play

 

You never know when the weather or lack of golfers will force us to shut down Mens' Night for the season. So we should take advantage of the remaining good weather and get out and play some golf. I recognize that not everyone is available at this time of year. If you are busy with something else, all the best doing what you need to get done.

Last week we had 20 golfers. That seems to be about our average as of late. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Stephen David/Barry Bone ($40.30 on #2), Sean Blackbird/Paul Lucas ($20.00 on #7), and Ethan Hunter/Jason Neufeld ($20.00 on #9).

Ethan also had closest to on #9 and converted the birdie to claim the $36.15 deuce pot. Closest to on #9 was Vern Snyder.

Leaf Us Alone

 

We don't have a lot of fallen leaves on the course yet but they will be coming soon. Remember two important things at this time. 

Firstly, it is okay to clear a path on the putting green to get rid of leaves and other loose impediments. You can use your hand, your putter, a broom, or a leaf blower. 

Secondly, if you are certain that you hit a shot into a pile of leaves and your ball cannot be found, you can take a free drop and relief under Rule 16.1 of the Rules of Golf. You may simply play a new ball from the general area without a loss of stroke. This often happens along the rough on the right side of hole #1. Prior to taking relief, confirm with a playing partner that they agree with your decison.

Last week, there were 20 golfers. Dawson Tanner and Charles McKay registered the low round with a 34. Charles also won a skin with Blake Hunter, cashing in for $45.38 on # 4.

Other skins went to Sonny Blackbird/Darcy Kowalchuk ($20.00 on #1, $45.38 on #7) and Brett Griffin/Brad Benton ($58.26 on #8, $171.27 on #9).

Closest to the holes were Ryden Lanouette on #5 and Dawson Tanner on #9. Stephen David had the only deuce to claim the $37.50 pot.

Remember, we will continue with a 6:00 pm tee-off until the end of the season. Wednesday looks promising. The current Environment Canada forecasts suggests 24 Celsius and sunny. Not bad for September 13.

More Golf to Come

With the arrival of September, we sart to hear the familiar laments of those who believe that the summer is over. Yes the weather starts to change and those who had vacation time return to work. But we shouldn't give up because the calendar changes. Summer is as much a state of mind as it is a period of time. Don't let your mind turn over simply because the month does.

Technically, summer runs later than usual this year with the first day of fall arriving on September 23. Also, our weather has been very good. In fact, this past long weekend has to be one of the warmest we've had in a long time. And there is lots of golf to play. Last year, we had a Men's Night in October and the final day of play on the course was October 29.

So don't give up yet. There is still time for more Men's nights. And if the weather is favourable and you are free, there are additional opportunities for evening golf and more chance to add to your golfer's tan.

Twenty-six players worked on their tan last Wednesday. Skins went on only two holes. Winners included Trevor Wilson/Nathan Maynes ($20.00 on #1) and Jason Gorrell/Robin Kimpinski ($20.00 on #5). Gorrell had the only two of the evening to claim the $48.75 deuce pot. Dawson Tanner was closest to the hole on #5 and Nick Roulette was closest on #9.

Remember for the remainder of the year, we tee off at 6:00 pm. And remember that our hole-in-one pot keeps growing and will likely be worth around $2400 this week. Eventually someone is going to get lucky, and you can't win it if you don't play.

Ringer Board Winner

 

The ringer board wrapped up this week. Unofficially, Brad Benton is the winner, edging Darcy Kowalchuk on a countback. Both finished the season at -5.

This past Wednesday we had 27 golfers for Men's Night. Skins went on four holes. Winner included Charles McKay/Joe Shwaluk ($60.64 on #1), Dawson Tanner/Brandon Cloud ($28.76 on #2), Jason Gorrell/Terry Susinski ($20.00 on #5), and Sean Blackbird/Kendal Korsocil ($165.02 on #8).

Closest to the pin on #5 was Terry Brandon while closest on #9 was Stephen David. Stephen converted his birdie to claim the $50.63 deuce pot.

With his winnings this week, Joe Shwaluk jumped to second place in the season money list with $260.04. Jason Neufeld remains in first with $264.39. This year 51 golfers have won skins with a total season payout of $3720.28

There is one tournament remaining this season...the two-person 55+ event that has been rescheduled until Thursday, September 7. Contact the Club House to register.

Final Week for the Ringer Board

Before we do the overview of last week's Men's Night, I need to remind everyone that the final opportunity to record scores on the ringer board is this Wednesday, August 23.

Last week there were oly 19 golfers. Skins went on four holes. Winners included Ryden Lanouette/Ron Susinski ($81.26 on #4), Nathan Maynes/Ashton Tanner ($20.00 on #5, $20.00 on #8), and Charles McKay/Jason Gorrell ($26.88 on #7).

Nathan also was closest to on #9 and converted the birdie to share the $35.63 deuce pot with Sean Blackbird. Joe Shwaluk was closest on #9.

Speaking of Joe, thanks to him for coordinating another excellent Night Golf evening.

Here's the Latest

 

I was away last week so thanks to the the boys who looked after Men's Night. And thanks to whomever can take care of things tomorrow eveing when I am away.

There were 24 golfers last Wednesday. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Tim McWhirter/Keith Martin ($20.00 on #2), Sonny Blackbird/Shaine Kimpinski ($20.00 on #5), and Phil Ostash/Scott Maynes ($20.00 on #9).

Sonny was closest to on hole #5 and Dave Mansell was closest on #9. Sonny converted his birdie to split the $45.00 deuce pot with Jim Geekie.

Joe and Pete - Power Couple

There have been many famous two-person collaborations...Milli Vanilli, Batman and Robin, Tom and Jerry, Thelma and Louise to name a few. 

We can add a new twosome to those ranks...Joe Shwaluk and Pete Ostash. The two combined for skins on the third and fifth holes, collecting $98.76 and $169.40 respectively. Beyond their winnings, both added something else noteworthy during their rounds. Pete was closest to on hole #9. Joe chipped in from the bush line on #3 for birdie. 

On an evening with 27 golfers, skins went on four other holes. Winners included Brad Benton/Jason Gorrell ($20.00 on #2), Chad Tanner/Zach Bartram ($20.00 on #7), and Jason Neufeld ($20.00 on #8).

Nathan Maynes was closest to on #5. He converted his birdie to share the $50.63 deuce pot with Brad Benton. Benny also had the low round of the evening with a 33, featuring a chip in on #2 for two and a 80 foot birdie putt on #6.

A Big Week for Prizes

 

After a quiet week on July 19, there were multiple winners last night and some very large prizes. We had 30 golfers yesterday and 11 won something. The big winner of the evening was Scott Maynes who claimed a deuce pot of $178.13. Mike Susinski and Wayne Griffin combined for a $152.52 skin on #1. Other skins winners included Pete Ostah/Bill Flynn ($20 on #2), Jason Gorrell/Charlie McNabb ($37.50 on #7), and Jason Neufeld/Terry Susinski ($37.50 on #8).

Closest to the pin winners Trevor Wilson (#5) and Keith Martin (#9) picked up $20 each for their efforts.

Scott Maynes' first win vaulted him to second place in money list behind Jason Neufeld who has $244.39 in season winnings. Charles McKay is in third place with $160.97.

Next week we will likely have four skins worth $100 or more including a new accumlating hole-in-one prize.

We previously capped our hole-in-one pot at $2250. As of last night, we have three such pots. The intent is if someone gets an ace one week, there will be a big prize ready to go for the next week. However, we are going to have the second and third pot remain at $2250 but allow the first one to build until we get a winner. As of last night, that prize is $2283.76 and it will be over $2300 next week.

Don't forget to enter the Horse Race this Saturday if you have yet to do so. As of today we have 33 entrants.

A Quiet Week...So a Quiet Update

 

There were only two skin winners last week...Joel Ostash and Milt. That's them standing alone on the podium. They combined for a -2 on the second hole and won a $20 skin for their efforts. The previous week, skins went on five holes. 

Two weeks ago we had six deuces. Last week we had zero among the 30 registered golfers.

There were two closest to the pin winners...Kendal Korsocil on #6 and Milt on #9. Joel Ostash had the low round with a 35.

Good luck to everyone at the Horse Race this Saturday.

Burning Gator and Multiple Deuces

 

That's the only picture I could find for a burning gator. The relevance to Men's Night is that we didn't have our regular beer cart because the course Gator had a small problem. It caught fire when a t-shirt that was sitting on it got somehow tangled up in the engine. The damage wasn't too significant and they just needed to order a replacement part for the one that melted. Thanks to the grounds crew for setting up a rental cart as a makeshift beer cart.

The theme of the actual Men's Night this week was birdies which occured on mulitple holes by multiple golfers. In fact, there were six players who scored deuces.

We don't have an official Men's Night list of rules but we do have some longstanding practices. One is if we have 5 or more deuces we don't pay anyone out and carry the money over to the following week. So instead of 6 people splitting a $65 pot last night, the money goes to build the pot for the next week. That being said, we will still acknowlegde the deuces of Brandon Cloud, Chad Tanner, Jaden Patterson, Jason Gorrell, Joel Ostash, and Stephen David.

Jaden had the low round of the night with a blistering 34. Following close behind was Darcy Kowalchuk with a 35 despite two bogies. Congratulations to Zach Bartram who shot his lowest round with a very solid 43.

Darcy was closest on hole 5 and Brandon Cloud had closest to on 9.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Ron Huberdeau/Jason Neufeld ($44.38 on #2), Dawson Tanner/Derek Patterson ($82.51 on #4 plus $21.88 on #9), and Chad Tanner/Ron Susinski ($61.88 on #9).

The Horse Race on Saturday, July 29 is fast approaching. Contact Stephen David if you are interested in participating. The current list of entries may be found at the following link -https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t45aX7nyalqo7vpIx8Paneu0thv0oqgw/edit

Few Winners But Still a Fun Night

It is the morning of the local Fundraiser tournament and I have a bit of time to burn. So here is a quick update from this past Men's Night when we had 36 golfers.

Only a single skin went, on hole #7, where Dale Martin and Mike Susinski combined for $60.63. Closest to the holes were Matt Ostash on #5 and Dan Wowryk on #9. Terry Susinski claimed the $67.50 deuce pot.

The Horse Race tournament is Saturday, January 29, 2023. Call or text at (204) 847-0161 if you are interested in entering.

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Country singer Luke Combs makes a statement that is likely true for many of us at different times. We golf because we enjoy it but sometimes it can be frustrating. I will speak to my personal experience with this in a moment. However, I will quick do a recap of last week's Men's Night for anyone who just prefers that information.

There were 28 golfers on June 21 with skins going on three holes. Chad Tanner and Charlie McNabb won twice ($20.00 on #2 and $38.13 on #3). Pete Ostash and Milt combined for a $20.oo win on #9. Closest to the pins were Derek Patterson on #5 and Jim Geekie on #9. Derek converted his birdie to share the $52.50 deuce pot with Chad and Pete. Chad's two was noteworthy in that he got it on the par 4 second hole.

Okay, back to the highs and lows of golf. Stop reading now if you aren't interested.

I generally try to be optimistic with golf and I have written often in this blog about the importance of positivity. However, the last three weeks have been challenging. I am hitting the ball very well tee to green, but if I miss the green I am having troubles. I have been plagued with an extended bout of the shanks. This isn't the occasional thing in which I hit one bad shot once per week. This time it is several shots per outing. For example, yesterday in Minnedosa, I had no less than seven shanks. A few times I turned a ball just off the green with a chance for birdie into a triple. The best or worst of these was 20 feet from the pin in one on a long par 3 which ended as a score of six.

Here's the funny thing...I can't wait to get out and play again. Tomorrow will be a full day of golf and I will be playing early and late. And as soon as it stops raining or misting outside, I am heading over to hole 6 to try to remember how to chip again. I am hoping one of the 20 videos that I watched this morning will provide some insight.

In addition to the need to practice work through whatever it is that I am doing wrong, I need to relax and remember how fortunate I am to be playing golf. I need to stop walking up to a chip thinking that I am going to mishit it.

And if it takes a bit to sort things out, I will still be outside golfing. Golf is not a game of perfect...but even poorly hitting golf balls in early summer is a heck of a lot better that most things in the winter.

The Search is On

I want to talk about lost or missing golf balls. But I wlll do the Men's Night run down for those of you who are simply interested in that part.

We had 33 golfers last Wednesday. Skins went on four holes including one big prize on #8. Winners included Charles McKay/Jim Geekie ($41.26 on #2, $158.16 on #9), Brett Griffin/Keith Martin ($78.77 on #6), and Pete Ostash/Luke Funk ($20.63 on #9).

Charles was closest to the hole on #5 and Ron Huberdeau was closest on #9. Charles and Pete split the $61.88 deuce pot.

Okay...now on to lost golf balls. Personalities are revealed when searching for missing  balls. 

Some people will not stop looking until told to do so. It doesn't matter whether they've lost a $6 ProV1 or a junk ball. Sometimes these tireless searchers are motivated by not wanting to hurt their score. In other instances, they simply don't want to give up looking. On many occasions they look so long that their group plays ahead and finishes the hole without them.

Others are in the oppositie camp, having no emotional attachment to their lost ball. Most often these individuals buy their golf balls in bulk through some online dealer. They hit a ball into the bush and say "Oh well, that only cost 80 cents". Additionally, while these people care about their score, they often take a more realistic approach to searching. They say things like "That one is in there too far so there is no point in looking" or "I am not getting any wood ticks today". 

Both groups are right. Whether you want to search a bit or not, that's up to you. Just remember a couple of things. Firstly, if you think a ball is in trouble, hit a provisional. Secondly, you have three minutes to search. If you find the ball in the bush, you may take a drop within two club lengths of the found ball. And finally, if you can't find your ball and did not hit a provisional, the official rule requires you to go back to the spot of your previous shot and play under stroke and distance. If your local group allows you to simply drop where you think you lost the ball, you must add two strokes.

The last point sometimes causes confusion. For example, you hit off of the sixth tee and think that you are okay but eventually can't find the ball. You can go back and hit three of the tee. However, if you don't return to the tee and drop further up the hole where you think you lost the ball, your next shot is your fourth.

I also believe that there is no such thing as a lost golf ball. Someone will find it. For example, I found a ball last week and showed it to someone. They said "That's mine. I lost it last night". Of course, they extended their hand and I returned it without question. Maybe I should have charged a small finder's fee of something.

Staying in Bounds

 

There are a few places on our course where you can hit a ball toward OB and then find out you are safely on the right side of the white stakes. It happens most often on second or third shots on #5. It also occurs on #3, #5, and #7. You drive up feeling a little bummed because you had to hit a provisional...and then there is your ball, just in bounds. Of course, that doesn't mean you are out of jail because usually you have to cross back through some trees to get back in play. 

That's the way golf goes sometimes. You need to take the highs with the lows. For example, many weeks we are short $10 or $20 because someone forgets to pay. But then last week we were ahead $5. Bonus!

We had 33 golfers last Wednesday, which wasn't bad. Birtle had 73 on Thursday, but apparently their Chase the Ace prize is big and ready to go soon.

We had skins go on four holes. Winners includedBrad Benton/Ash Brandon ($71.27 on #3), Robin Kimpinski/Kendal Koroscil ($71.27 on #4), Reegan Kominko/Donovan Tanner ($20.63 on #7), and Brandon Cliud/Darren Ostash ($58.14 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Dale Martin on #5 and Brandon Cloud on #9. They bought made their putts to share the $97.51 deuce pot with Dawson Tanner.

Lucky to Get the Round In

 

Sometimes golfers are not the bad decison-makers. Often this relates to club or shot selection. On Wednesday it related to the weather. I arrived at the course at 4:50 pm when the air temeprature was 28 Celsisus. By 5:10 pm, the temeprature dropped down to 16 Celsisu. Twelve degress down in 20 minutes. A big storm blew in and Shoal Lake finally received some well needed rain. While our numbers were lower than previous weeks due to the weather conditions, we still had 19 golfers tee of for Men's Night. We did have to wait until about 6:50 pm before we started. Once we got going the weather settled considerably. In the entire rain, we only got a little bit of drizzle for ten minutes or so.

You know the conditions were less than ideal when no one from Waywayseecappo showed up. That is the first time in three years that Charles and the crew didn't make an appearance. Those who decided to play had a good evening, although the scores were not great as a group. There were two scores under 40 led by Brad Benton's 36 and Phil Ostash's 39.

Phil also cashed in with a big $139.53 skin on #7 with Bill Flynn as his partner. The only other hole that went was #2 where Brad Benton/Charlie McNabb claimed $20. Closest to the holes were Jason Gorrell on #5 and Terry Susinski on #9. There were no deuces.

Forty-Four Was the Score

 

Forty-four was the number for the night as seven of the 43 golfers recorded that score. That was the most golfers that we had this year. It would actually be an excellent turnout in July. When the weather is like mid-summer it seems to get a few more guys out slinging clubs.

Conor Geekie had the round of the evening with a great 34. Close behind was Logan Tanner with a 35. The high round of the evening was a 58.

Despite have 43 golfers we calculated the skins based upon 41. One person forgot to pay and another took a 50% discount and only put five dollars in the container.

The previously mentioned Logan Tanner has a night. He scored a 2 on both par threes for the only deuces of the evening and the $116.27 pot. Logan also was closest on the fifth and split a $25.63 skin with Derek Cross on #5.

Conor Geekie was closest on #9.

The other skins were Randy Brandon Jr./Noah Street ($38.76 on #1) and Ryden Lanouette/Cody Cornwall ($38.76 on #2).

We have a couple of tournament closing quickly. There is a cheap one of June 17 for Just for You Daze. Forty dollars gets you your entry fee and buffet supper.

There is also the Fundraiser on Jul 7 and the Horse Race on July 29.

This Will Be Brief

There were 21 golfers last week. The number was lower than previous weeks. This dip was likely due to a weird weather system that went through earlier in the day.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Logan Tanner/Pete Ostash ($30.63 on #5), Phil Ostash/Cubby Bartram ($112.61 on #6), and Stephen David/Jason Gorrell ($20.00 on #9).

Phil had the low round of the eening with a 38.

Closest to the pins were Logan on #5 and Brad Benton on #9.

A Big Deuce Pot

Neuf is the Frnch word for 9. That is fitting given what happened last Wednesday. On the ninth hole, Jason Neufeld scored the only two of the evening, and the first in several weeks. For his effort, he claimed what was one of the largest deuce pots in our history...$174.38. Neuf also paired with Trevor Wilson to get the skin on the same hole which was valued at $58.13. 

Despite it cooling off rather quickly, there were 29 golfers last week. Skins went on five holes. In addition to #9, winners included Ash Brandon/Zach Bartam ($20.00 on #1), Brad Benton/Blake Hunter ($66.26 on #2), and John Tanner/Jason Gorrell ($37.50 on #3 and $58.13 on #4).

Closest to the pins were Cubby Bartam on #5 and Chad Tanner on #9. Despite hitting the best shot on #5, Cubby ended with a score of 5 which was indicative more of the pin position than his putting.

Great Weather Is On Its Way

Last Wednesday was an odd one in terms of weather. It started out a little overcast then there was a storm warning. It rained from about 4:20 - 5:00 pm then the sky completely cleared. We still had 27 golfers, many of whom waited until late to decide if they were playing.

The official round belonged to Chad Tanner who shot a masterful 32. His group members said that he had a birdie putt on every hole. Surprisingly Chad did not win a skin with his partner Robin Kimpinski.

The only skins went on #1 and 5, both by the team of Charles McKay and Terry Susinksi. They picked up $20 on the first hole and $40.63 on the fifth.

Closest to the pins were Charles on #5 and Myles Shingoose on #9.

The forecast for this week, including Men's Night, looks great at this point.

And Here We Go Again

The first Men's Night of the year was as ideal as one could imagine. The weather was very nice, reaching a high of 22 Celsius. The course was in very good condition for just coming out of winter. And we had 38 golfers, which was an excellent turnout for opening night.

Skins went on two holes but one of them was a big one with Darcy Kowalchuk and Joe Shwaluk winning $191.27 on hole #3. The other skin went on #1 with Cody Cornwall and Ethan Hunter claiming $52.51.

Closest to the holes were Cody Cornwall on #5 and Trevir Wilson on #9. There were no deuces.

The Ringer Board started last week and runs until August 23. The goal is to shoot the lowest 9-hole score by recording what you think will be your best score you can on each hole over the course of the summer. You may record as many scores as you want from a given night but once you place a score on your ringer board it is locked in and cannot be changed.   You may even choose to enter no scores if you have a challenging evening for scoring.

If you are checking this out on your phone, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Web Version". There you can see the money list, ringer board scores, and other information,

A Rare Winter Blog Update

Since the weather is mild this week, I thought it would be a good time to do a rare winter Men’s Night update. Always an optimist or at least always an optimist when it isn’t raining on Men’s Night, I am going to predict an extremely early start. Mark Wednesday, April 20 on your calendar. That’s only 73 days from today. If you think about it, that isn't a great deal of time.

Firstly, you can check out the new Order of Merit which tracks previous season money leaders and Ringer Board winners. It is found on the desktop version of this blog or at this link.

To get us in the mindset for the upcoming season, here is a quick review of 2022:

• Phil Ostash was the leading money winner for the season with $211.24 finishing almost $40 ahead of second-place finisher Nathan Maynes.
• Fifty-two different people won money during the season.
• On July 6, Phil and Ryden Lanouette combined for $194.29 in skins.
• Terry Brandon won $123.76 on September 28 when he paired with the dummy card.
• Robin Kimpinski won the ringer board with a score of -7, edging Scott Maynes by 1 stroke.
• Speaking of Robin, he spent last year as the head greenskeeper. Working with his assistants Rob and Thomas, they battled erratic weather and water line breaks to have the course in excellent shape.
• It was a slightly late start to the season with the first Men’s Night on May 11.
• There were 19 Men’s Nights, with weather-related cancellations on May 18 and September 14.
• On May 26, five different golfers scored deuces.
• June numbers were down to a stretch of poor weather which included rainy, wet conditions and lots of wind.
• The most golfers on a single evening was 45 on July 13.
• Although not Men’s Night exactly, Reegan Kominko won the Horse Race on July 23.
• On August 10, seven golfers scored less than 40.
• On August 17, seven of nine skins were won.
• Robin also had the lowest score of the season with a 33 on August 31.
• We had our first October Men’s Night when thirteen golfers bundled up and showed up.
• There were no holes-in-one recorded.

For anyone contemplating new clubs, PXG Canada has their annual sale on and prices are lower than they were last year. Their 211 line has been updated and price points are excellent…$260 for the driver, $195 for fairways, and $180 for the hybrids. The clubs are customizable and include several shaft options. It takes 10-14 days for assembly and delivery. More info is available at https://www.pxg.com/en-ca/home

It's Not Over Until It's Over

Well, we had a Men's Night in October. I have participated in these for 20 years and looked after them for 10 years or so. This is the first time we had one after September 30.

It looked a little shaky about 20 minutes before tee time. But then10 more guys showed up. We ended up with thirteen golfers (shown in the picture) which made it official. In total, we had three of us from Shoal Lake, eight from Waywayseecappo, one from Rossburn, and one from Oakburn. Obviously, the cool, windy weather kept many people at home. However, everyone seemed to be dressed warmly enough and we got the round in.

I think it is worth acknowledging the thirteen who made it. Let me state their names so that the history books will remember them, and so that their grandchildren may speak of that cold day in October 2022 when these brave young, old, and middle-aged men faced their fears and the elements to play golf. Let's hear it for Randy Jr., Tim, Landon, Terry B., Ash B., Zach, Terry Z., Ashon T., Charles, Colby, Myles, Rob, and Stephen.

Three skins went on Wednesday. Logan Tanner paired with a nice dummy card to win twice ($20.01 on #4 and $41.26 on #5). Myles Shingoose and Ashton Tanner claimed $20 on #9. Logan was closest to #5 and Colby Moore was closest to #9. Terry Brandon grabbed the $123.76 deuce pot in dramatic fashion. With winds swirling in all directions, he hit a three-wood from the tee to about six feet on the par 4 first hole then drained the putt.

The title of this blog entry is "It's not over until it's over". While this past Wednesday may have been our final one for the year, it is too early to make that call. The Club House will still be open this week and right now the forecast is suggesting it could be 12 Celsius. Plus the Wayway boys will likely be there to get us past the required 10 golfers. 

I will wait until Tuesday evening to make the call regarding whether or not we will try for one final Men's Night. I will carefully assess predicted temperatures and estimated wind speeds. I will analyze radar maps and study charts depicting barometric pressure, windchill, and cloud coverage. And then finally, I will text the boys from Wayway to see if they are still coming.

Last week we teed off at 5:30 pm and it was tight getting it completed. So in the event that we can go this week, I will suggest a 5:15 pm tee off. I know this doesn't work for everyone. If you come a little later, just start when you can.

No matter what happens next week, we already had 20 Men's Nights this year. There were 22 available but we had cancellations due to insufficient numbers on May 18 and September 14.

One final thing...I check Weather Network and Environment Canada to get my forecast and choose to believe the one that looks best. For next Wednesday, it is this one - https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/mb-28_metric_e.html

And We Are Still Going!

 

Nineteen guys showed up on September 28 for Men's Night. That is fantastic. Even better, the forecast for tomorrow is 15 Celsius which means the first October Men's Night since I have been involved. Tee time is 5:30 pm.

Last week, skins went on three holes. Winners included Terry Susinski/Jason Gorrell ($65.01 on #2), Charles McKay/Colby Moore ($33.13 on #8), and Phil Ostash ($20.63 on #9).

Jason Gorrell was closest on #5 and Terry Susinski was closest on #9. There were no deuces. The low score was 37.

Bonus Golf

Well...while we are closing in on the end of the season we have been fortunate to get some nice weather. While it isn't tank tops and sunscreen conditions, it definitely is great for this time of year. Men's Night will continue as long as the weather and number of players allow for it. To adjust for the earlier sunset, we will continue teeing off at 5:45 pm.

Right now the forecast for this Wednesday is 22 Celsius and sunny. Heck, even the following week is showing 14 Celsius and sunny. I always try to be optimistic about the weather and golf...so I am hopeful that we will have an October Men's Night for the first time since I have been involved.

This past Wednesday we had 14 golfers. Surprisingly, with the small numbers, only one skin was won. Robin Kimpinski and Neuf combined for $36.88 on #4. There were no deuces but Terry Susinski dropped a putt for eagle on #7. Terry also had the closest to the hole on #9. Rob Martens was closest on #5.

For this coming week, we have the always attractive hole-in-one prizes available. Also, the skin on #3 will be worth around $160. Come on out and enjoy the nice weather. Before we know it, we will be starting out our windows looking at snow and wishing spring would arrive.

Shortest Update Ever

 

On Wednesday we had 20 golfers. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Jason Neufeld/Nathan Maynes ($20 on #1), Mike Zenchyshyn ($44.38 on #7), and Doug Cripps/Jason Gorrell ($20 on #9). Closest to #5 was Trevor Wilson and closest to #9 was Pete Ostash. There were no deuces.

It’s Not Over Until It Is Over

 

Well...it is September. While there are some people who really enjoy fall and winter, I expect that most people wish we had another month or so of summer. It is usually this week that we see the flood of social media posts bemoaning the end of the sunny season.

Personally, I ascribe to the "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" camp. Sure I prefer summer over other seasons. Yes, I would like another eight weeks of great weather. But I had a good summer break and I am grateful that I had it. 

Plus the golf season isn't over. Last year we golfed into mid-October. And as is our practice, Men's Night will run until the weather or low numbers shut down the season for us.

This past Wednesday we had 25 golfers. Robin Kimpinski recorded the lowest score of the season with a blistering 33. When asked about it Robin said, "I've been dreaming about this round all summer". Others were polled about what they have dreamt about this summer. Jason Gorrell referenced Disneyland. Scott Maynes said his summer dreams have been filled with thoughts of grass cutting and trimming.

Scoring wasn't easy for everyone. The middle score for the evening was 46, the most common score was 47 for 5 guys, and there were a few over 50.

Robin combined with Bill Flynn for two skins, $20.00 on #6 and $31.88 on #8. Other skins went to Stephen David/Rob Huberdeau ($20 on #1), Ash Brandon ($50.63 on #5), and Jason Gorrell/Nathan Maynes ($31.88 on #9).

Ash Brandon's win on #5 was noteworthy for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it represented one of the few times this year anyone won a hole when paired with the dummy card. Also, Ash had a two on the hole which also got him the $46.88 deuce pot.

The closest to on #5 was Robin and the closest to on #9 was Phil Ostash.

So far this year there has been $3138.16 in prize money spread out among 48 winners. The current money leader is Phil Ostash with $211.24 followed by Nathan Maynes with $166.90.

Remember we are now at 6:00 pm tee off for the remainder of the season.

Robin Kimpinski Claims Ringer Board

The ringer board wrapped up this week. Congratulations to Robin Kimpimski who scored a -7 for the win. Scott Maynes finished second at -6 followed by Stephen David at -3.  Jason Gorrell and Phil Ostash secured the top two spots in the second flight.

There were 26 golfers on Wednesday. Wes Gregory and Brett Griffin were the big winners, combining for three skins including $20 on #1, $20 on #4, and $20 on #6. Those were the only skins of the evening.

The $48.75 deuce pot was claimed by Scott Maynes and Reegan Kominko. Reegan was closest on #5 and Kendal Koroscil was closest on #9.

Thanks to Scott Maynes, Kendal Koroscil, Nathan Maynes, and anyone else who took care of Men's Night for the past three weeks during my absence. See you all again next week.

This coming Wednesday we will be switching to a 6:00 pm start time for Men's Night. 

Skins for Everyone

 

The number of skins in a given week is quite variable. Usually three or four go. Sometimes it is only one or two. Last Wednesday, seven out of nine holes went.

Winners included Shane Kimpinski/Dean Gadd ($40 on #1), Robin Kimpinski/Wes Arnfinson ($20 on #2), Blake Hunter/Joe Shwaluk ($75,63 on #4), Matt Ostash/Ron Susinski ($20 on #6), Pete Ostash/Charlie McNabb ($40 on #8), and Jason Neufeld/Terry Susinski ($55.63 on #9).

Neuf and Terry also were closest to the pins, on #5 and #9 respectively. They also converted their deuces and split the $56.25 deuce pot with Nathan  Maynes.

Golf Records

People ask me if I am getting lots of golf this summer. My response is that I can't complain but I am nowhere near last year's total. In 2022, I played 2136 holes from April 2 to October 16. This morning I read that the world record for most holes played in a calendar year is 11,000 by a Dallas golfer named Richard Lewis in 2010. To put that in perspective, that is 611 eighteen-hole rounds or an average of 30 holes per day for 365 days straight.

Since I've mentioned one interesting statistic...here's another with a Canadian connection. The Guinness World record for most holes played in 24 hours was set by Robb James in Edmonton. In 2004, he played 851 holes in a single day.

There were 34 golfers this past Wednesday. That certainly wasn't a record but it was a good evening for scoring with seven players breaking 40. The low round was Reegan Kominko with a 35. As best as I can recall, the record for low round during Men's Night is likely 31. I know this because I haven't heard of anything lower...plus I played with the two guys the nights they scored the 31. It was Scott Maynes and Jason Wowryk on separate evenings a few years apart.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Ashley Brandon/Kevin Bartram ($36.88 on #2), Dave Mansell/Joe Shwaluk ($36.88 on #5), ad Wes Arnfinson/Charlie McNabb ($148.14) on #6.

Closest to the pins were Kendal Koroscil on #5 and Dale Martin on #9. Dale converted his deuce to split the $110.62 deuce pot with Joe Shwaluk.

Remember that the final two weeks for the ringer board are August 17 and 24.

Thanks to Scott Maynes and Kendal Koroscil for taking care of scoring and prizes in my absence.

Golf and Life

There are stretches during any summer where things are going on when golf is put on the backburner. You get busy with other things, maybe have other plans, and suddenly you haven't golfed in a while.

Last year I golfed a lot...likely the most golf I have played in a single year. This year has been different. I have golfed more than the average person but am nowhere near my 2021 totals. I am okay with that. Sometimes other things are priorities or sometimes things come up that require your attention. Golf is a great pastime but life involves more than golf.

Last week, we had 25 golfers. Ash Brandon had the low round of 36. Brad Benton was closest to on #5 and Derek Patterson hit it tightest on #9. There were no deuces.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Derek Patterson/Mike Susinski ($20 on #1), Robin Kimpinski/Ron Huberdeau ($20 on #7), and Brad Benton/Blake Hunter ($106.89) on #8.

The middle score last week was 45 which is the highest it has ever been. Despite good conditions, there were 6 scores of 50+.

If you have yet to finish off your ringer board, there are three nights remaining (August 10, 17, and 24).

Last Wednesday in July

There were 32 golfers last Wednesday. Skins went on five holes. Pete Ostash/Dawson Tanner won twice including $66.88 on #5 and $48.75 on #7. Other skins went to Nathan Maynes/Jason Neufeld ($20 on #1), Charlie McNabb/Brett Griffin ($20 on #2), and Ethan Hunter/Joe Shwaluk ($38.75 on #9).

The $60.00 deuce pot was split by four people - Kevin Bartram, Joe Shwaluk, Nathan Maynes, and Terry Susinski.

Closest to the holes were Pete Ostash on #5 and Myles Shingoose on #9.

A reminder to lock in your ringer board scores given that there is only 3 weeks remaining to do so.

Club Toss Anyone?

I just read that the longest throw of a golf club is 235.2 feet or 78.4 yards achieved by Tyson Allen (USA) in Emporia, Kansas, USA, on 14 October 2021. I verified this with a couple of other sources. This doesn't seem long. That's barely half the distance to the back of the ninth hole. I may have to test this out later today with an old club. If this is actually the record, I think that there are a few people in Shoal Lake who could challenge it.

As far as I know, there were no clubs thrown by the 30 golfers last week. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Stephen David/Mike Susinski ($20 on #1), Robin Kimpinski/Theoren Hunter ($20 on #2), and Jason Neufeld/Terry Susinski ($46.88 on #4).

Closest to the pins were Darcy Kowalchuk on #5 and Scott Maynes on #9. Scott converted his birdie to share the $56.25 deuce pot with Phil Ostash.

Including this evening, there are four weeks remaining on the Ringer Board. The final night to record scores is August 24. Currently, Robin Kimpinski leads the way at -7 followed by Scott Maynes at -5.

Congratulations to our Horse Race champion for 2022...Reegan Kominko. Reegan battled back from a lost ball on the first tee to victory by way of a chip-off on the ninth hole. Congratulations also to 2nd Flight winner Jason Gorrell and 3rd Flight winner Ron Susinski.

Just a Solid Men's Night

What an excellent Men's Night yesterday...lots of golfers and great weather. In fact, the sky was so clear that many groups continued on as long as they could. Our numbers have increased the last three weeks...from 33 to 39 and then 45 yesterday. There were many new faces including some who likely played for their first time with us. Nights like this are always good for the course, the Club House, and the beverage cart.

Skins went on five holes. Winners included Noah Street/Brendan Cloud ($72.51 on #1), Terry Brandon/Cubby Bartram ($$72.51 on #2), Dale Martin/Braeden Allen ($28.13 on #3), Derek Patterson/Nathan Maynes ($72.51 on #7), and Reegan Kominko/Myles Shingoose ($90.64) on #9.

Closest to the pins were Cyril Patterson on #5 and Kendal Koroscil on #9. Three people split the $84.38 deuce pot...Charlie McNabb, Reegan Kominko, and Noah Street.

Next Saturday is the annual Horse Race tournament.

By the way, if you read last week's blog I had a small error that made for some entertaining conversations yesterday. The deuce pot was only $133.13 not the $4133.13 that I originally reported. Thanks to Blake Hunter for pointing out my mistake.

Golf Sayings, Phrases, and Words of Encouragement

I read an article recently about golf sayings. There are a lot of these phrases that are overused. Most of us drop them occasionally. Many I have heard in the last week. I try to use them less but still one occasionally slips out. My go-to one is "that'll play".

We start out rounds with obligatory comments about having a good game or hitting them straight. We compliment people with phrases such as "well hit", "that sounded good", "nice bomb" or "that one isn't going to hurt you". When people putt and miss, we say things to encourage such as "had the line" or "you gave it a chance". Occasionally, we make comments that are less supportive such as "if you hit it hard enough you would have had it".

Sometimes we say things to others that suggest that we have some insight into the golf swing. We tell people "nice tempo" or "good speed" or something like that. Or we react to a great shot with the comment "be right" as if our words can help the shot be even better.

When we hit a ball too far, someone in the group might yell "bite" or "hit a house". Often our comments are intended to pick someone up after a bad shot. We say things such as "you could be worse" or "better than being at work". However, golf can sometimes feel like work and these attempts at support can have the opposite effect.

Last Wednesday we had an excellent turnout due to nice weather and several people visiting town. Three of the 39 golfers had a deuce, with Darcy Kowalchuk, Ron Susinski, and Robin Kimpinski sharing the $133.13 pot.

Robin was closest to the pin on #5 with Kendal Koroscil hitting it closest on #9.

Only three skins went but two of them were the biggest on the board. Reegan Kominko and John Gill combined for $98.14 on #3 while Phil Ostash and Ryden Lanouette won a whopping $194.29 on #4. The final skin of $44.38 went to Tim Siegle and Ron Susinski on #9.

There was a change in the lead on the ringer board with Robin Kimpinski adding two more birdies to move to -6.

Big Pot on #4

Another Wednesday morning and another need to write a quick blog post to get ready for this evening.

The fourth hole skin is currently worth $169.91. It will likely be around $190 this evening.

We had 33 golfers last week which was our season-high. Only one skin went. Theoren Hunter and Brad Benton combined for a $20 win on #8. Closest to the pins were Ryder Lanouette on #5 and Sonny Blackbird on #9. There were no deuces.

Here's to Waywayseecappo!

 

I was trying to think about what to write today and wasn't having any luck. I have written lots about the weather over the years and of late, and I am done with that. I could do another hole-in-one feature given the size of the three pots but that has also received previous attention. Then it came to me...I should acknowledge a group of guys who have made our Men's Night even better.

For the past three years, we have been fortunate to have great representation from Waywayseecappo. They came on one Wednesday, had a positive experience, and then kept returning. Every single week we have 5-10 visitors who start a little early, play Men's Night, and then often get another nine holes in until darkness falls.

Some weeks, half of the players at our Men's Night are from Waywayseecappo. There are several who come regularly and some who come occasionally. The one constant is Charles McKay who seems to be there every week, taking skins from his younger companions and ordering chicken wings to go at the end of the evening.

All these Waywayseecappo boys are good golfers and, more important, great guys. Everyone thinks the same. So at the risk of missing someone who has visited previously, I would like to do a shout-out to Charles McKay, Terry Brandon, Myles Shingoose, Dawson Tanner, Dylan Tanner, John Tanner, Eugene Tanner. Brent Cloud, Chad Tanner, Trevor Wilson, Randy Brandon Sr. & Jr., Logan Tanner, Donovin Tanner, Montanna Sutherland, Ash Brandon, Branden Tanner, Ash Tanner, and Dion Brandon.

Last week we had 29 golfers. Not surprisingly, 9 or 10 were from Waywayseecappo. 

Nathan Maynes had a night. He score the only two deuces and pocketed $54.38 for his efforts. He also was closest on #5, hitting his tee shot to about 18 inches. Finally, he won a $26.26 skin on the same hole pairing with Cubby Bartram. Brad Benton just edged out Nathan for closest to on #9.

Five other skins went on Wednesday. Winners included Theoren Hunter/Brent Cloud ($79.39 on #1), Robin Kimpinski/Stephen David ($41.26 on #2 and $67.89 on #8), Charles McKay/Trevor Wilson ($67.89 on #6), and Jason Gorrell/Blake Hunter ($26.26 on #7).

Currently, Brad Benton and Robin Kimpinski lead the ringer board at -4, followed by a group of five others at -2.

There are a couple of upcoming tournaments to note. Our fundraiser is on Friday, July 8 and there is still room for teams of 4. Then there is the Horse Race on Saturday, July 23.

One final thing...below is a pic of the ball that Brett Griffin was using on Wednesday. It looked like this for several holes and wobbled when he putted it.

I golfed with someone yesterday who said something that I believe to be true. He said that there haven't been many normal weeks of weather in 2022. Lately, there have not been seven straight days in which we could say "This is a normal June".

We had a fantastic winter and summer in 2021. It may be balancing itself out this year. The winter was a chaotic mess with frequent poor conditions and closed highways. The spring and summer have been unseasonably cool, wet, and windy.

I know complaining about the weather as it relates to golf may seem a bit trivial. But we just had a seven-month-long winter. Also, as goes golf so goes many important industries in the region. Crappy summer weather hurts recreation, tourism, farming...heck, even ice cream sales are likely down.

The bad weather delayed the start of the golf season, has caused low numbers for weekly attendance and even resulted in one night being canceled outright. Last week was the perfect example of the unperfect weather. The threat of a storm and cool, rainy, and windy conditions kept most golfers at home. The thirteen guys that did show up actually saw much-improved conditions shortly after the round started.

I pride myself on my optimism but this weather is getting to become a challenge. Today is the first day of summer and the official longest day of the year, yet it seems as if we are waiting for the nice weather to get started. I guess we shall see what tomorrow brings.

Right now, I need to bring an update on last week's golf. I mentioned 13 golfers. Only one skin went...$20 on #9 for Stephen David and Brad Benton. There were no deuces. Closest on #5 was Nathan Maynes and closest on #9 was Nick Roulette. Lowest score of the evening was a 37 which was carded by three golfers.

Okay...Men's Night is tomorrow so I need to do an update quickly. 

Last Wednesday there were 24 golfers. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Pete Ostash/Phil Ostash (96.89 on #5), Brad Benton/Shane Kimpinski ($20.00 on #7), and Jason Gorrell/Dawson Tanner ($27.50 on #9).

Closest to the holes were Scott Maynes on #5 and Pete Ostask on #9. Jason Gorrell won $47.50 for the only deuce of the evening.

This Will Be Fast

Last Wednesday there were 20 golfers. Skins went on two holes. Winners included Kendal Koroscil/Jason Neufeld ($25.63 on #2) and Terry Brandon/Charles McKay ($25.63 on #7). 

The low score for the night was a four-way tie. Congrats to Jason Neufeld, Logan Tanner, Brad Benton, and Dawson Tanner for all scoring a 39.

Brent Cloud was closest to the pin on #5 and he was the sole winner of the $37.50 deuce pot.

Deuces Wild

There were five deuces last Wednesday, which I think is a record. Congrats to Brendan Cloud, Kendal Koroscil, Logan Tanner, Stephen David, and Tim  Gianotti for sharing the $88.13 deuce pot. Logan's two was on the par 4 second hole which makes it even more impressive. Stephen and Tim's deuces paired on the 9th hole for a skin.

Closest to the pins were Kendal on #5 and Stephen on #9. Kendal had visions of an ace with his ball coming to rest inside of two feet from the cup. Maybe this week one of those $2250 hole-in-one pots will go. I see that a $5000 ace was made in Minnedosa on Saturday.

Despite only having 21 guys, only two skins went. Dawson Tanner and Jason Neufeld won $59.39 for #3 while Stephen and Tim cashed in for $20.00 on #9.

So far we've had one week that was effectively canceled due to poor weather and two nights in which it was windy, cool, and wet. Here's hoping that the forecast for this Wednesday of 17 Celsius and sunny is realized...but not the part about the wind of 40 km/hr gusting to 60.

Two Short, Too Bad

We need 10 guys for an official Men's Night. The cool and rainy weather conspired against us this past week and we only had 8 golfers. Therefore there was no Men's Night and we carry over everything to this week.

On a positive and somewhat selfish note, I will be there this Wednesday after two weeks of conflicting events. This will be the latest that I have ever started the Men's Night season...on May 25. My hope is that anyone else who has yet to get out will be there this week.

Let the Season Begin

Well, that took a while. After 30 plus years in Manitoba, you would think that I would be used to the six-month-long season of winter. I am not. Technically, Men's Night was only one week delayed from last year but the golf season is about a month delayed. But let's put the misery of winter behind us and look forward to this new season with optimism.

In the spirit of positivity, here are my wishes for 2022. Firstly, I hope that someone claims the hole-in-one prize. Obviously, my preference would be that it is me. If that isn't the case, may it happen on a night when I am present, and perhaps within my group. Secondly, let there be few nights lost due to weather. I know extreme summer storms are the new norm. May they happen on Thursday evenings instead of Wednesday. It would also be nice if we could have at least one night with 50 golfers. We haven't accomplished this feat in several years. Finally, may every golfer who comes out this year have fun, be fun with play with, and pay their $10 skin fee.

For our first Men's Night of the year, there were 20 golfers. There were three scores under 40 and four over 50. Everyone else slotted somewhere in between. The low scores of the night were the 37's of Charles McKay and Chad Tanner. Nathan Maynes also carded a very respectable 39.

Skins went on five holes. Winners included Nathan Maynes/Blake Hunter ($36.88 on #2), Charles McKay/Phil Ostash ($46.26 on #6 and $28.75 on #9), Randy Brandon/Shane Kimpinski ($28.75 on #7), and Chad Tanner/Pete Ostash ($28.75 on #8).

Closest to the pin on #9 was Kendal Koroscil. No one hit the green on #5. There were no birdies.

A few golfers joined the ringer board which runs from May 11 to August 24. For $10 it is a fun added element for anyone who might be interested.

Thanks to Jason Gorrell and whoever else helped out running things this past week. I was in Winnipeg for a meeting and will be there again this coming Wednesday. If someone is going to get a hole-in-one, would you kindly wait until I am back on May 25.

While there is still some wet spot on the course, things are drying up quickly thanks to the pumps. Credit for this goes to our new head greenskeeper Robin Kimpinski who is already doing a great job.

One More Night

Well tomorrow is officially the final formal Men's Night. Given that the Club House is closing October 1, tomorrow will be the final evening for skins. That doesn't mean that you can't keep golfing every Wednesday.

As the final evening, it would be great if we could get a boost in attendance. The forecast looks extremely promising. My assumption is that many in the farming/agricultural sector have completed harvest and might be interested and available for the final evening. If not, best of luck in your ongoing work. If you do come out tomorrow, please make sure to thank Francis and Joseph for taking care of us on Men's Nights. Also don't forget tee off at 6:00 pm.

Last week we had 15 golfers. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Blake Hunter all alone ($20.00 on #1), Sonny Blackbird / Kendal Koroscil ($20.00 on #8), and Brad Benton / Stephen David ($25.64 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Scott Maynes on #5 and Reegan Kominko on #9. Neither made a birdie but Brad Benton did make a deuce to claim the $52.51 pot.

Only Two Weeks to Go

 

Here we are on the first day of Fall...the second last formal Men's Night of the year. We know next week, September 30, will be the final evening because the Club House closes on October 1. That doesn't mean we can't keep golfing if the weather permits.  Today is also the first day of Fall...and what a beautiful day it is with a forecasted high of 25 Celsius. Let's not forget that we had snow on September 22 

Last week we had 15 golfers. After a deluge of winning holes the previous week, only a single hole went this time. Stephen David / Brad Benton won $20. on #2.

Closest to the holes were Darcy Kowalchuk on #5 and Phil Ostash on #5. Neither they nor anyone else made a deuce.