Thursday, October 6, 2011

All good things must come to an end...

What a great year for Mens’ Night! Over the course of 19 Wednesdays, we enjoyed some great conditions that translated into the longest season we have had in recent memory. We golfed last night in October on a day when the temperatures were in the high 20’s and the course played like mid-July.

Nineteen golfers competed on an incredibly windy night. Not surprisingly, only two skins were won. Hubey and Butch took $20. on #1 while Brad and Mikey P. cashed in for the same amount on #7. Closest to the pins were Ronnie Susinski on #5 and Brad on #9. There were no twos recorded…although Butch missed a putt for eagle on #1 that would have won him the deuce pot.

Last week, I mistakenly credited Wes Arnfinson with the field report. I found out it was actually Jason Hunter who did it…and he submitted some other updates for this week. Jason seems somewhat obsessed with Dennis Green. One of the first things's he noted was Neuf’s apparent vendetta against Denny’s cart on #4, which he may have hit twice with golf balls. He talked later about how Denny was glad Robin was absent because it saved him money in snips. He also mentioned how Denny is afraid of snakes, describing him as our own Indiana Jones. Saying that Denny fearful of reptiles is unfair as far as I am concerned. Jason needs to know that stating that Denny is like Indiana Jones, Liberace, Elton John and others who fear snakes would seem to make an unfair implication. Mr. Green is a man’s man, who only dyes his hair for theatrical productions, and who is happily married to a much younger woman. Why pick on someone like Denny, when we have others, like that guy who shall remain nameless who is in his mid-thirties and is a confirmed “bachelor” who lived with his parents recently and is a self-professed “bartender”. I am just saying…let’s call a spade a spade and give poor Dennis a break. In last week’s column, Jason was even making fun of Mr. Green’s age. On a positive note, he didn’t take the easy and predictable route of making fun of Denny’s golf game.

Jason also described Bird’s affinity for the wind, noting that our elder statesman scored one of his best rounds of the year despite the extreme gusts. It was also reported that Butch professed his disdain with taking everyone’s money on a weekly basis. Apparently, Mr. Derhak has offered to give any interested parties either golf or poker lessons. Then Jason said something about how Milt was happy to be back despite past blog abuse. I must say, quite frankly, that Mr. Hunter has it all wrong. My blog entries are tributes to Mr. Ostash. I write about him as a child writes about a cherished uncle, with reverence and mild embellishment. I certainly wouldn’t take the mean-spirited approach that some guest contributors take and attack a poor defenseless senior like Dennis Green. Milt deserves to be thanked for his even temperament, good will, and generosity. Heck, last night he bought several rounds for the guys playing cards. In fact, he readily signed over several cheques for skins to help offset the bar tab for those present. Milt Ostash is a saint…and whoever says otherwise I would gladly challenge to a fight on any day in the parking lot. Blake Hunter, Joel Ostash, and I would gladly take on any three of you who want to belittle Milt.

I probably should take a moment to thank Jason for his help, not only with the blog reports, but also the prize presentations after Mens’ Night. Thanks for giving your time to support our fraternal order…in spite of the challenges and frustration you have had with your own golf game for the latter part of this season.

It is with considerable sadness that I sign off for 2011. Thanks to everyone who came out this year. Thanks also to Superintendent Joel Ostash and his crew for ensuring that the course is always in such fine condition. Thanks also to Butch and the Clubhouse staff for taking care of us so well this season.

We will resume Mens’ Night as soon as they allow players on the course in the Spring….which will not be soon enough for most of us.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Milt is back!

Despite all the talk, by Blake and Neuf, of their great evening of skins, everyone present knew the real story of the night.  Milt Ostash was back.  After missing 4 or 5 weeks because of injury, hunting, fishing, and fear of competition, Mr. Ostash returned.  He returned to regale us of tales of his journeys and exploits over the last month.  He filled that gap in all of our lives by talking to himself throughout his round.  On a night when Brad Benton struggled with a score in the 40's, Milt reassured us that good golf could still be played by carding a 39.  He even managed to record closest to the pin on #9.  On behalf of all of us, welcome back Milt.  Thanks for bringing the joy back to Mens' Night.  The one criticism reported of Milt's return was that he refused to play for money.  What the critic missed was Milt's new approach to life and golf.  After some time away, he realized it isn't about the gambling...it is about the friendship and man-love.  While many of us like to wager and do manly things when we play, Milt showed us that it is okay to just to spend time with the guys he cares about.  Great job Milt!

In terms of the actual golfing, Blake and Neuf recorded a one-day season record of three skins on Wednesday, winning a total of $60. for wins on #1, ##4, and #7.  Brad Benton and Ken Ostash also cashed in on multiple holes, winning $52. for #6 and #9.  The deuce pot was won by Robin Kimpinski with the other closest to the pin going to Benton on #5.

I didn't golf myself, but someone was kind enough to leave a written report.  I suspect it was Wes, because of the use of capital letters plus the glowing praise for Wes.  The report stated that "Wes had an all world par on #1".  It continued to describe two tee shots in the bush followed by a third shot out and a fourth into the hole.  Certainly impressive...but all-world?  In other news, it was reported that Neuf had a laser-guided eagle on #4, chipping in from well off the green. It was said that if it did not hit the pin, his shot likely would have stopped in the middle of the eight fairway.   The field reporter also stated that the area adjacent to the eight tee was completely dry, yet there was no sign of Hubey's driver.

This coming Wednesday will be our final mens' night of the year.  It is also the 18th time we have had the good fortune to get together on a Wednesday this year...which has to be close to an all-time record. To help toast this successful season, every golfer who shows up will get a complimentary beverage of their choice.  The last thing the field reporter said was worth noting.  While the comment reeks of ageism and disrespect to our elders, it is still quite fitting.  The anonymous writer said "Most of us will only hope to live long enough to see another Mens' Night in October...right Denny and Bird".

Have fun on Wednesday.  Remember that you may tee off with your group any time after 5:00 pm. While I need to be at the football game and will miss the golfing, I will be there later for the free drink.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

The merits of cold weather golf

Neither the cold nor the encroaching darkness to deter the brave men from their task.  No matter what, they would band together to ensure that the golf season was extended as far into September as possible. Interestingly, I am writing about our cool Mens' Nite on Wednesday in the middle of an incredibly nice weekend of weather.  But I already decided that was going to be the topic, so go with me on this one.

So back to where I started...golfing when the conditions are less than perfect.  Most of us would agree that cold weather golf is better than no golf at all.  Soon, many of us will be hanging up the golf shoes for the winter.  Our golf clubs will find a spot in our garage or basement, waiting until we dust them off in the spring. So we should be grateful that the pins are still in the ground and the clubhouse is still open.  We need to take advantage of every opportunity to fire up our golf carts and head down that first fairway...before it is covered with snow.

If you think of it, cold weather actually has its benefits.  For one, you can wear stylish jackets, toques, gloves, scarves, and jeans while playing. You also don't get delayed by having to stay at home to finish cutting your lawn.  The cold weather makes for excellent conversation during the round.  In fact, in my own group, I think I heard people say "Man it's cold out tonight" at least seven times. This is especially helpful when you are golfing with people with whom you have nothing in common.  Doctors even claim that cold weather boosts your metabolism as your body tries to stay warm. Who would have thought driving around on a golf cart while drinking could actually help you lose weight.  Also, lost in the complaints of the frigid temperature was an awareness of the absence of insects.  No one complained about mosquitoes, and people were able to look for their errant shots without fear of wood ticks.  Heck, if was any colder last Wednesday, Hubey could have walked on the frozen marsh beside #8 to retrieve his club toss from earlier this year.

When all was said and done, eighteen guys showed up and enjoyed a fun evening of golf.  Butch seemed to benefit the most from the conditions, winning a skin, getting closest to the pin, and scoring a deuce.  He was closest on #5 while Les Grills was best on #9.  Mr. Grills also converted his shot for a deuce.  Butch split a skin with Darcy Kowalchuk ($24.50 on #6) while Brad and Denny cashed in on #7 for $20. 

It was strange to finish the golf and the prizes and see that it was still only 8:30 am.  Despite the fact that it was still early, many of our senior golfers went home right away...likely because of arthritic pain caused by the coolness.  Ron Susinski demonstrated the benefit of filling an aging body with antifreeze during a cold round.  Not only did he shoot well, but he didn't feel the arthritis in his old bones and was able to stay up past 10:00 pm playing cards and visiting with his younger friends.

The forecast for this week looks much better.  While it will be warmer it will be getting darker earlier. Therefore, we will try a slightly different format.  You and your group may tee off any time after 5:00 pm.  Simply pick up your scorecards at the club house and start your round.  Given the projected sunset, we recommend no one begins later than 6:00 pm...or you may be playing the last few holes by sound.  For you old guys, it may go below 20 Celcius during the round, so pack some extra antifreeze...and maybe a few Alleve for when you start to stiffen up.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Still golfing!

Fourteen golfers showed up for Mens' Night...extending our season later than it has been in recent years. This fact is made even more exciting given that we are planning on going again tomorrow night. Apparently many of our farmer friends are completing their work, so our hope is that we might get 20 golfers. The forecast looks reasonable…just make sure to come early given the projected sunset of 7:45 pm. You might consider having your group start at 6:00 pm.

I will apologize in advance for the short blog entry. This was another week that I was unavailable for mens’ night so I have little news to share. Plus I just got the box of materials from Blake yesterday. On a positive note, my meetings next year have been moved from Wednesday to Thursday so there will be no more conflicts.

This past week, two teams won skins on the first four holes. Kelly and John Derhak won skins on #1 and 4 ($15.50 and $75.50) while Neuf and Gab Huberdeau cashed in on #2 and 3 ($24.50 for each hole). Closest to the pins were Benton on #5 and Neuf on #9. Interestingly, there has not been a deuce in a couple of weeks.

Given that it will probably snow soon, I encourage everyone to take advantage of our extended season and get out tomorrow.  The first ten golfers to sign up will have an opportunity to get their picture taken with celebrities including Councilor Dennis Green and local insurance magnate Robin Kimpinski.  Participants must bring their own camera, make their own arrangements with the celebrities, and take their own pictures. No guarantees are expressed or implied by Lakeside Golf Course regarding the willingness of local celebrities to participate.  Anyone choosing to participate in the photo op agrees to absolve the golf club of any liability in the event that any of the celebrities causes them physical or psychological harm during the picture-taking process.
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Sunday, September 11, 2011

It is getting dark earlier

Seventeen golfers enjoyed incredible September temperatures...before racing to finish as the sun set quickly.  My group was delayed starting so we finished in the dark.  The great weather meant perfect conditions for both golf and combining, hence the low numbers.

There wasn't much news reported on a relatively quiet evening.  Four guys from Birtle came to bolster our numbers.  Hubey scored better this week without his driver than with it last week.  For the first time in quite a while, Blake was the lowest scoring Hunter.  It doesn't matter that Austin and Theoren skipped golf for hockey.

It was a cheap night with only two skins being won.  Hubey and Brad claimed $20 on #7 while Scott Maynes and Devin Bell cashed in for $47 on #8.  The closest to the pins were Maynes on #5 and Neuf on #9.  Neither made their putt and no one else made a deuce on the evening.

As stated previously, Mens' Night continues until we drop below the requisite 12 golfers.  This week, it will be a 6:00 pm start time.  There will likely be a $75-80 skin on #4, so come on out and try your luck.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

1st Annual Lakeside Club Toss

On the heels of the successful Horse Race tournament, Hubey introduced a new event...the Lakeside Club Toss. After mounting frustration from earlier drives, Hubey's tee shot resulted in a short pop up into the bushes beside the eight tee box. While the drive only went about 40 feet, the driver went about 60, as Hubey fired it into the bog to the left. Witnessing this act of exasperation was Jason Hunter. When asked for a comment, Mr. Hunter said that Hubey's club toss was the second best of the six he had seen this year. He stated the best so far was Chris Hyrsak's from earlier. While Hubey definitely put full effort into his throw, he didn't accentuate his toss with the string of colourful profanities as did Chris. Also, Hubey followed up with how he needed a new driver anyway. Chris' follow-up, on the other hand, referenced his hatred for the game of golf, the local course, and his playing partners. Chris also suggested that he might never golf again following his throw.

Playing with Chris Kimpinski, I watched his masterful course management for most of the round. He consistently makes good decisions, disregarding the temptation to hit long in favour of accuracy and positioning. On seven, for example, he stated at the tee box that he intended to hit seven iron, seven iron, wedge...which he did. He hit the first seven iron in front of the bushes, the second over the slew to 150 yard...and then the wheels fell off. Instead of hitting the green with his approach, he decided to hit it toward his camper in the OB area to the right. On a positive note, many of the errant shots like his will end up on his new property, so he will get lots of free balls in the future. Unfortunately, his was not one of those that he could find.

To be fair to Chris, he was not the only one experiencing trouble. I played with him and he constantly complimented me on my nice drives...but usually after I messed up on the rest of the hole. For example, my drive on #1 went to the rough behind the green. Despite being 20 feet from the pin, I finished with a five, including a double hit on the first chip. I think he gave me three or four of these "nice drive, too bad about the rest of the hole" compliments the rest of the way. Consequently, I will admit that I felt a bit of karmic pleasure as his ball sailed towards his camper later in the round. Ironically, Hubey complemented me as well, but not in the same sarcastic way. Despite this, I also enjoyed his club toss on #8. Such is the nature of golf, I guess...we congratulate our friends on their success while secretly envying them...and we offer them verbal condolences for their misfortune while quietly celebrating that our score improves relative to them. The exception here would be the wonder twins, Robin and Brad. When they compliment you it is heart felt. Plus, they rip your bad shots with the same earnestness.

While there were only eighteen golfers, skins went on only four holes. It wasn't because of a bunch of ties and pushes. The lack of winners related to the fact that on the other 5 holes there were very few cumulative pars. The winners included Robin and new guy from Carman, Steve Heatherington ($20 on #1), Chris K. and Hubey ($20 on #5), Stephen and Wes ($20 on #6), and Clayton Bomack and Austin ($38.50 on #9). Closest to the pins were Jason Hunter on #5 and Stephen David on #9. Both missed their putts which partially explained why there were no deuces on the evening.

As stated last week, we are going to stick with mens' night until we no longer have enough golfers to sustain it. The first week we cannot make the required 12 will be the final evening for the year. I am excited to say that next week will mark our first foray into September in recent years. Start thinking about how you will play #4, given the skin there will be worth $70 or so. Remember to come early, because even the 6:30 pm start is getting tight.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

No news is good news

I will start by apologizing for the delay in getting the blog updated.  I was away for a bit and just got the mens' night box from Wes.  I will then apologize for not having any news about last week, given that I was absent.  But like I said in the title, no news can be good news, especially if you are one of the guys regularly featured in the column.  What follows is one part factual, as I recount the winners and scores, and one part speculation, as I imagine what happened in my absence.

Where to start?  Okay, there were 25 golfers who battled it out with skins eventually being won on six of nine holes.  Like last week, the Hunter family stole the show, with each of the three of them cashing in somewhere. The winners included Blake Hunter and Robin ($20 on #1), Jason Gorrell and Ken Stewart ($20 on #2 and $29.50 on #5), Theoren Hunter and Wes Arnfinson ($20 on #3), Steven Shackel and Chris Hyrsak ($51 on #6), and Scott Maynes and Austin Hunter ($20 on #7).  Three golfers split the $36 deuce pot including Mike Pryzner, Scott Maynes, and John Derhak.  Closest to the pins were Jason Gorell on #5 and Scott Maynes on #9.  Noteworthy rounds of the evening included 39's by Scott and Robin.

Now for the speculation.  Let me see, Milt likely talked to himself while Robin and Brad berated him while occasionally inisting that he bought another round.  Blake probably felt both pride and jealousy as his two sons played well again. The guys from Oak Lake would have had fun and guys from Shoal Lake would have promised to go down to their next mens' night. Given that the middle score was a 48, I also assume people complained about how bad their luck was...despite shooting essentially the same as they do every week. Later guys played poker, during which Milt would have talked to himself and Wes maybe took 3-4 minutes pretending to play hands which he eventually folded.  All the card players felt they had a chance to win, given that I wasn't there.  At the end of the evening, I imagine there was hugs and heartfelt good wishes, as the late nighters went home to wake their wives to tell them about Mens' Night.

Here's hoping we get another 25 or so tomorrow night.  See you at 6:30 pm if you can make it.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Night of the Hunter

You have already heard about the trials and tribulations of Blake Hunter...a man who had been previously schooled by his eldest son Austin.  This past Wednesday, it was middle son Theoren's chance to show up his old man.  Theoren shot a blistering 41, including a shot to a couple of feet on #5 which resulted in the only deuce of the evening.

Skins went on four holes. The winners were Ron Susinski and Doug Brown ($20 on #1), Sport and Jason Hunter ($20 on #2), Les Grills and Blake ($20 on #3), and Brad Benton and Dyson Solomon ($20 on #7). Theoren's previously mentioned shot on #5 was closest on that hole.  The other closest to the pin for the evening was Dale Watson on #9.

That's essentially all that I had reported to me for this week.  While I was absent I did hear that the 36 golfers in attendance enjoyed reasonable conditions.  There were some new guys, including one unfortunate gentleman who did not know about the maximum triple bogey rule.  His score of 63 was achieved honestly, through his own hard work and effort.

Mens' Night will continue until it is no longer reasonable to do so.  Our rules state that it only requires 12 golfers to run the evening.  Generally, when we get close to that number we shut it down for the season.  Since our attendance is still good, we hope to continue on into September.

Have fun this week.  My Board meetings resume so I will be otherwise committed.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Horse Race tournament

The first annual horse race tournament was held on August 13th.  Twenty two golfers played an 18 hole qualifying event before being split into two flights for the horse race.   During the second portion of the event, eleven guys teed off on the first hole, with the highest score being eliminated each hole until one man remained.
After the horse race portion was completed, the top three finshers in each pool were awarded prizes.  Robin Kimpinski won the first flight, with Darcy Kowalchuk as runner-up, and Phil Ostash in third. Escape artist Wes Arnfinson claimed top spot in the second flight, with Doug Koroscil placing second, and Tim from Winnipeg coming in third.

It is worth noting that we held a calcutta in conjunction with the horse race. Those in attendance bid on the golfers that they thought would be most successful.  When the final tally was completed, the total bids surpassed $1300.  Interestingly, the prizes for the top 3 calcutta picks in each pool exceeded the prize money for the actual winners.

Thanks to Scott Maynes for his great work in planning and organizing this event.  Like many others, I can't wait for the second installment next year.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Greatest skin ever!

Let's cut to the chase.  After almost two months without a winner, the skin on the ninth hole finally went.  The combined score of 5 by Keith Booth and Charlie McNabb was good enough to capture the elusive prize which grew to a nice $210.50.  The Booth / McNabb connection also grabbed the skin for #3, adding another $43 to their winnings.  With his two on #9, Mr. Booth also split a deuce pot worth $64.50 with Robin Kimpinski, who scored his two on the fifth hole.

Other skins for the evening went to Ron Susinski and Lawrence Daniel ($21.50 on #1 and $21.50 on #7), Cody Cornwall and Randy Tully ($43 on #2), Robin and Keith Martin ($21.50 on #5), and Scott Maynes and Milt ($43 on #8).  Closest to the pin winners were Joel Ostash on #5 and Mike McLennan on #9.

For the second consecutive week, we had the unusual combination of great conditions and high scores.  The sound of golf balls hitting trees echoed from all directions...with Milt contributing greatly to this symphony of thermoplastic on wood.  He hit so many trees that Charlie McNabb's group playing behind was held up on almost every hole.  Charlie took it well however...his frustration likely tempered by the $125 in winnings in his pocket.

The Ringer Board also wrapped up this week.  Robin Kimpinski won the first flight with a -9, followed by Scott Maynes' -6 and Brad Benton's -5.  I placed first in the second flight, followed by Keith Martin in second place.  Scores for the second flight were unavailable at press time.
Mens' Nite will continue through August and perhaps into September depending on the availability of our friends in the agricultural business. Thanks in advance to the previously mentioned Brad Benton, who has agreed to run the show next week. Don't forget the 6:30 pm start time for the rest of the year.

I have reflected a lot recently about how certain people (such as Milt) are mentioned more often than others in the blog.  The simply fact is that the people I note are often those with whom I golf...and Milt is a regular partner.  Other than Mike Susinski suggesting things to write about Wes, I rarely get any other field reports.  Given that I will be away the next two weeks, make sure to give your blog ideas to Mr. Benton.

I suggested that we move to Thursday nights in 2012...mainly for personal reasons given my frequent conflicts on Wednesdays.  I would like to stay involved in running Mens' Nite and writing the blog...but it will be tough if I miss eight Wednesdays as I did this year.  Give it some thought and we can discuss it further before the end of the year.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Karma can be funny...and somewhat cruel

Forty-four golfers enjoyed beautiful weather and an evening of karmic occurrences. Despite seemingly perfect conditions, high scores abounded, with many golfers venturing into the unfamiliar scoring territory of high 40's and low 50's. Most of those whose scores were elevated have been mean to Milt in the past...so you see what I mean by the karma thing. Strangely enough, Brad and Robin did not score in the 60's...given their history of abuse toward Mr. Ostash.

One of the nicest guys in the Shoal Lake area, Mr. John Gill, shot his lowest score since 1978, and shared the deuce pot with Cody Cornwall. This is the way karma works...with good things happening to good people.

Another renowned nice guy, Chris Kimpinski, had a funny experience with karma...which you will have to ask him about privately. He will likely relate how quickly karma can come back at you.

The closest to the pin awards could not have worked out better...or more karmic. The previously mentioned John Gill, who lives closest to #9, claimed the prize there. And Robin Kimpinski, who is one of the few male golfers who regularly dyes his hair, won the Trendsetters prize for closest on #5.

So the message here is obviously two-fold. Firstly, remember what goes around comes around, and, secondly, don't be mean to Milt. He is a nice guy and he has great hair and his talking to himself can be somewhat charming under the right conditions. It would be great if someone told Terri I wrote this because this karma thing has me spooked...and I don't want to shoot another 48 next week.

In other, non-karmic news, skins went on five holes. The winners included Jason Hunter and Cody Cornwall ($21.50 on #1), Brad Benton and Nick Gill ($41 on #4), Joel Ostash and Austin Hunter ($99 on #5), Rob Eastcott and Wes Arnfinson ($175 on #6), and Robin Kimpinski and Mike Susinski ($77 on #7). There were some murmurs that sandbagging may be occurring. While making his regular weekly review of the scorecards, our in-house auditor noticed several guys in the high pot followed birdies with a string of maximums. It is even being suggested that Wes Arnfinson will be investigated. After several well-scored holes, he lost five balls off the tee on holes #1 through #3. This is a glaring discrepancy given Wes' straight ball flight and high percentage of fairways in regulation. We will await the word from Chris Kimpinski to see where this all ends up.

What else do we have? Austin Hunter self-reported that he went over the trees on #7 with his tee shot. Austin also told me that his dad Blake was seven off the tee on #3. A word of advice to Blake would be not to try and swing harder when you play with longer hitters. It can mess up your tempo. Blake was nice enough to bring a guest from Roblin. He spent the evening golfing with him, let him join us for some cards, and then let the guy go swimming off his boat at 2:00 am.

Scott Maynes proved himself not only a fine golfer but an able-bodied Mens' Night organizer and presenter. Thanks to Scott for your help this week as well as next week, when my two colleagues are away.

With the shortening days, we will be rolling back the tee time to 6:30 pm starting next week. For those of you enticed by the possibility of cash prizes, the skin for #9 will be well over $200. And there is always that nice little hole-in-one prize.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Another dull evening of mens' golf

It was extremely quiet at Mens' Night yesterday. Golf was enjoyed with reasonable conditions and absolutely nothing controversial occurred in the club house afterwards. Given how dull an evening it was, I will be forced to just report about the golf. Also, I have been advised to stop mentioning Milt in my posts...so you can expect them to be shorter in future weeks. I was also asked not to mention the three balls that one guy shanked into the trees from the middle of the fairway on #8. So, as I already said...it's going to be just simple golf reporting today.

The story of this other wards slow evening would have to be Scott Maynes' scintillating score of 32. This was the lowest at Mens' Night in almost 10 years, since Jason Warwick's 31. Scott's playing partners reported that he was dropping 20 foot putts at will. That must be cool. I turned a three foot putt on #9 into a five foot putt followed by another two foot putt. Scotty also jumped to second place in the ringer board, vaulted to top spot in the season money list, and broke the record for most chicken wings eaten with 47.

Thirty nine golfers competed for skins with four teams winning holes. The lucky hackers included Phil Ostash and Gary Kurtz ($20 on #1), Sport and Cody Cornwall ($20 on #2), Maynes and Ronnie Susinski ($57.50 on #3), and Brad Benton and Blake Cramer ($77.50 on #8). The closest to the pins were Keith Martin on #5 and the aforementioned Mr. Benton on #9. The deuce pot of $58.50 was split by Mike Pryzner and Maynes.

Speaking of Phil Ostash, is it just me or is he looking good lately...all trim and healthy and stuff. Rumours has it that he owes his success to Body by Vi. On the other end of the spectrum is his good pal Benton, who maintains his physique with Body by Di. The first plan involves exercise and healthy food choices highlighted by some delicious meal replacement shakes. The second plan involves a lot of television watching and mainly liquid food choices highlighted by some early morning shakes and loss of vision.

Thanks to Butch for taking care of my steak...and Mr. Gorrell for hosting the fellowship get-together later in the evening.

One final exciting thing to mention... I have a new driver. There will be a viewing session preceding our next Mens' Night during which you may get your picture taken with it. For an extra $5, I will join you in the picture. But you absolutely cannot hit it. Like Wes and his R11...my wife said that I am not allowed to lend it.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Ringer Board news

Just a reminder that you have three weeks to submit your ringer board scores.  The final night for submission is August 11th.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Did anyone else notice it was windy?

I write this on a relatively cool Thursday morning...in a week in which we had a humidex in the mid 40's, some heavy thunder showers, and lots of heat.  So it was not surpising to have incredibly windy conditions for Mens' Night. How windy was it you ask? Well there were hats flying off heads around the golf course for starters. It was an all around blustery, breezy, blowy, turbulent evening. It was so windy a squirrel that was nesting in Milt's hair jumped off on the fifth hole and landed in Ipswich. It was so windy that it reminded Charlie McNabb and Dave Gill of when they had to walk to school uphill both ways.  Ron Susinki's hair piece blew off on the tee box and it took his group five minutes to find it. It was so windy that people on the corner of Portage and Main were calling to ask for advice. People were hitting driver for their second shot on three and coming up short.  On seven, there were eight and nine iron second shots flying the greens. Jason Gorrell actually had to aim backwards on a couple of holes to work his slice back to the fairway. The lake by number eight claimed more balls than a pool table with a roll to one corner. 

In other Mens' Night news, Neuf had two triples on the seventh hole. He hit three balls into the trees half way up the hole...the first being his tee shot and the next two being the two subsequent attempts to get back into play.  Of course, this all let to his second triple, the requisite Mens' Night triple bogey.  Robin Kimpinski had a round which featured an amazing five birdies but resulted in a score of even par.

There were lots of new guys including visitors from BC and Alberta as well as several members from the local RCMP detachment.  One of those members followed a fine round of golf with a poor game of Texas Hold' Em.  I am assuming he was distracted by the pretty waitress.

My roving field reporter asked me to note the ongoing slow play and intoxication of a certain player, but I refuse to make this blog a place for muck-racking...so that large Icelandic guy shall remain nameless.

Speaking of Icelanders, Wes Arnfinson was closest to the pin for the second week in a row, this time hitting it to twelve feet on nine.  He then three-putted for bogey.  Terry Susinski stuck one tight on #5. Two of the skins were won by John Gill and Wayne Chegwin ($20 on #1) and Bob Gingras and Aaron Short ($20 on #2).  Blake Hunter and Ron Anderson had the big payday of the evening with a skin on #4 that earned them $122.  Blake excitedly spent the next ten minutes telling everyone it was his first skin of the year.  Then when he went to cash his check he noticed that Mr. Anderson had departed.  He was heard uttering a few obscenities as the check was pinned to the bulletin board for next week. The $57 deuce pot was shared by Robin Kimpinski and Brad Swereda. 

Given that I have your attention, I should clarify something that happened at the end of the evening.  When Scott Maynes was leaving I yelled for him not to forget the dress. For the record, the dress in question was one that was being delivered from my wife to Scott's.  I was not referencing Scott's poor hitting or his affinity for wearing women's clothing.  We all know Scott is a masterful ball striker.  Also, how he chooses to dress in the privacy of his own home is his business.

Well, that's it for now.  I am taking a trip to Wasagaming with Blake for a round at Clear Lake.  This is the first time he has golfed there since he was fourteen years old.  I will need to keep reinforcing how slow the greens are as we drive up this morning.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

British Open draft results

436    Chris Kimpinski    1st place
397    Milt Ostash          2nd place
370    Brad Swereda
339    Jason Neufeld
332    Sport Geekie
327    Mike Susinski
325    Jason Hunter
316    Robin Kimpinski
313    Stephen David
300    Keith Martin
300    Kevin Bartram
295    Ron Sunsinki
251    Stu Nowasad
230    Luke Funk
217    Wes Arnfinson
193    Scott Maynes
166    Brad Benton

Information regarding the teams and point allocations are found on the British Open link on the left side of the page.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Better Late Than Never

So it is late Saturday evening, and I am just getting around to updating the blog. Sorry about that. I was camping in Virden all week and only came back for Mens' Night. When I returned home today, it was really nice out and I went golfing. Also, I made plans for more golf tomorrow morning, so I need to get this done now. This sounds like one of those lame Facebook status updates, so I will stop before I describe where I was this evening, what I am wearing, and what my likes and dislikes are.

Back to the important business of Mens' Night. This past Wednesday we had 34 golfers. There was a mixture of some good golf, some bad golf, and a little bit of everything in between. For example, Cody Cornwall shot a 39...which was good. Also, all four golfers in one group scored an 8 on hole 4...which was bad. Lyle Wilson drained a 25 footer for birdie on 9 which earned him a $99 deuce pot...which was good. I was one of the previously mentioned golfers who scored an 8 on hole 4...which was bad.

Three skins went on Wednesday with Mikey and Randy Tully earning $20 on #1, Dale Martin and Ron Susinksi getting $20 on #2, and Cubby and Scott Maynes cashing in for $103 on #4. Closest to the pins were Wes on #5 and Sport on #9. Neither were able to convert relatively close putts to earn a share of the deuce pot.

In other news, field reporter Mike Susinski asked that I note two things in the blog. Firstly, he wanted me to mention that Wes Arnfinson played slowly all night and held his group up on a regular basis. This seems unlikely given how quickly Wes plays poker. Mike also related a story regarding Luke Funk. After boming a huge drive on eight, Luke had less success on his approach shot. Mike said that Luke appeared to become upset and threw his club further than his ball traveled.

We also had a British Open draft. Information about this is found on another link on this web page.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Drive to 50

On Tuesday I suggested that we should aim for 50 golfers for yesterday's Mens' Night. We got fairly close, with 44 guys showing up on a perfect evening for golf.  Neither the relentless black flies nor the thunder in the west could take away from what was an all around enjoyable night. Yes...it was a fun time, in spite of the 24 golfers who refused to turn in their scorecards in a timely fashion...and the two senile elderly gentlemen who forgot to sign up.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Dick Edgeworth / Darcy Stewart ($22 on #1), Robin Kimpinski / Matt Yanick ($22 on #2), Jason Hunter / Brodie MacEachern ($22 on #3), and Ron Susinski / Les Grills ($22 on #7). Next week there will be four prizes over $100, including skins on #4, 6, and 9. The deuce pot was not won last night, so it will also be sizable given a multiple week carry-over. Closest to the pins were Chris Kimpinski on #5 and Phil Ostash on #9.  Sub 40 rounds were carded by Jason Hunter (38), Brad Benton (38), and Mike Susinski (39).

The greens were fast yesterday, given that Joel cut them short.  Also, he still has not put any water on them. I am thinking he gets a commission on his salary if he saves a certain number of gallons over the summer.  Of course, payback can be a funny thing. A few of Joel's closest pals were quick to share the fact that Mr. Ostash had a four-putt as the result of his own golf course maintenance. Joel, the course is in great shape given the year we have had so far...and you and your crew are very deserving of the credit for this. You just might want to be careful about how you prep the greens and where you place the pins, especially if you are playing later the same day.

Despite cashing in on a regular basis, Clayton Bomak still found time to complain about me mispelling his name in an earlier post.  It's funny...I recall Milt and Neuf both whining about one of my blogs last year.  That resulted in both gentlemen being featured regularly in the weekly posts.  Perhaps Clayton will get similar star treatment in the future.  After threatening me against future typos, Clayton did mention that even though he did not win any skins this week, he did clean up on the snips with his group.  To be fair, Austin Hunter did really well with the same guys a few weeks ago.  It's not like Clayton played in a power-house group with the likes of Ronnie Susinski, Chris Kimpinski, and Milt, as some of us did.

Have a good Thursday...and I will see most of you at the fundraising tournament tomorrow.  I apologize to those of you who are looking for the updated ringer boards, money list, and skins for next week.  They will have to wait until later today.  I am finally on vacation and the sun is shining...so I am heading to the golf course.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

One More Sleep!

Usually, I only do one post a week...but I have decided an exception is appropriate given the circumstances.  Due to various other commitments and inclement weather, I have only played one Mens' Night this year.  Tomorrow is my first time playing in over a month.  I am excited.

To give you some perspective, I feel the way Milt does on Christmas Eve.  Like Milt in December, I worry I may not be able to sleep tonight.  I can now understand the way that Dennis felt the day before the golf club auction in April.  That feeling that Neuf gets when a girl talks to him...that is sort of what I am experiencing about Mens' Night tomorrow.

In anticipation for some good weather, I even adapted the sign-up sheet.  Up to this point, it had space for 32 names.  Now it has room for 50.  Last year, we had a three-week run where we were getting 45 golfers for Mens' Night.  It would be cool if we could crack 50 once.  Tell your friends who don't golf much to come out tomorrow.  Invite your neighbour who just moved in next door.  Call some guy from a nearby town and tell him the skins are building up.  Imagine the strories you could tell your grandchildren...about that evening back in 2011 when there were over 50 golfers at Mens' Night in Shoal Lake.  It's not simply about the golf, it is about deciding what kind of legacy you want to leave for your children's children.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Grad Was Really Nice

I am assuming that there are 32 guys who are really wondering what the Shoal Lake grad was like, given that they chose to go golfing instead of attending.  Since I went, I thought I would give a brief recap of the convocation exercises for your benefit.  Supper was wonderful, with Old School Catering outdoing themselves with a traditional Ukrainian feast.  The grads looked wonderful, with the male grads dressed to the nines in their fine suits, and the female grads were resplendent in their evening gowns.  The pace of play was quick, with both focused award presenters and speeches.  There were some tears, lots of laughter, and significant applause and cheering.  It was almost the perfect evening.  The only thing missing were the 32 of you who chose to golf instead of attending.  I hope those students leaving Grade 12 remember the good parts of the evening...and not get hung up on the memory of those 32 empty seats.

For those of you upstanding citizens, who like myself, went to grad...here is a recap of the golf.  There were 32 golfers who played 9 holes and enjoyed a steak they cooked on their own.  The golfers looked like a rag tag bunch of golf-shirt wearing hobos, with the older players such as the Gill boys and Benton at least making an effort to colour-coordinate.  The pace of play was slow I assume, given the numerous scores over 50.  There were some tears, lots of belittling laughter, and little applause or cheering.  It was almost an okay evening.  The only thing missing was Chris Kimpinski.

It was like a trappers' festival, with skins being collected on 6 of 9 holes.  The winners were as follows: Keith Martin and Bob Mowbray ($32 on #1, $32 on #7), Ronnie Anderson and Benton ($10 on #2), Ken Wowryk and Clayton Bomack ($20 0n #3 and $32 on #8), and Robin K. and Beaker ($20 on #5).  Closest to the pin on #5 was Cubby while Neuf put one tight on #9.  Despite several 2's, no deuces were paid.  I assume Wes and Blake changed another rule in my absence. 

Low score of the night was Robin Kimspinski whose 35 was even-par given the modified tee box on #4.  Luke, Doug Koroscil, and Brad Benton followed with 39's.  Clayton Bomack vaulted to second on the season money list with another $26 in prize money.  Keith Martin also had a good night and joined the hunt for the Ringer Board Cup after adding a few scores that put him at -3.

Have a safe and relaxing long weekend.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Who the heck is Clayton Bomack?

So it is bad enough that I am still in the middle of a month-long run during which I will miss four mens' nights. Now I have to deal with some new guy winning a skin and the deuce pot. I am sure this Clayton is a nice guy...but I have a feeling a will be shanking one toward him sometime in the future.

It was a nice evening for golfing...or so I was told. Again, you probably can detect the undercurrent of resentment. Nothing I report lately is anything that I have actually experienced. It is all reported to me by a bunch of egotistical, self-aggrandizing, Scott Maynes' wannabees who tend to highlight their own accomplishments while belittling those of their peers.  I used Mr. Maynes as the reference point here because Benton told me that Scott is the best golfer in Shoal Lake.  He also added that he is the second best golfer while Robin is now third.  Milt then emailed me and said he was the forty-third best golfer in town, if you exclude females, seniors, and people wearing casts.

My co-organizers Wes Arnfinson and Blake Hunter had a better week math-wise. Unfortunately, I listened to them whine on Friday about how everyone forgot to turn in their scorecards, or submitted two scorecards, or neglected to sign their name on the sheet, or chose not to pay. Also, they complained about how overcooked their steaks were after they completed the score tabulating and awarding of prizes. Their whining aside, it is critical that when you come for mens' night you strictly adhere to the extremely complicated protocol. It is as follows: put your money in the can, write your name down, take an official score card, record your score on that scorecard, turn in the scorecard as soon as you finish, buy a drink, then berate Milt for something he said, did, or you imagine he might do sometime in the future.

There were 32 golfers this week. Earlier in the day, greenskeeper Joel Ostash placed pins in ideal locations for his game allowing him to card a 36. Jason Hunter came for his first Mens' Night of the year and shot a 37, with his tee shot on #9 being the closest of the evening. Robin Kimpinski was closest on #5. Skins were won by Joel Ostash and Ron Anderson ($32 on #2), Scott Maynes and Charlie McNabb ($94 on #3), and Clayton Bomack and Brad Benton ($73.50 on #5). The $48.00 deuce pot was split by Mr. Bomack and Wes Arnfinson.

In terms of other news, I don't have much to offer. I did hear about Chris Hyrsak's troubles on the eight tee box. Apparently, he became angry with his driver after an errant tee shot and fired it into the adjacent swamp. When Milt suggested that he go and retrieve the club, Chris declined and stated that he didn't have hip waders. Plus, he said if he ever needs the driver again he knew where it was.

I arrived after golf was completed and the majority of the crowd had dispersed. It was fun to have a game of cards and watch some little dude try to start a fight with another poor guy who was both twice his size and twice as intoxicated. Had the scrap occurred, the instigator likely would have ended up in the hospital with various injuries...and perhaps a chunk of nose lodged in his espohagus.

Have fun on June 29th. I will be attending the Shoal Lake grad. See you the first week of July. I will be getting my wife to drive me there, so feel free to buy me a drink.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

How much rain is too much rain?

I know that there are rivers and lakes of water on the golf course.  I also realize that it is raining outside right now.  I understand that the fairways and greens are waterlogged to the point that golf carts would be not permitted to run.  However, I am still bummed out that Mens’ Night is canceled today.

Some people look forward to the weekend.  Others look forward to special events such as birthdays, graduations, and weddings.  I look forward to Mens’ Night.   So when I got the text message today that tonight was canceled, I deleted it right away in hopes that doing so would make it untrue.  Unfortunately that didn’t work.

Being the optimist that I am, my mind quickly tried to make the best of it.  I imagined a fun evening in which everyone who had planned on golfing would come to watch the hockey game together, eat some chicken wings, and perhaps play some cards afterwards.  I even texted the idea to someone.  Unfortunately, the response I got wasn’t the one for which I was hoping.  Given the decision to shut down Mens’ Night, it was also decided that this would be a good evening to shut down the golf course and club house early.  Now the logical part of me thinks this is a good idea. I know that Butch and his crew put in long hours and they are doing a great job this year.  I also appreciate that it is reasonable to close down early when the weather is as poor as it is. However, the irrational part of me that looks forward to Wednesday evening thinks this all sucks. 

I also wanted to do a US Open pool tonight given that it starts tomorrow.  Maybe we will try something next week…although it may be harder to generate excitement for a draft for the Travelers’ Championship.

I know most of us will be watching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.  However, if you are like me and will be experiencing Mens’ Night withdrawal, I offer some suggestions for things that you can do at home to bridge the gap.   For example, I plan on eating my supper out of a basket…and tipping my wife very well when she brings it to the table.  In between periods, I may play some Wii golf with my eight year old daughter for $10 skins.  I will also heckle her errant shots and snake her if I think she might three putt.  Occasionally, I will look to my left and say “Who the hell is Milt talking to?”.  I may also ask my daughter to occasionally stand beside the TV so I can pretend to shank the odd shot toward her.  In this instances, I will yell “Duck Neuf!” and hope that she understands that I am talking to her.  Finally, I may ask her to play cards until 12:30 am…although she doesn’t understand poker.  Oh well, late night Uno is better than nothing I guess.

Have fun next week…and the week after that.  I have a couple of previous commitments which require my attendance.  And if I could ask one thing of you, my fellow golfers, it would be this.  Please don’t win any of the big skins this month…so they will all be carried over and available when I return in July.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

How much Milt is too much Milt?

As sad as it seems, Mens' Night went on without me.  When I pulled into the golf course, I expected to see the lights of the Club House dimmed.  Perhaps I would find a few guys sitting on the deck, telling stories about my golfing exploits, while Dave Gill led a small but tasteful candlelight vigil in my honour beneath the flat screen television.  Imagine my chagrin when I pulled in just after 10:00 pm, on the way home from my meeting...and found 32 golfers smiling and laughing, while tipping both drink glasses and waitresses.

If it was any consolation, Wes and Blake, my organizing partners, struggled without me.  They still had yet to sort out the prizes, and they looked thirsty and hungry.  On a positive note, for two people at least, they paid out an extra $7.00 for one skin.  Of course, I adjusted this on the money list.

Despite some bleak forecasts earlier in the week, it turned out to be a clear, if not slightly cool evening on the links. Skins were won by Robin and Dennis ($29 on #1), Beaker Sr. and Milt ($36 on #7), and Dale and Sport ($20 on #8).  Closest to the pins were Sport on #5 and Robbie Eastcott on #9.  The big story of the night was a deuce by Chris Hyrsak, which netted him $111.00.  He used part of his winnings later in the evening when Milt ordered a round for the table but refused to pay for it.  Six more golfers also joined the new and improved Ringer Board.

Given that I missed the golfing portion of the evening, I had to rely on field reporters to give me some highlights.  Several mentioned Denny's adventures, including his shanking of one shot through the windshield of Wes's cart.  Someone else told me how Denny did not play well in the evening because of his senior golf in the morning.  When I talked with Mr. Green he simply said that 27 holes in one day were too much for his broken-down old body.

I also heard tales of how one group (Milt, Benton, and Neuf) all fired shots from the seventh tee box at other players on the sixth hole.  Robbie told me of how Austin Hunter out drove his dad Blake every f____ing hit.  I apologize for the censorship on the last line but I know that Diane Cramer reads this blog...and I don't want to offend anyone's fiancĂ©e.  I also learned how one bushy-haired gentleman complained for eight consecutive holes about the limited meat-based dining options.  I tried to avoid saying Milt's name here, because I already referenced him twice.  Either he constantly does stuff that warrants attention, or I am obsessed with him.  For my sake, I hope that it is the former.

Have a good end to the week...and I'll see most of you at the Eagles' Tournament on Saturday.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Mens' Night...finally!

I am sure it has been wetter at some point in the history. But the wettest conditions that I have ever seen while golfing were those that existed on Wednesday. There were new water hazards all over the course, with creeks on #1 and # 2 and an ever-growing lake on #3. The fourth hole was a swamp from tee to pin, and both par 3 holes had island-like greens. Golfers all over the course watched tee-shots plug while planning careful paths to avoid bogging down their carts.  Profanities filled the evening air as player after player watched balls sail off into trouble after swings that produced foot-long chunks of saturated sod.

Now for those of you who are farmers, I clearly understand that there are more serious things being impacted by the weather than golf.  For you, I offer both my condolences and my wish for a turn of fortune.  That being said, for someone like Neuf, golf is likely the only thing that gives him pleasure in life.  It is for the Neufs of the world that I fear the most.

On a positive note, it was the first Mens' Night of the year. Twenty-six golfers braved the conditions and appeared to be still relatively happy at the end of the round. The low score of the night went to Brad Benton with a 37 followed closely by Scott "The Teacher Guy" Maynes with a 38.  We started the Ringer Board again, with Mr. Maynes already adding birdies for holes #1, 6, and 8. Two of nine skins went with Luke Funk and Wes Arnfinson taking #2 for $20. while Robin Kimpinski and Dyson Solomon won $28.00 on #8.  Robin also won a Shur Gro gift certificate for being closest to the pin on #5.  Milt begged me to mention that Robin's shot was barely an inch closer than that of a playing partner.  I note this reluctantly…especially given that Benton begged me not to mention Milt. The closest on #9 was Jason Neufeld, which briefly gave him joy...until he looked down at the cast on his foot and lamented the recent loss of some of his toe nails.

As much as it pains me to say it, the long range forecast for this coming Wednesday doesn't look overly promising...11 Celsius and rainy.  However, there is always cards…and maybe a hockey or basketball game on TV.  Even if there is no golf, you need to at least get the chips out.  I have a meeting and will not get there until 10:00 pm.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Mens' Night Starts Tomorrow

Sure it rained today...but the forecast looks promising for tomorrow, the first Mens' Night of 2011.  Dust off your clubs, iron your nicest golf shirt, and pack up those balls you received as Christmas presents.  You may also want to bring some rubber boots and a positive attitude, because the course is likely to be very wet.  My view of holes 3 and 4 today revealed some new water hazards that were not there on Sunday.

Come out and let's get this season started.  There are so many exciting developments, I don't know where to start.  Here are a couple of highlights:
- The Ringer Board will be flighted to allow for additional opportunities for prizes.
- We will introduce a maximum hole score of +3 to speed up play and to minimize damage to self-esteem.
- The new clubhouse staff (under the direction of Butch Derhak) is looking forward to serving you.

For the first night of the year, Ronnie Anderson is bringing out some guests from Oak Lake.  Also, you can watch Neuf play in a cast and check out Wes as he sprays drives all over the course with his new R-11.  You can see the new swing that Milt has, and his even greater emphasis on talking to himself during the round.

For those of you who aren't regular members of the Golf Club, you might consider our special introductory offer for new members.  For $199 you can become a full member for 2011, with unlimited playing privileges including regular Mens' Nights.