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.
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