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.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
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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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.
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.
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.
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