It's Over For 2015

This can be a time when we get a bit downtrodden and dejected. Summer is coming to a close, the leaves are falling from the trees, and the long range forecast shows cooler temperatures. However, instead of being sad it's all over, we need to be glad that it happened. Most people would agree it has been a great summer, and a fantastic Mens' Night season.

In a fitting end to a season that had a bit of everything, everyone who played on our final Mens' Night won something. Sure there were only 11 guys because of the cool weather and farming, but still, that is impressive,

Skins went on six holes. Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Ron Anderson ($20 on #1), Scott Martin / Darcy Kowalchuk ($20 on #2), Stephen David / Blake Hunter ($20 on #3), Scott Maynes / John Derhak ($50 on #5), Brad Benton / Joe Shwaluk ($20 on #9), and Jason Neufeld ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Scott Martin on #5 and Brad Benton on #9. Neither they nor anyone else scored a deuce.

The season money winner was Jason Gorrell with a total of $351.50. Second place went to Brad Benton with $258 and Dan Stokes finished in third with $181.75. Jason displaced Scott Maynes who had been the money leader the two previous seasons.

Thanks to all of the golfers who came out this year for Mens' Night. Thanks also to our awesome Club House crew John Derhak, Shawna Hebert, and Tara Horne.

Even though Mens' Night is officially over for the year, some guys are still planning to go out and hit some balls on Wednesday evenings as long as the weather permits. If that doesn't work for you, see you some time next April when we resume for 2016. That's barely seven months away!

One More and Then We Are Done

This coming Wednesday is the final Mens' Night of the year. We started way back in April and we've made it to the end of September. There have been lots of golfers, many golf balls struck, and a good number of laughs.

It is also our 22nd gathering of 2015 which puts us right up there with the most Mens' Nights in one year. We have had earlier starts and later finishes to previous seasons but this year everything seemed to align just right on both ends.

I challenge all of you to get out on Wednesday if you can. Come out for one more evening of golf, another time to hang out with the boys, and for a final chance at that elusive hole-in-one prize. Bring a friend, a neighbour, or invite that new guy that just started at work. The more the better.

Even with the fall farming season in full swing there was a pretty good turnout last week, with 15 players teeing it up.

After seeing seven skins fall the previous week, only two went this time. Dan Stokes and Scott Maynes won $20 on #1 while Ron Anderson and Brad Benton teamed up for $20 on #7.

Wes was closest to the pin on #5 while Scott Martin earned the honours on #9. Scott converted his birdie and joined Jason Neufeld and Brett Griffin in splitting the $39 deuce pot.

Not much more to report...because I was away for the second week in a row. I was golfing in Clear Lake so I cannot complain. If you are going to miss golf you can't get a better reason than because you were golfing elsewhere.

If you can't make it this week, get out tomorrow for what may be one of the last really nice weekend days of summer. It's supposed to be sunny and 24.

No Guilt For Me

I didn't make it to Mens' Night last week. I heard it was pretty good for the 12 guys who played. I had a unbreakable commitment...my 15th wedding anniversary. Despite my wife's encouragement to play I just couldn't do it. She told me it was okay to golf on our anniversary. I just couldn't convince myself that it was.

Golf needs to be an enjoyable guilt-free experience. It just isn't the same if you try to play when you feel that you should be somewhere else. You can't be thinking about the work you are neglecting or those unfinished chores. You don't experience the same level of enjoyment if you wonder if your significant other resents your time on the course.

I am fortunate that I play a lot of guilt free golf. So I was happy to take a night off to celebrate my anniversary. Plus everyone has to miss the occasional Mens' Night.

For the 12 who did play, 6 won money this week. Skins went on 7 holes. This was unusual even for a low number of players.

The brothers Kimpinski (Robin and Chris) won four holes including $20 per hole for #1, 6, and 9 plus $59.50 for #4. Brad Benton and Wes Arnfinson teamed up for two skins, getting $20 for both #1 and 7. The final hole winners were Scott Martin and Jason Gorrell who earned $25.50 for their combined efforts on #3.

Ryan Merasty was closest to the pin on #9. None of the 12 golfers hit the green on #5. Also, there were no deuces.

We have not decided when Mens' Night will wrap up. It will be contingent on the weather and weekly turn out. Once we decide to end the season we will let you know.

For the record, I also can't play on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. That will be my 20th anniversary. Even though I will be absent, I hope that day five years from now is sunny and warm...and I hope all of the farmers are done their harvest early that year.

That Was a Close One

We almost had to cancel Mens' Night this coming week. Some guy from Brandon was supposed to aerate the greens. For some reason he was starting at 3:00 pm and going until 8:00 pm. Scott Maynes told me this a couple of weeks ago. I told him not to tell anyone else until closer to the actual date. I have crisis management training. I knew that it was a bad idea to incite the masses prematurely.

At the end of the evening, with some trepidation, I gathered the courage to tell the others. They took it remarkably well. Some instinctively started comforting their friends. There were some tears on cheeks and the occasional cry of frustration. Yet despite the despair, people were doing okay.

Then like many traumatic situations, there was a glimmer of hope. It was suggested we switch Mens' Night to another evening. First I heard "Let's do Thursday". Then a voice, similar to mine, said "No, Stephen has a board meeting then. What about Tuesday?" Quickly there was consensus and Mens' Night was saved. The tears stopped flowing and the sobbing waned.

But wait. Mild panic arose when we realized we didn't clear the night switch with clubhouse management. Even though Butch was present during the previous discussion, we didn't ask him if it was okay. Cautiously I approached him, nervously explaining the situation and asking if we could have golf on Tuesday. Butch replied with "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it. They are aerating on Thursday instead, you can have it on the regular night".

Suddenly cheers erupted from the crowd behind me. Plastic glasses and beer cans met in mid air to toast our good fortune. High fives and hugs ensued. I just stared dumbfounded looking at Butch. Why didn't he tell us sooner. We could have lost someone,

I quickly worked past my feelings of anger while looking at the happy faces that filled the club house. There was Brad Benton, smiling and telling stories of how he teamed with the dummy card to win two skins ($20 on #7, $20 on #9). The tears on Robin Kimpinski's face were replaced by laughter as he and Jason Gorrell recounted the skins they won together on #1 ($20) and #8 ($31.50). Even the normally stone-faced Scott Martin seemed happy as he congratulated Brett Griffin on their shared $20 skin on #6.

With Mens' Night saved, we were free to celebrate with Ron Anderson and Brad Benton who were closest to the pins on #5 and #9. We even cheered for Brad when we discovered that his two on #9 won him a share of the $28.50 deuce pot with Ian Paterson.

The evening wrapped up with many of us sharing our feelings about the crisis that was averted...and pledging to return next Wednesday at 6:00 pm to support each other further.