Thanks for a great year!

I am pretty sure the image above is intended for Christmas holidays...but it is fitting as our 2016 Men's Night season draws to a close.

I will quickly do a recap of this past week before taking some time to remember some of the neat things that happened on Wednesdays this spring, summer, and early fall.

Wednesday was our final Men's Night. While only 10 golfers made it was still a fun way to wrap up the year.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Dan Stokes / Stephen David ($20 on #1), Austin Hunter / Wes Arnfinson ($20 on #3, $20 on #6), and Joe Shwaluk / Brad Benton ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Dan on #5 and Joe on #9. There were no deuces recorded.

So with this Wednesday duly noted, here are some of the interesting happenings of 2016:
- Our season started on April 27 and went to September 28, spanning 23 weeks.
- We had two rain outs...some extremely hot days, some lightning, and a tornado warning.
- Brad Benton edged out Scott Maynes on the last night of the ringer board.
- There were multiple nights when no one recorded closest to on a par 3.
- Robin Kimpinski helped us add the word "emu" to the golf bird-related lexicon.
- I won the season money title, sneaking past Blake Hunter in the final two weeks.
- There were 50 people who won money during the season.
- We didn't have a single night with more than 40 golfers.
- Scott Martin scored the deuce of the year with a 95 yard shot on #2 back in May.
- High score for the year was a 63. That's nine maxes.

Thanks to everyone who came out during the season and thanks to the Club House crew for taking care of us on Wednesdays. Finally, thanks to our wives and significant others for finding ways to fill their Wednesday evenings alone without us. We are going to be home now for the winter. Like us, you'll probably be counting down the days until golf begins again in 2017.

Next year I predict two nights of 50 golfers, two holes in one, and an April 19th start.

Until next year...take care and remember...there's always the Golf Channel.

That was an odd one

The picture above is from a classic episode of Seinfeld called "Bizarro Jerry", The plot references a comic book character named Bizarro who is the polar opposite of Superman. In the Seinfeld version, the gang meets a group of people who are their exact opposites.

It was sort of an odd Mens' Night this week. I am not sure if it was a Bizarro Mens' Night but it seemed a little off.

The weather was reasonable but only 11 golfers showed up. It was even too damp likely to farm but none of those guys played.

One team comprised of Scott Maynes and Blake Hunter won three skins. This doesn't usually happen, even on nights with low attendance. The Maynes and Hunter train was on a roll winning $20 on three separate holes, #1, 2, and 5. They were also the closest to the holes on the par 3's with Blake hitting it tight on #5 and Scott being closest on #9.

There were two deuces, but by the same person. This rarely occurs. Good job Scott Maynes.

Jason Hunter didn't play. He usually is a die hard. I have to assume that he was kidnapped or was on jury duty.

Brad Benton was in the high pot, which almost is never the case. He still won a skin on #3 with Robin Kimpinski for $20.

I had the good fortune of pairing with the dummy card which had never happened to me before. In the end I won two skins on my own, including $77 on #6 and $20 on #8.  A high single winner is rare. Not everyone who pairs with the deuce pot gets lucky. Even odder was the fact that I was the middle score on the evening. The dummy card that I ended up with was a reproduction of my own card.

The $97 combined was the highest individual one-week total of the year, edging out the $95.25 won by Blake Hunter back on June 15th.

These wins put my season money total to $253.50 moving me ahead of Blake  who sits in second at $244.13. Blake had an amazing run of 14 weeks in first place.

Ronin Kimpisnksi also moved to $219 in winnings for the year. This is the first time that I recall we had three people over $200 for the season.

Too bad one of the odd events wasn't a hole in one. Our last one was recorded by Dale Watson on July 25th, 2012. That was 1522 days ago. Currently we have two separate pots capped at $1500 and a third currently at $331. That's over $3300 awaiting a couple of lucky shots. Maybe it will happen on Wednesday.

The Club House closes after this Sunday but we have still lined up staff for one final Mens' Night on Wednesday. After that we will shut it down for another season and start counting the days to next year.

Good bad shots

I have been talking a lot about good bad shots lately. It may be reflective of the current state of my game. I would like to think that it is more indicative of my generally optimistic approach to things.

I have used the phrase "A good bad shot is better than a bad good shot" on multiple occasions in recent weeks. It seems that people with whom I have played have had their fair share of good luck as of late. I have also benefitted from some good bounces on fairways. I have witnessed long putts that should not go in somehow change direction and fall in the hole.  I have had at least a half dozen shots in the past month go 20-30 feet into the bush before somehow hitting the right tree at the right angle and coming out safely. When anything of these things happen you feel grateful, happy, and lucky. Quickly your dismay from a seemingly bad shot is erased with the relief of good fortune or a good break.

Contrast this with the bad good shot. Who hasn't hit a seemingly great tee shot down the middle of the third hole before watching it take that 90 degree bounce into the high grass on the right. And what about that perfect birdie putt from six feet that somehow hits the cup so that the ball kicks out six feet sideways and results in two more putts for bogey. Then there is a demoralizing sprinkler head shot common in small town golf courses. Those round pieces of metal are barely noticed until you hit that 150 yard approach that seems like it could be tight...and then it hits the sprinkler head and flies way over the green into the bush.

Most golfers have great memories about their good shots but seem to forget their good fortune. They lament how their round was spoiled by a bad hop or a lost ball that shouldn't have been. Few of us talk about how their round was saved by a members bounce or a couple of putts that we had no business making.

I prefer hearing from those golfers who shot a 45 while admitting that it should have been a 50.  I try not to roll my eyes when I hear others say they shot 38 but are disappointed because it should have been 36. I wonder if they truly feel disappointed in their round or if they just want to tell others that they are even better than their score suggests.

Driving on the fifth hole yesterday, I passed a gentleman searching for a ball hit from the eight tee. He quickly stated that he was looking for his brother's ball again. I assume he didn't want a stranger to think he hit an errant shot. I replied by suggesting that he look on the green because I had hit a similar errant shot on multiple occasions. I wanted the stranger to know that what his brother did wasn't so uncommon.

This past Wednesday, we had 16 golfers.  I shot a 42 which was about right. I had a couple of bad good shots evened out by a few good bad shots. I likely didn't deserve to break 40. I also wouldn't have deserved to be over 45.

Blake Hunter had enough good shots to card a 38 which was the low round of the evening.  He  had consecutive birdies on 6, 7, and 8. He also cashed in for two skins with Jason Gorrell. They won $20 on #7 and $34 on #8. Blake's additions to his season money total put him back in first place ahead of Robin Kimpinski.

Skins went on two other holes. Neuf and Ian got $20 for their efforts on #3 while Scott Maynes and Wes Arfinson won $44 for #5.  Scott's tee shot on the par 3 fifth was good for closest to for the evening.

Sonny Blackbird scored the only 2 of the evening to win the $54 deuce pot. I had a birdie putt on #9 stop at the edge of the hole which would have tied Sonny. That was a bad good shot. However, I hit a less than perfect tee shot that somehow stopped eight feet from the hole. It was good for closest to the hole for the night. That was a good bad shot...so I can't complain.

The forecast for Wednesday looks promising...15 Celsius and sunny which would be pretty darn good for September 21.  If you can't make it because of farming or work or family commitments, I wish you well in doing whatever it is that you will be doing. If you don't want to come because that forecast is too cool for you, imagine how you will feel in a couple of months.

6 - 1 = 5

Three Septembers ago, I wrote a blog entry entitled "Seven Alone" which noted a cold and damp evening in which only 7 golfers showed up for Mens' Night.

This past week it was more like the Final 5. While we did not get enough for an official Mens' Night, we did play 9 holes in the cold and the steady rain. Thanks to Jason Hunter, Neuf, Brad Benton, and Blake Hunter for the round.

We actually started with 6 but Sonny Blackbird didn't have any rain gear. He hit a pretty good tee shot on 5, then went home. For what it's worth, I have his ball in my bag.

Thanks also to Bev Eastcott-Leach who hung around in the Club House for when we finished around 8:00 pm.

Just for the record, it was Robin Kimpinski, Brad Benton, Jason Hunter, Wes Arnfinson, Dan Stokes, Milt, and I who comprised the 7 three years ago.

This Wednesday looks much more promising with the weather. Remember we need 10 golfers to make it an official Mens' Night. See you at 6:00 pm for tee-off.

NHL Hat Auction

Even though this blog is supposed to be a weekly chronicle of what happens at Mens' Night, occasionally I do some general golf club promotion.

So I would like to take a moment to tell you about the NHL Hat Auction fundraiser that we are planning for October 7th.

Following a supper, hats from all NHL teams will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Payouts are awarded at the end of the season to division winners, the Presidents Cup recipient, and the Stanley Cup champion. There is even a prize for the last place team in the regular season.  More information will follow as we get closer to the event.

Now back to the regular Mens' Night stuff.

This past week we had only 20 golfers. Most of the people in the agricultural industry were busy combining or providing services to farmers.

Skins went on five foles. Winners included Sonny Blackbird / Wes Arnfinson ($20 on #1), Jason Gorrell / Brad Lucy ($20 on #2), Stephen David / Blake Cramer ($103.50 on #3), Terry Brandon / Robin Kimpinski ($20 on #7), and Brad Benton / Ron Huberdeau ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Brad Benton on #5 and Scott Maynes on #9. There were no deuces recorded by them or anyone else.

Remember we are now at 6:00 pm tee offs. Mens' Night will continue as long as the weather and numbers permit. This coming Wednesday will be our 20th so far this season.

The Ringer Board is won

Congratulations to Brad Benton who sealed up the ringer board with his par on the 5th hole. Brad finished at -7 in a tie with Chris and Robin Kimpinski. His win was by virtue of a countback. He and Chris both birdied nine but Brad also birdied 8.

The final standings are as follows:

   First flight:
      1. Brad Benton
      2. Chris Kimpinski
      3. Robin Kimpinski

   Second flight:
      1. Jason Hunter
      2. Stephen David

There were 18 golfers on Wednesday. I guess the risk of funnel clouds scares some people.

Skins went on four holes but only to two teams. Scott Martin and Doug Koroscil combined for $20 on #2 and $20 on #9.  Terry Brandon and John Gill cashed in for $85.50 on #4 as well as $20 on #7.

Terry Brandon had four birdies on way to a 35 which was the low round for the evening.

Closest to the pins were Les Grills on #5 and Sonny Blackbird on #9. Only Les converted the birdie for sole possession of the $27 deuce pot.

With the earlier sunsets we are moving the start time to 6:00 pm effective this Wednesday. See you then for the final day of August golf.

Ringer board ends Wednesday!

Your last chance to enter scores for the ringer board is this Wednesday, August 24th. Any open holes after this week get recorded as triple bogies.

Currently, Scott Maynes sits in first place with -8. He still needs to enter a score for the fourth hole.

Chris and Robin Kimpinski are the club house leaders, having locked in all of their holes for -7. If the ringer board wrapped up right now, Chris would edge out Robin based upon a countback. Chris birdied hole 9 whereas Robin only had a par.

Brad Benton also sits at -7 with the 5th hole remaining.

Last week there were 35 golfers. Skins went on four holes. Winners included Ashley Brandon / Wes Arnfinson ($44.50 on #1), Phil Ostash / Dion Brandon ($20 on #2), Chris Kimpinski / Doug Koroscil ($20 on #7), and Tim Siegle / Joe Shwaluk ($33.50 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Doug Koroscil on #5 and Blake Hunter on #9. Neither converted their birdies.

The $51.00 deuce pot was split by Joe Shwaluk, Chris Kimpinski, and Ashley Brandon.

Thanks to Dan Stokes and Joe Shwlauk for looking after things in my absence.

This week will be the final one that starts at 6:30 pm. As of August 31st we will go to a 6:00 pm start.

Olympic Golf...not a big fan

I just watched some Olympic volleyball. I have been following swimming including the multiple medal performance of Canadian Penny Oleksiuk. I will try to catch Usain Bolt tomorrow evening in the 100 metre final. I have even watched some diving and a little gymnastics. But I could care less about the golf.

Maybe it is because a lot of the big names have opted out. Maybe it's due to it being a new sport in the Games. Maybe it's because it is not really a team format. I'm not sure. I just could care less.

There are lots of neat stories happening throughout the Games but nothing is really coming from golf. Maybe if Ricky Fowler walked into a sofa in a bunker...I would be more interested. Or if all of a sudden then greens turned red from too much fertilizer. I would definitely tune in then.

Right now it seems like it will be either Henrik Stenson or Justin Rose will get  the gold.  I guess I am sort of cheering for Bubba Watson. By cheering I mean hoping that he does terribly tomorrow and drops from fourth to about 15th. The final round is tomorrow but I would rather be golfing than watching this on TV.

There were 33 golfers this past week. That's six more than 27 which is how many Olympic medals Michael Phelps has in his career.

The gold medallist for Mens' Night was Robin Kimpinski who carded a 34. That was the first medal for Ipswich during these Games. They were in the field for the Jack and Jill on Thursday before Tracy unexpectedly dropped out of the competition.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Blake Hunter / Joel Ostash ($20 on #2), Stephen David / Dave Gill ($27.50 on #5), Sonny Blackbird / Barry Twerdun ($20 on #7), and Robin Kimpinski ($67.50 on #8 all by himself).  Robin's big win allowed him to jump to first in the season money list, just slightly ahead of Blake Hunter.

Closest to the pins were Dave Gill on #5 and Terry Brandon on #9. Both converted their deuces to share the $49.50 deuce pot.

There were no hole in ones at Mens' Night. There have been two at the Olympics this week.

There are only two more weeks remaining to post ringer board scores.  Any holes not locked in by the end of the evening on August 24th will be recorded as triple bogies.

Have fun this week. I will be in Hecla for the second time this summer. I think Maynes and Gorrell are away as well...so someone please help Dan Stokes do the cards and prizes.

Don't Mess with Lightning!

Some golfers are of the fair-weather variety, preferring warm, dry conditions with little wind. Others will golf in anything.  I pride myself in being an any-weather golfer. I have played in cold, sleet, rain, high winds, and even once snow. However, even the hardiest of golfers draw the line at lightning.

Last Wednesday, a couple of holes into our Mens' Night round, the 22 golfers in attendance took shelter around the course as the sky opened up. The heavy rain that fell for 30 minutes or so was accompanied by some loud booms and bright flashes. This wasn't surprising given the forecast which warned of a severe thunderstorm with the possibility of a tornado for our area. Fortunately, we didn't get the tornado.

After the delay, the golf resumed and the weather was actually quite nice for both man and mosquito. While the round finished a little later than usual, it was a quick wrap up given that there was no time for anyone to play extra holes.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Scott Maynes / Mike Susinski ($43 on #2), Jason Hunter / Robin Kimpinski ($25.50 on #7), and Kevin Bartram / Keith Martin ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Sonny Blackbird on #5 and Brad Benton on #9. Only Brad converted the birdie to share the $33 deuce pot with Cubby and Mike Susinski.

Scott Maynes birdied the 6th hole to go to -8 on the ringer board. Brad Benton's birdie on 9 puts him at -7. There are three more nights to place scores on the board...August 10, 17, and 24.

When searching for a picture for this week's blog I looked online using the phrase "golfers and lightning". I was struck (forgive the pun) by some of the images. There were cracks and holes in greens, burning trees, and one shot of a pull cart completely destroyed by a lightning strike. A picture of that cart is shown below.

I also read that in North America, around five percent of annual lightning deaths and injuries happen on golf courses. Lightning seeks the path of least resistance on its way to the ground, and the human body is an extremely good conductor due to the body’s large percentage of water.

The official rules of golf allow players to discontinue play if they believe there is a danger from lightning. No other sport has any regulations relating to lightning.

I also learned a couple of things about golf and lightning that contradicted my previously held beliefs. Firstly, you should get away from your cart when lightning strikes. I always thought one was safe with the four rubber tires beneath you. Secondly, I have joked that one can hit a graphite driver during lightning but not a metal iron. Then I read that many lightning rods are made of graphite.

See you Wednesday. If there is a rumble in the sky or a flash on the horizon, I'll probably be waiting it out inside of the club house. Interestingly, as I write this early Monday evening, there are some booms coming from the sky. I think that I will get away from my computer and read a book or something.

Mens' Night...Always Improving

At the end of this blog, I am going to make a couple of suggestions to help improve our collective Mens' Night experience. You can think of them as tips to make our Wednesday's even better.

There were 27 golfers this past week. This number included 9-10 guys who showed up that rarely play.

Despite some soft conditions the scoring was not what one would have expected. The middle score was 46 which is the highest that I can recall. There were also 8-9 of the 27 scores above 50.

Skins went on four holes. Winners' included Scott Maynes / Wes Arnfinson ($20 on #1), Kevin Bartram / Robin Kimpinski ($32 on #5, $32 on #6), and Jason Hunter / Stephen David ($40 on #9).

Closest to the pin on #5 was Ron Huberdeau and on #9 was Robin Kimpinski. Robin converted his birdie to share the $43.50 deuce pot with Jason Hunter.

Scott Maynes added another birdie to move to the lead in the ringer board with -7.

I think for my first suggestion for improvement I will encourage each of you to bring a friend this week. Our numbers this year have been okay but unspectacular. We have yet to even break 40. The odd thing is we have not had big numbers even on days where the weather was perfect. I guess lots of people are busy doing lots of other things.

My next suggestion is to make sure you pay to play. We seem to be consistently short on the collection at the end of the night. This past week we should have $228 paid and only had $224. It seems that every week we are anywhere from $4 - 10 down. One week we were $22 less than what we should be. Please make sure to pay your $8 and don't take more change than you should.  It may not seem like much but over the course of a season that could mean $100 - 150 less revenue than expected. We operate on an honour system and depend on the collective good will of everyone to make it work.

While I am giving people some direction, I would also ask people to make an effort to turn in their cards when they are done the Mens' Night round. I appreciate that there are lots of big ties for snips that need to be broken. That being said, it only takes a couple of minutes to write down your snips and then drop off the card. Not everyone wants to wait around while people play 1,2 or 5, 6 extra holes. This past week, we had one group 20 minutes late followed by another 15 minutes later.

Too Hot for Golf?

A country song from the 90's included a catchy series of lyrics. The singer, Mark Chestnutt, laments how it is "It’s too hot to fish and too hot for golf and too cold at home".

I can't speak of the fishing because I am not much of an angler. My daughter has more experience than me in this regard but she uses chopped up smokies as bait. Perhaps some people might say my house is too cold. I do like it rather cool. In the mornings my windows have condensation on them and my wife seems to always have a sweater or a blanket as a covering.

But could it actually be too hot for golf? Some might say so but I would disagree. Take this past Wednesday for example with it's plus 30 Celsius temperature and humidex near 40. That was nice golfing weather as far a I am concerned.

Sure the clothes got a little sticky. Yes, you had to work a bit to keep your hands dry. But come on. It was a beautiful day. You just needed to stay hydrated. Days like this that require lots of liquid are great for the golf course sales.

I did enjoy the shade when it came and occasionally a light breeze provided some much appreciated cooling. But I would take 22 similar days for a season of Mens' Night and trade in any of those times it rained...or maybe a few of those single digit temperature evenings at the start and end of the season.
I spend enough time looking at the window in the winter at that frigid Manitoba landscape to complain about heat in the summer.

Wednesday even played like rainy day conditions without the rain. The high heat and humidity made the golf course play a little longer because it was damp and soft. The fairways and greens were way more receptive. This made them essentially wider and bigger because your shots didn't bounce into trouble as much.

These nice conditions were definitely good for Brad Benton who carded the low round of the evening with a sizzling 34.  Brad has been the low scorer on previous occasions. If I forget to mention this he complains so I am going out of my way to note it this time. In case you don't know him, here's a picture of Brad. If you see him on the street or at his restaurant tell him "Nice 34 Brad Benton". He'll appreciate it.

While I usually only reference things that happen during the official round, I would like to acknowledge Scott Maynes' practice round when he missed a birdie putt on the last hole but still finished with a 32. Good job Scotty.

It was our 14th Mens' Night of the year. To date, we have had 42 people who have won cash and put themselves on the season money list.

There were 35 golfers this week. Skins only went on two holes. Luke Funk and Brad Benton won $20 on #1 while Rob Eastcott and Dave Gill earned $20 on #7.

Dan Stokes was closest to the pin on #5 while Jamie McCutchin was tightest on #9. Both converted their birdies for the only twos of the night. They split the $52.50 deuce pot.

Brad added a birdie on #1 to go to -6 on the ringer board. That ties him with leader Scott Maynes.

Of course, our 6th annual Horse Race tournament is tomorrow. The weather forecast switched from pretty dismal to maybe not so bad. There may still be some rain but it will likely occur as a heavy but short downpour. Although I would be happy if it stays dry, or at least only rains until 8:50 am and maybe again from 1:00 - 1:20 pm. Even better would be no rain...and maybe plus 30 Celsius temperature with a humidex near 40

Horse Race on Saturday

Our 6th annual horse race tournament is this Saturday, July 23rd. Information about the event is found on the left side of our webpage.

To date we only have 25 golfers registered. Normally we get 45-55. Please check the list to see if you notice anyone who I playing that is not included.

To register, please email Stephen David at sdavid@mts.net or text at 847-0161.

Missing Golf

I don't miss Mens' Night very often...maybe once per year on average. I usually am among the diehards that are never away, no matter the reasons or conditions. However, I have already been absent three times this year. Once was for a family function, another time I was on a golf trip, and this past week I was camping. I enjoyed each of these things immensely...but each of those Wednesday's I was away, at around 6:30 pm, I wished I was back in Shoal Lake.

Part of the reason I hate to miss is I hate to miss anything. It always seems on those rare occasions during which I am away something noteworthy occurs.

This past week was no exception. The threat of rain seemed to scare off almost everyone with only 16 golfers making an appearance. Low numbers bode well for skins and Jamie McCutchin and Brad Benton took advantage winning three holes. Their collective wins on #2, 4, and 6 won them $130.

Skins went on three other holes. Winners included Dale Martin / Ron Susinski ($20 on #1), Scott Martin / Lyle Wilson ($20 on #5), and Kevin Bartram / Jason Hunter ($20 on #7).

Scott Maynes had a hot hand on the par 3's with closest to the holes on both. He converted both birdies for 2/3 of the deuce pot. Dale Martin scored the other two for the final 1/3 share.

Scott's two birdies vaulted him into the lead on the ringer board with a score of -6. Brad Benton moved up one spot to -5 to tie for second place with Scott Martin.

For any fairweather golfers, the forecast looks incredible for Wednesday. Hopefully 30 Celsius and sunny can help us boost our numbers.

The Ace Has Been Caught

I thought I would be writing about some guy in a blue shirt and his hole-in-one. Instead I will start with a shout-out to Robin Kimpinski, who had his number picked and then found that elusive ace-of-spades. His prize was 50% of the pot which gave him $2119. Being the nice guy that he is, he promptly bought everyone a round...before buying Dan another drink because I drank his.

I am writing this fairly quickly after Mens' Night...and fairly early in the morning. I could have done it two hours ago when I first awoke. I have this medical condition that causes me to wake up really early on golf days. One morning on a recent golf trip I got up at 4:18 am. Today is the Fundraiser tournament which is a lot of fun...so I woke early. On a positive note, I have already eaten and cleaned my golf cart.

There were 30 golfers on Wednesday with several of them winning prizes. While none were as big as the Chase the Ace, there still were some good wins.

Skins fell on all but two holes. Winners included Brad Lucy / Joel Ostash ($20 on #1 and $31.50 on #6), Robbie Eastcott / Charlie McNabb ($31.50 on #3), Austin Hunter / Jason Gorrell ($20 on #5 and $47.00 on #7), Blake Hunter / Chris Kimpinski ($75 on #8), and Stephen David / Kyler Demond ($47 on #9).

Blake's win pushed him to $176.13 on the money list which is about $100 more than the five guys closest to him. Last year Jason Gorrell had won $205.50 at this point enroute to setting the single season money record of $351.50.

Robin had the only deuce of the evening for sole possession of the $45 pot. Closest to the pins were Blake Cramer on #5 and Jason Hunter on #9.

That's it for this week. I have to head down to the course soon to help with the set-up for the tournament. Enjoy your day and your weekend.

Let the Summer Begin

I am someone who says that summer is not about a date on the calendar...that it begins once the weather warms up and you can get outside.

That being said, there is something special about this seventh month of the year. For starters, July is a month of golf tournaments. There is the Fundraiser this Friday, the Horse Race on the 23rd, the Seniors on the 26th and the Credit Union on the 28th. The weather always is hotter and dryer in July which is ideal for golf. It even seems the wind dies down a bit and golfers get to experience the euphoria of hitting balls without gusts from in front, behind, or beside them.

Mens' Night always seems better in July. We get bigger turnouts as farmers are a little less busy and others have vacation time. Visitors come to spend time with family and friends and sometimes join them for some Wednesday golf. Also, people tend to stay out a little later and occasionally there is a friendly game of cards at the end of the evening.

Even though last week was June 29th, it still had the air of a July evening. We hit our season high with 33 players and conditions were ripe for scoring. Brad Benton took advantage scoring a very solid 35.

With lots of golfers comes more pushes on skins. Only two holes went, with Austin Hunter / Mike Susinski winning $20 on #1 and Luke Funk / Jamie McCutchin cashing in for $84.50 on #5.

It should be noted that the skin on #1 was won with a combined -3 score thanks to Mike's birdie and Austin's eagle.

Austin's deuce was one of four on the night. He shared the $48.50 deuce pot with his dad Blake, Darcy Kowalchuk, and Jason Hunter.

Darcy was closest to the pin on #5, hitting it to inside of two feet. No one recorded a closest on #9.

My prediction for this week is 40 golfers and a hole-in-one by someone wearing a blue shirt. I know what colour I will be wearing.

If you don't make it for Wednesday, hopefully we will see you at the Fundraiser on Friday. If not, enjoy the start to the best month of the year.

 

Night of the birdie

For the second week in a row we had 31 golfers on Mens' Night. That's a good number but we expect we will soon burst out with a 45-50 player night. Maybe next week.

Conditions were great for scoring. It was sunny and warm and the greens were soft and receptive from early morning rain. There were stories of birdies from all over the course by all kinds of guys.

The term birdie comes from the early 20th century American slang term "bird", meaning anything excellent. Eagle, a score of two under par for a given hole, was clearly the extension of the theme of birds for good scores from a birdie. Albatross, of course, is the term for three under par and is a continuation of the birdie and eagle theme, but is in fact a British term. Three under par is a very rare score and an albatross is a very rare bird. Finally, there is the term "emu" which represents a score of 15 over par for a nine hole round. It was first coined on Thursday in Ipswich, Manitoba.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Luke Funk / Keith Martin ($69.00 on #1), Pete Ostash / Joe Shwaluk ($20 on #2), Scott Martin ($20 on #3), and Stephen David / James G. ($43.50 ON #6).

Scott Martin also posted two more scores on the ringer board to go to the lead at -5 for the season. Brad Benton and Wes Arnfinson are one stroke behind at -4.

Closest to the pins were Jason Gorrell on #5 and Ken Ostash on #9. Gorrell converted his putt to split the $46.50 deuce pot with Pete Ostash and Scott Martin.

Golf rules and penalties

I wasn't at Mens' Night last week. That's why my blog entry is a bit late. I missed playing because I was on a golf trip at Hecla. The course there was in excellent condition, the hotel was great, the weather was perfect, and the deal was awesome.

Given that I was out of town, I can only report the stats of Wednesday. Thanks to Scott Maynes and company for taking care of things in my absence.

I thought I would say a few words on golf penalties after watching what happened to Dustin Johnson yesterday at the US Open. In case you missed it, while Dustin was hovering his putter behind the ball, the ball moved toward him. At the end of the round the USGA gave him a one stroke penalty. He still won despite this.

I will admit that I have on occasion touched my ball prior to putting and caused it to move. I know it is a penalty but usually anyone who is playing with you says not to worry about it. There really is no advantage. It's more of an embarrassment. If someone told me to take a stroke I might do so...but only after I used profanity toward them. But if a ball that I wasn't even touching rolled toward me, I would blame the slope of the green, the wind, or Milt. No way I am adding that one to my tally.

To be fair, while we are competitive enough on Mens' Night we do occasionally take liberties with the rules. It might be fairer to say that we have adjusted rules for speed of play and in the spirit of friendly competition.

For starters, if someone is starting to address their tee shot and the ball falls off the tee, we tell them to hit it again.  Lots of people play winter rules on the fairways even though it is the summer. A few guys adjust their putting line to avoid dead spots. No matter how badly you butcher a hole on a Wednesday, you max out at a triple bogey. People take practice putts away from the hole after they have finished. On occasion, drops from hazards or from the bushes are estimated rather than measured. All of these are USGA rules violations.

There were 31 golfers last week. I am sure that they all enjoyed a good evening while honouring the integrity of the game. Hopefully none of them broke any rules that gave them an unfair advantage.

Skins went on four holes. Ron Huberdeau won a solo $20 for #2 while Joel Ostash teamed with Tim McWhirter for $20 on #7. The big winners of the evening were the dynamic duo of Blake Hunter and Ron Anderson who cashed in for $81 on #3 and another $53.50 on #9.

The closest to the pins were Brendan Brown on #5 and Daryl McCharles on #9. Daryl converted his birdie to share the $84 deuce pot with Chris Kimpinski and Blake Hunter.

Blake's total winnings for the evening was $95.25, bringing his season total to almost $120. Milt trails in second with $79.50.

Brad Benton still tops the ringer board at -4 with Scott Martin, Neuf, and Wes Arnfinson a stroke behind at -3.

Our second hole-in-one pot maxed out, so we now have two at $1500 and a third at $13 and climbing.

In search of a hole in one...or two

Our second hole-in-one pot will likely hit the $1500 level at which we cap the prizes. After this we will have two $1500 prizes and start building a third. If one or more aces occur on one evening they will split the first pot. If the following week has another hole-in-one, then the second pot will be available to them.

We have not had an ace in a few years since Dale Watson scored on  #5. We are definitely due and I predict it will happen soon. If I had to guess, it will be on the ninth hole with a pitching wedge by a guy with glasses.

There were 25 golfers on Wednesday. It was a beautiful evening  but the threat of thunder showers and a less than promising forecast likely kept some people away.

Skins only went on three holes this past week. Winners included Neuf / Keith Martin ($25 on #2), Dan Stokes ($20 on #4), and Milt / Dale Watson ($20 on #7). The third hole will likely be worth $80 or so this week.

With his win on #7, Milt moved into the lead on the season money list at $79.50...just ahead of Brad Benton's $78.00.

Closest to the holes were record by Ken Wowryk on #5 and Doug Koroscil on #9. Neither they nor anyone else recorded a deuce.

Jason is better than Robin

I didn't go the Mens' Night last week. I do know that Jason Gorrell had the lowest score. Also, I know that Robin Kimpinski didn't. I know these things because that is what Jason told me when I asked him how Mens' night went.

Later when I asked additional questions I discovered that there were 25 golfers, which was way better than the seven the previous week.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Scott Maynes / Wes Arnfinson ($25.50 on #4) and Darren Ostash / Dale Martin ($20 on #7). Joel Ostash and Mike Susinski combined for two wins cashing in for $20 on both #6 and 8.

Closest to the pins were Wes Arnfinson on #5 and Jason Neufeld on #9. Both converted their birdies to get a share of the $37.50 deuce pot along with Darcy Kowalchuk.

That's all I have for this week. Stay tuned for next week's column when I updated you on the Gorrell / Kimpinski rivalry. I think Jay has to give him ten strokes this Wednesday.

Rained out

For the first time in a long we did not have Mens' Night. It technically was not a cancellation. We just didn't get enough guys. We got up to seven golfers and had a soft commitment from an eighth, but we did not get the requisite ten players needed.

We texted and called everyone we could think of to fill out the slate but no one was interested. It is amazing what a solid day of rain can do to deter even the most avid golfers. On a positive note it was some much needed precipitation for farmers, gardeners, and homeowners.

All the skins carry over until next week which is the first day of June. Have fun. Scott Martin and I will be at the school Band Concert...which I know will be awesome.

Happy long weekend!

My shortest blog entries are when I have something going on that limits my time. It's a long weekend and the weather is nice already...so I am just going to do a quick update and get outside.

Among the 26 golfers on Wednesday, several were making their first appearance of the season. I heard lots of guys finished seeding already so that is promising for next week.

Skins went on 4 holes. Winners included Rob Eastcott / Bob Moffatt ($20 on #2), Blake Hunter / Chris Kimpinski ($20 on #6), Dan Stokes / Brad Benton ($46 on #7), and Stephen David / Jason Gorrell ($29.50 on #8).

Closet to the holes were Brad on #5 and Joe Shwaluk on #9. Neither converted the deuce. The only two of the evening went to Darcy Kowalchuk who chipped in on #9 for $39.

Scott Martin recorded a birdie on #1 to move to the top of the ringer board standing with Brad at -3.

Brad moved to the top of the season money list while last year's top winner, Jason Gorrell, recorded his first cash of the year.

I am done. I need to go clean my cart for an 11:00 am tee off. Have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend.

Optimistic Golf

This entry will be about optimism...which is ironic given the date of the calendar. It is Friday the 13th. To get yourself in the proper mindset, think about how you feel about today. Do you think it is cool that it's the 13th or did you wake up expecting bad things to happen?

I get called an optimist quite often. This past week was no exception. Despite a less than ideal weather forecast for Mens' Night, I  kept texting people with my perceived good news. I noted how the drizzle was probably going to stop before golf began and resume after we finished. I mentioned how the temperatures were going to be warmer than initially projected. Several people who responded noted my optimism. Some seemed to suggest that I was delusional. One or two noted that I was crazy and stated how there was no way that they would golf on such a night.

I even had an interesting moment during the round that epitomized my take on things. On the 8th tee when I almost missed my ball. I grazed it and it rolled two feet from the tee. My first reaction was to laugh, walk to my cart and get a 3 wood, while saying "At least I can still make par".

For the record, I didn't par that hole...but I thought I was going to do so. I should also mention that it was pretty cold out and we did end up getting a little wet. But who cares? We got to hit some golf balls, hang out with some friends, and have a couple of beverages. I went home at the end of the evening a little damp, a little cold, somewhat tired, but pretty darn happy. I expect a few others felt it was one of the worst nights ever.

I have trouble with those who should be playing a game who spend more time golfing than complaining. If you are one of those people try a little experiment next time. Try to note the good things that happen during the round. Don't get hung up on the fact that it isn't as warm as you'd like. Don't lament the wind that blows shots off line, the bad bounces on the green, the lip outs, or the double bogeys. Just be happy that winter is finally over and you get to whack a little white ball around a great little golf course in our small town.

I expect the relationship between optimist and pessimists is similar to that between extroverts and introverts. Opposites that can't figure out why the other takes the perspective that they do. I know when I am around people with a less than rosy outlook on things, I try first to encourage them, before invariably just letting them do their thing while thinking something is slightly off within them.

Pessimists complain that it is only 9 degrees outside. Optimists talk about how that's better than 8 degrees. Pessimists are scorecard watchers who point out how the one errant shot or one bad hole attributed to their less than stellar performance. Optimists are ringer board people. They can have a string of triples leading up to a hole but know that just one birdie gives them a chance to lock in another score.

Of the 11 people that actually showed up on Wednesday in less than ideal conditions, I have to assume the majority were optimists. When we finished, everyone seemed to be smiling...although a few were less than happy with their final score.

Sonny Blackbird and Brad Benton were happy, having won two skins for a combined $60 on #1 and 4. Milt won a skin alone on #5 for $27.50 after pairing with the dummy card. The final skin of the evening fell on #6 to Robin Kimpinski and Dan Stokes who won $20 for their efforts.

There were actually two people who hit the par 3's this week, unlike the previous Mens' Night. Brad was closest on #5 and Blake Hunter was best on #9. There were no deuces or hole-in-ones...so that means both pots get bigger next week.

A few more words on the optimism thing before I sign off. You may have heard that people with positive outlooks on life tend to be happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer. If you haven't, it is true. There's actual research to back it up.

By the way, I just heard the Shoal Lake Band Concert is on a Wednesday in June this year. My daughter is in Grade 7 and plays the trumpet...so I will not be at Mens' Night. How lucky am I? I get to hear some awesome music before joining friends for a drink or two after their round of golf. Heck, I bet I even win Chase the Ace!

That's it for this week. See you next Wednesday when the weather will be much warmer and lots more golfers will be out on the course.

Until then, I encourage you all to be the yellow ball.

New Year's Golf

It's another new year of golf, and with it comes the many new things that start any season. Interestingly, the second week of Mens' Night is like the day after the actual new year's eve.

Often the new golf shirts stay on the hanger for the old favourites that are more comfortable and lucky. Our new clubs are no longer bright and shiny and our brand new golf balls may be scuffed a bit and are missing one or two from their original dozen. The shiny golf shoes that you wore the previous week are already breaking in and showing some signs of wear. The healthy bodies that we started with in April are becoming scuffed from trips through the bush looking for balls. Many of us also have a couple of those itchy bumps from the increasingly present wood tics.

But their is still hope and optimism. Those with new clubs are still excited about how great they will play once they figure things out finally. Some of us are finding balls that once belonged to our slick shooting brethren and we quietly enjoy the satisfaction that comes with knowing that even they don't hit it perfectly. We are hoping for a summer of great weather and looking forward to future Mens' Nights, tournaments, and golf trips. Like New Years' Day, we make resolutions about playing better, getting out more often, and enjoying the game even more.

Scott Martin enjoyed the game more this past week. He was the only person under 40, carding a 37. His score was helped by a chip in for a two on #2...from 95 yards. He split the $33 deuce pot with Milt and Hubey who both got their two's on #9.

Mr. Martin also shared the $22 skin on #2 with Carson McLennan. Skins went on three other holes. Jamie McCutchin and Darcy Kowalchuk cashed in for $22 on #6 while Milt and Blake Hunter won twice, on #1 and #9, for a total of $42.

Closet to the pins were Hubey on #5 and Milt on #9. Milt was in the New Year's spirit buying a round...maybe not for the full club house, but at least for his table.

Two weeks in we had the same numbers as the previous week with 22 golfers coming out to play. Many of our friends in the farming industry were off getting their own seasons going. Hopefully they all get their crops in quickly so that we may enjoy even hire numbers in the weeks to come.

While the forecast isn't perfect for this week, don't despair. Remember it is New Years. We need to be as optimistic as possible. Already the predicted precipitation has decreased and they are no longer calling for rainfall but merely showers. Additionally, you need to be selective about where you get you weather information. For example, as of this moment, Environment Canada's site is calling for temperatures 4 degrees warmer than the Weather Network. On behalf of all golfers, let me say "Screw you Weather Network". This Wednesday is going to be awesome...and someone will buy a round for the whole group after they get their $1500 hole-in-one. Just three more sleeps!

Milt's New Slacks

It's finally here...the day we were waiting for all winter. On Wednesday, April 27th, Milt got new golf pants. You can see them in the picture above...still with the sharp creases down the middle of each leg.

Actually the day that most of us were waiting for was the first day of Mens' Night....which occurred this past Wednesday. Last year I predicted an April 20th start. It was 20 Celsius last week but we were not ready at the Club House.

April golf can be interesting for both the rusty players as well as the unpredictable weather. For example, Scott Martin showed up in shorts. When asked about it, he replied that if it was too cold for shorts it was too cold to golf. Approximately 90 minutes later he was wearing a wind suit and a toque.

Twenty-two golfers opened the season with skins going on three holes. Winners included Ian Paterson / Jamie McCutchin ($20 on #5), Mike Susinski / Scott Maynes ($29.50 on #8), and Ron Susinski / Stephen David ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were recorded by Ian Paterson on #5 and nobody on #9. That's right...for the first time that I can remember not a single person hit a green on a par 3 in Mens' Night. I guess we can blame it on the fact that most people were playing for the first time this year. Also, it was really windy.

Ian split the $33 deuce pot with Ron Susinski who chipped in on #9.

Thanks to our closest to the hole sponsors...Kimp Services / Susinski Farms who have looked after #9 for as long as I can recall and the new sponsor of #5 Sandy Lake Locker Plant (Jamie McCutchin).

There are already 10 people signed up for the Ringer Board. Dan Stokes and Robin Kimpinski both posted birdies on #6 while Ian Paterson recorded a birdie on #5. The Ringer Board will run until August 25th so you have the whole spring and summer to lock in scores.

Welcome to our new staff which includes Manager Frances Myhill and wait staff Samantha Ledoux, Hannah Street, and Colten Bell.  We passed a cup and asked people to drop some coins in to tip our new server. Hubey reached in and likely donated $10-15 in coins. I think he had them in his pocket during the round to prevent the wind from lifting him off the ground.

For anyone who is looking for some volunteer work and companionship, we are cleaning up the campground Sunday morning at 10:00 am.  We want to get it ready for season opening. All you need to bring is gloves and a positive attitude...or gloves, a negative attitude, and a cooler of beer.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the golf club or possibly joining the board, the Annual General Meeting is this Monday at 6:30 pm.  Rumour is that Joe Shwaluk will be in attendance.

Let's have a great turnout next Wednesday when the forecast is for 20 Celsius. The steak supper option begins then as well.