Two short

We only had eight golfers last Wednesday.  We require 10 for an official Men's Night.  Thanks to those who made it - Sonny Blackbird, Charles Blackbird, Jason Gorrell, Stephen David, Joe Shwaluk, Jason Neufeld, Blake Hunter, and Brad Benton. Hopefully we get to 10 tomorrow. The forecast looks reasonable for this time of year.

The Club House will be open until October so we will run Men's Night as long as the weather and numbers allow it.

The new lucky number

Lucky 13. In some countries, such as Italy, 13 is considered a lucky number. The expression "fare tredici" ("to do 13") means hit the jackpot.  Thirteen was certainly a lucky number last Wednesday.  With farming in full swing, we were sitting at only eight golfers ten minutes before tee off.  Needing ten for Men's Night, we were lucky when five more showed up to play.  

It was a lucky evening for 6 of the 13 who won prizes.  Barry Bone paired with the dummy to win the $20.00 on #7 and $80.02 on #9.  He also scored a deuce on #9 for $52.53.

Skins went on four other holes.  Stephen David and Sonny Blackbird won holes 1, 2, and 3 valued at $29.39, $20.00, and $49.39 respectively.  The final skin went to Austin Hunter / Jason Gorrell who got $20 for their efforts.

Closest to the holes were Gorrell on #5 and Neuf on #9.

On Friday evening we had a great evening of night golf.  Conditions were ideal and all that turned out seemed to have a fun time.  Thanks to Joe Shwaluk for suggesting this and then coordinating.

A reminder that tee off for Men's Night is 6"00 pm for the remainder of the season.

Hello September...please be nice

Even though it is not completely related to Men's Night, I thought that I would begin by promoting the Night Golf event scheduled for this Friday.   Tee off is at 9:00 pm.  It is a four-person, nine-hole Texas scramble.  Cost is $160 per team / $40 per person.  Registration covers kit to illuminate course as well as six high quality LED balls per team.  The restaurant menu available prior to tee off and beverage cart will be available during round. To register sign up at the Club House or call the golf course at 759-2002.

A few of us attended a similar event in Hamiota a few weeks ago and it was a lot of fun.  The forecast for Friday looks ideal.

There were only 15 golfers last week with harvest in full swing.  Skins went on four holes.  Blake Hunter and Robin Kimpinski teamed up twice, winning $71.89 on #6 and $36.26 on #8.  Other winners included Jason Hunter ($21.26 on #1) and Stephen David / Scott Martin ($20 on #7).

Closest to the pins were Brad Benton on #5 and Jason Hunter on #9.  There were no deuces.

Someone asked me yesterday when will we wrap up the Men's Night season.  Usually it is near the end of the month...dependant on the weather.  I bet we have at least 3 or 4 more weeks to go.

Smoke, night golf, and ringer boards

The picture to the left is a smoky Golf.  Smoky golf has been very common as of late.  This past Wednesday was a bit of a reprieve from the hazy conditions that we have been experiencing for quite some time.  That smoke is back again today.  You can see it out the window and smell it as soon as you step outside.  That's too bad because several of us are of to night golf in Hamiota this evening.

Speaking of night golf, we will be hosting our own such event on Friday, September 7.  The sign up sheet is in the Club House.  Since I am mentioning upcoming events, the final Jack and Jill is scheduled for this Tuesday, August 28th.

On Wednesday, we only had 19 golfers.  This isn't surprising given that harvest is now in full swing in the area.  Skins went on three holes.  Winners included Terry Brandon (#43.76 on #2), Robin Kimpinski / Stephen David ($26.88 on #5), and Dave Reagh / Brad Benton ($26.88 on #7).

Closest to the pins were Brad Benton on #5 and Blake Cramer on #9.  Robin Kimpinski had the only deuce of the night for $35.64.

The ringer board ended this week.  Robin Kimpinski won the first flight and $68 on a countback against Brad Benton.  Both finished at -8 with Brad claiming $34 for second.  Third place for $17 was Scott Maynes at -5.   The second flight winner was Jason Neufeld at -1.  He made $34 for his efforts.  Runner-up in the second flight was Darcy Kowalchuk who got $17 for his even par final score.

One final thing to note...we will start teeing off at 6:00 pm for the remainder of the season.

I miss golf

Some say that the sign of a good summer is that you have been busy and travelling a bit.  By that mark I guess it has been a good one.  However, as the result of being busy I have missed five Men's Nights including last week.  I am definitely looking forward to getting back this week.

It isn't just missing golf that gets me...it's missing Men's Night.  I don't think I am exaggerating when I say that Wednesday is my favourite day of the week from May to September.  I know that there are others who share this sentiment.  It is always fun to get out with the boys and hit some balls, have a few drinks, and share some laughs.

Fortunately I have only been missing golf because of other fun summer activities.  There are others who have been prevented from playing because of doctor's orders, or farming, or because they are building cabins.

There were 24 golfers who didn't miss golf last Wednesday. Skins went on two holes.  Winners included Charles Blackbird / Dion Brandon ($84.38 on #1) and Derek Patterson / Scott Maynes ($84.38 on #4).

Closest to the pins were Mike Zenchyshyn on #5 and Derek Patterson on #9.  The $45.00 deuce pot was split between Dion Brandon and Chris Malchuk.

Finally best of luck to our Men's Night brethern who are involved in the Tamarack Golf Tournament in Clear Lake.  They include Darcy Kowalchuk, Jim Geekie, Bob Moffatt, Sonny Blackbird, Wes Arnfinson, Keith Martin, and Dale Watson.

The dog days of summer - part 2

After starting this week's blog entry, I realized that I wrote about the same theme previously.  I checked some old posts and found that on August 15, 2015, I talked about the dog days of summer, that time of year where we typically have our hottest days.

I think it is okay to occasionally write about the same or similar topic.  However, I recognize that I tend to repeat certain themes in my posts.  This was evident earlier this week.  A golfing partner, who shall remain nameless, was talking about how the summer was almost over.  I reminded him that we had lots of time remaining and asked if he read a recent blog about this exact topic.  He stated "Yes...I read you 15th or 16th post of being optimistic".  He is likely the target audience of my motivational entries but doesn't realize it.

We have had some warm stretches this summer and we are definitely in the middle of one right now.  We are experiencing plus thirty temperatures every day with this Saturday projected in the mid-30's.  That will make for a warm Horse Race.

I read today that a Manitoban climate expert says a higher number of 30 C days is expected to be the new normal for the season in coming years — and the average is only going to rise after that.  As of Thursday, southern Manitoba had already experienced 18 days with a recorded temperature of 30 C or higher, compared with the annual average of 13.3 C, according to Environment Canada.  By Saturday, we will have 20 such days.  We are likely faring better than other places.  Ontario and Quebec have had a heat wave for most of the summer.  The Maritimes just ended several weeks under heat advisory.

This warm weather is great for those of us over 40.  The hot days seem to take care of the muscle and joint pain that can be an issue during cooler weather.  A person with whom I golf has probably used the phrase "hard to gold in these conditions" at least 20 times in the past two weeks.  He is joking of course, because we are all enjoying hot, sunny days with little to no wind.

Two of our over 40 golfers definitely liked the conditions yesterday.  Wayne Griffin and Sonny Blackbird combined for two big skins - $110.01 on #3 and $91.26 on #5.  Other skin winners include Ron Huberdeau / Scott Martin ($20.00 on #7) and Jim Geekie / Scott Maynes ($69.38 on #8).

Closest to the pins were Mike Zenchyshyn on #5 and Brad Zimmer on #9.  Mike converted his two to share the $50.64 deuce pot with Ashley Brandon.

Looking at the names above, all are over 40 with the exception of Mr. Maynes.  It definitely seems that the hot weather is better for the old guys.

That's it for this week.  There is a sign up sheet at the Club House for the Nine and Dine tomorrow (Friday).  If anyone has yet to sign up for the Horse Race on Saturday, call or text me (Stephen David) @ 847-0161.

Horse Race this week

Our annual Horse Race tournament is this Saturday.  The 18 hole qualifying round begins at 9:00 am.  This is followed by the calcutta and flighted horse races.  As of right now we are only at 24 entries so we are hoping to pick up a few more at Men's Night this week.

Last week we had 30 golfers.  There were lots of pushes with only two skins going.  Winners included Austin Hunter / Dale Martin ($74.38 on #4) and Blake Hunter / Ashley Brandon ($20 on #7).

Jason Gorrell chipped in for 2 on the par 4 first hole to claim the $56.25 deuce pot.  This vaulted Jay to the lead in the season money list with $251.13.

Closest to the pins were Charlie McNabb on #5 and Austin Hunter on #9.

Lots of summer remaining

It is a common experience for many of us.  We are in the middle of enjoying summer vacation and the great weather when we start to hear from the pessimists.  This usually happens at the end of July or the first of August.  Those with a less rosy outlook on life begin to lament how summer is half over.  Some will even go so far to suggest that summer is almost done.  Let me be the first to state that this is crazy talk.

We have long and cold winters in Manitoba but excellent summers.  There is lots of daylight and our weather is usually extremely good.  To suggest that summer is ending when we are still in July is an extreme over reaction.  Heck, even the kids have 5.5 weeks of break remaining.  That's 37 days until September 6.

I am surprised sometimes that people don't complain that their life is half over when they hit 40.  I hope that doesn't happen because we have lots of us old guys who attend Men's Night.  If everyone realizes that we are nearly half dead we might stop coming.  What's the point of enjoying ourselves on Wednesday evenings when some of us will likely be gone by 2058.

I am reaching a little here but it is an important point.  Today is July 29th...a beautiful Sunday in the middle of summer.  It will be a long time before we can't golf anymore.  There are lots of more nice days and evenings to come.  No one needs to start packing away the patio furniture or getting out the snow shovels just yet.

Golf is a game best enjoyed by optimists and least enjoyed by pessimists.  Often these two groups view the identical experiences in completely different ways.  Optimists say they get pars on the second ball while pessimists note their double bogeys.  Optimists say they had an okay round and are happy with their 42.  Pessimists talk about how the triple bogey on seven screwed up their chance of scoring under 40.  Optimists talk about how they will make a long putt to save par.  Pessimists will mention how they dread getting another three-putt.

Last Wednesday was a cool and windy night from what I heard.  However, that didn't deter 24 optimistic golfers from bundling up and playing.  A first-timer, Wes Gregory from Hamiota, won the $166.89 deuce pot.  Skins went on three holes.  Winners included Austin Hunter / Jason Gorrell ($20 on #6), Blake Hunter / Keith Martin ($20 on #8), and Charlie McNabb ($91.26 on #9).

The best shots on the par 3's were Wes on #5 and Charlie on #9.  Combined they won almost $300  when you add their above winnings as well as the closest to prizes.

As an optimist, I look forward to this Wednesday having missed the last two weeks.  I still have a few open holes on my ringer board.  I can't wait to fill them in with some birdies.  And if I don't get them this week, I will have a few more cracks at it later in August.

Does this look like you?

Like many of you, I have the classic golf tan shown to the left.  You get that tan that stops abruptly at your ankles and upper arms with the cool v-tan shape at the neck.  Some of us even get that added tan line on one wrist from our golf glove.  Rather than wasting out time lounging shirtless by the lake, we devote our time to the golf course baking in the hot sun.

The golf tan doesn't affect everyone.  A few brave souls who are most comfortable with their bodies often whip off their shirts on the hottest days.  Being mild mannered and considerate, they wait until the second tee box before disrobing.  This ensures that the Club House diners don't have to see the middle-aged bodies on full display. 

I didn't get a chance to add to my golf tan last week...but 30 other golfers did.  On a warm evening on the course, skins went on only two holes.  Winners included Terry Brandon / Blake Hunter ($20 on # 6)and Mike Susinski / Mike Zenchyshyn ($59.38 on #7).

Closest to the pins were Darren Ostash on # 5and Chris Kimpinski on #9. There were no deuces.

The Susinki Machine

Ron Susinski has been on fire this year...winning money on a regular basis. Despite missing several Men's Nights at the start of the season, Ron is now on top the season money list with $221.64.  He has cashed in on five separate evenings including the last two.  On Wednesday, he split a $147.64 skin on hole #1 when both he and Terry Brandon birdied for a combined -2.  Ron is also in solid contention in the ringer board having already recorded 5 birdies.

Once in a while, a young golfer comes out of nowhere to raise to the top.  This year it looks like that young phenom might be Ron Susinski.  Our only hope is that we stay close to him until he leaves in August to go harvest.

There were 35 golfers last week.  Other skins went to Brad Benton / Devon Allen ($57.51 on #4,  $57.51 on #6) and Austin Hunter / Stephen David ($21.88 on #8).

Closest to the pins were Robin Kimpinski on #5 and Darcy Kowalchuk on #2.  There were no deuces recorded.

Brad Benton recorded two more birdies to move to -7 on the ringer board with three holes remaining.

The horse race sign up sheet is now on the blog and will be at Men's Night each week.  Sign up in person or by texting Stephen David at 847-0161.

Summer golf is the best

It's hard to beat summer golf....especially in July,  The weather is great and the days are long allowing us to play well into the evening.  Recently, many guys simply turn in their score cards after the Men's Night round and keep going for extra holes.  As long as we have the cards to do the prizes, feel free to hit balls until the sun goes down.  Summer golf bring nice greens and fairways as well as Thursday vacation days which make Wednesday evenings more enjoyable.

This past week we had 30 golfers which seems to be our standard number this year.  Skins went on three holes.  Winners included Terry Susinski / Ron Susinski ($101.26 on #2), Scott Maynes / Joel Ostash ($72.51 on #5), and Austin Hunter / Charlie McNabb ($20 on #8).

There were four deuces recorded by Robin Kimpinski, Mike Susinski, Scott Maynes, and Austin Hunter.   Mike had a very nice evening winning closest to the hole on both par 3's.

Robin's two on nine added another birdie to his ringer board total of -6.  He currently has a one stroke lead over Darcy Kowalchuk and Brad Benton.  Scott Maynes entered his first three scores of the year with birdies on 1, 2, and 5.

This year the Horse Race is on Saturday, August 11.  If you are interested in registering, there will be a sign up sheet at Men's Night.  You can also text Stephen David @ 847-0161.

Thanks for everyone who participated in the Fundraiser tournament on Friday and donated prizes.

Better late than never

I hope everyone had a great long weekend.  I know I did.  I was gone to the in-laws from Friday to Monday and spent the day in Brandon today.  I am telling you this so you will understand why the blog is so late and why it will be very brief.

There were 27 golfers last week.  Closest to the holes were Mike Zenchyshyn on #5 and Shane Kimpinski on #9.  There were no deuces.  Skins went on three holes. 

Winners included Shane Kimpinski / Jason Neufeld ($36.88 on #3), Ashley Brandon / Darren Ostash ($20 on #7), and Terry Brandon ($53.76 on #8).

Congratulations graduates

It's graduation week across the school division, with Shoal Lake students walking across the stage tomorrow evening.  I want to congratulate the Grads of 2018 on their special day.  Also, I want to remind the students that graduation is often considered to be a pathway into adulthood.  One sure sign of adulthood in Shoal Lake is golfing.  So feel free to join us for Ladies Night on Tuesday or Men's Night on Wednesday.

If you think of it, there are many similarities between high school graduation and golf.  High school students spend 13 years learning and studying to get to their graduation.   There are highs and lows to their journey, as is the case for many golfers during their 9 holes.   Graduates spend their evening reflecting on their time at school with most attention given to the positive memories that they have.  Similarly, golfers gather at the end of Men's Night to celebrate their evening while focusing on the best parts of their rounds.

Both graduation ceremonies and Men's Night have an award presentation.  In place of scholarships and bursaries, golfers receive recognition for skins won, deuces, and closest to the pins.  And while Men's Night does not have a formal valedictory address, there are usually a couple of louder guys who want to share their evening experiences with the crowd.

Like a school graduation, there are some at Men's Night who just want to leave and move on to the next thing.  Of course, there are others who want to spend a little more time with friends. reliving their individual and collective experiences.

Obviously graduation is much more important than golf.  Phil Mickelson found that out last year when the US Open conflicted with his daughter's grad.  There was some talk that the school might reschedule the ceremony to accommodate the famous dad.  In the end, Phil withdrew from the tournament to celebrate his daughter's special day.  This was a much better story than what happened to Phil this year.

So...now on to the award's ceremony for last Wednesday.   There were eight golfers recognized as receiving honours.  Congratulations to skin winners Darcy Kowalchuk / Ron Anderson ($20 on #4), Jim Geekie / Brad Benton ($51.88 on #6), Chris Kimpinski / Luke Funk ($36.88 on #7), and Jason Gorrell / Darren Ostash ($36.88 on #9).

A $15 scholarship from Kimp Services / Susinski Farms was presented to Brad Benton for getting closest to the hole on #5.  Jamie McCutchin won the Benny's Gift Certificate Bursary for being tightest on #9.  The biggest award of the evening went to Jason Gorrell who won the $155.64 Deuce Pot Scholarship.

Last week's Governor General Winner as top golf student was Darcy Kowalchuk who scored a 36.

We had 32 golfers last week.  The forecast looks great any this Wednesday.  Let's try to crack 40.

A deuce would be nice

I was away on June 6 and sometimes when I am absent I miss things...especially if no one tells me anything.  Apparently there were four deuces that night and each person agreed to throw the  $45 deuce pot back.  This week there were no twos. As a result, an additional $50 has been added to the pot.  If we get a similar turn out next week the pot will likely be in the neighbourhood of $150.

As I thought about the phrase "throw it back", I realized that it generally references getting rid of things that you don't want.  For example, people throw back fish that are either too big or too small.  Or baseball fans throw back home runs hit by visiting teams.  And there is the usage during an argument when throw it back and remind someone of something bad that they did in the past in order to upset them.  

I guess it can also have a positive meaning...such as when people throw back a drink, finishing it in one gulp.  Or when others post old pictures on social media on Throw Back Thursday.

Since it is Thursday, I thought I would do a throwback to some of the past blogs when the weekly title painted a clear picture of something that happened that week.

• For example, on May 26, 2010, the blog was titled "Opening Night" which symbolized the first week of Men's Night that year.  That was also my first blog entry ever...over eight years ago.
• On September 3, 2011 we had the "1st Annual Lakeside Club Toss" when Hubey put his driver in the bog to the left of the eight tee box.  
• On July 27, 2012 the blog was dedicated to a single golfer when it said "Dale Watson hole in one".  
• Five common-named guys on August 21, 2014 helped me write a column called "That was a lot of Jasons".  
• Dan Stokes sticking his ball in a tree behind the eight green was the focus of "Three in the tree" from August 30, 2015.  
• On June 6, 2016, we learned that "Jason is better than Robin".
• July 16, 2017 was a "Great Wednesday evening" due to Men's Night and the Snowbirds that flew over the course during the community air show.

Last night we had 27 golfers.  Skins went on four holes.  Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Ron Susinski ($31.88 on #3), Brad Benton / Jason Hunter ($70.13 on #4 and $20 on #7), and Chris Kimpinski / Dale Martin ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Stephen David on #5 and Brad Benton on #9.  As mentioned earlier, there were no deuces.

Golf and stress

Some people find golf stressful.  Often they are the people that find life stressful.  They get frustrated by bad shots and unrealistic expectations.  They seem always on the edge and you wonder if they even enjoy golfing.

Golf should actually be a way to relieve stress and anxiety.  There is significant research and anecdotal evidence to support this.  Golf is supposed to relieve stress, anxiety,  depression, and panic attacks.

The best way to enjoy a round of golf is to be selfish and put aside all those things in your life that cause you stress and frustration.   When my wife asks me how my round was I say "good" no matter how it went.  When she asks me who I golfed with I tell her.  But when she asks me what we talked about, I usually state that we discussed the weather, golf, and the weather for most of the day.  We don't talk about work or home or our hopes and dreams.  We simply hit golf balls and share phrases like "good shot", "nice putt", or "that one's dead".  At the end of each 9 holes round we take some time to tabulate scores and snips and plan what game we are playing next.  Then we start again on #1 and resume our deep conversations about the weather and golf.

Occasionally, we talk about something else if it merits attention.  Yesterday, for example, we exchanged stories about the guy who was struck by lightning recently at the golf club in Neepawa.  I was eager to share some insight that I gained from talking to someone who was playing with that guy when he got hit.  Also we recalled multiple incidents in which we stayed on courses when lightning was in the area.  Hopefully what happened in Neepawa will make us all a bit more cautious.

With golf, my only stress comes from wondering whether or not I will get to golf.  Or occasionally I will have that mild panic attack long into a weekend round when I wonder if I have been gone from home too long.  If I have, it usually means I have to forgo the next planned round to compensate.

I would suggest if golf is stressful, either find a way to make it more enjoyable or give it up completely.  Most of us work and have busy lives with families and other things.  We should not pick leisure activities that cause us distress.  That's why I don't curl.

This past Wednesday my only anxiety resulted from not being available for Men's Night.  I missed a very nice evening with some excellent scoring conditions.  From all accounts, the 24 golfers that did show up had fun.

Skins went on four holes.  Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Keith Martin ($28.75 on #5 and $73.25 on #8), Luke Funk / Ron Susinski ($20 on # 7), and Brad Benton / Charlie McNabb ($38.75 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Neuf on #5 and Jel Ostash on #9.  Four people shared the $45 deuce pot, including Ken Ostash, Darcy Kowalchuk, Robin Kimpinski, and Charlie McNabb.

Keep your eye on what new things Neuf likes

Everyone knows that technology has taken over the game.  On a yearly and sometime monthly basis, there are new clubs coming out that offer new advances never before seen.  For example, I thought I wanted a Callaway Epic driver because of it's "jailbreak" technology.  Then Taylormade comes out with their new "twist-face" technology.

Most of us are fairly satisfied with our equipment until we see someone else with something new and shiny.  For example, I wasn't that excited about new golf balls until I saw Darcy Kowalchuk and his brand new Vice and Kirkland Signature models.   I am pretty sure  that Brad Benton is sponsored by Titleist the way that he has been promoting the new AVX balls.  He has told me about them 4 or 5 times.

In Shoal Lake, it seems like Neuf is the early adopter to most things new.  I recall not so long ago that he came to the course with this giant new Super Stroke putter grip.  People examined it closely and made fun of the way that it looked.  We held his putter in our hands and said how uncomfortable it was and how it made no sense.  Fast forward to present day when many people, including most of those with whom I play, have an oversized grip.

It wasn't that long ago that golf GPS first came into being.  Now everyone has them.  The early versions were replaced by touch-screen ones and then people such as Scott Martin started wearing GPS watches.  Of course, Neuf was one of the first around to get the hand-held range finder and now others are following suit.  I don't know if I need one of those...especially in Shoal Lake where I know most of the yardages from experience.  However, I will drive back home from the club house if I forgot my  regular GPS.  It's helpful to know that you are exactly 136 yards from the front of the sixth green even though your tee shot is on the seventh fairway.

My fear is that Neuf will bring something new and weird to the course and I will need to buy one because of his track record.  I can imagine an awkward conversation with a stranger at some other course when he asks me about my knee-high black boot golf shoes.  I will tell him that this guy I know has them...and that they will likely be a big thing next year.

There were 22 golfers last night, including several new ones from the farming industry who got some much deserved time off after what I assume was a busy month.

Skins went on three holes.  Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Ron Anderson ($20 on #3), Dale Martin / Jason Neufeld ($20 on #6), and Austin Hunter / Jim Geekie ($58.85 on #7).  Three of those were new winners this year.

Closest to the holes were Ron Susinski on #5 and Jason Neufeld on #9.  Ronnie made his birdie for the only two of the night.  That was good for sole possession of the deuce pot worth $71.25.  As a result, Ronnie is the new leader of the Mens' Night money list for 2018.

With the ringer board, we have Robin Kimpinski and Brad Benton tied at -3.  That's not so new. These guys usually do well in this event.

What is new is Benny's Astoria Pizzaria is sponsoring closest to the pin on #5.  Thanks to Jamie McCutchin who sponsored it for the last few years.  Continuing on with their support of the 9th hole are Kimp Services and Susinski Farms.

The golfer's memory

Golfers tend to forget many things.  For example, it is good to forget the bad shots or poor rounds.  In fact, the most effective golfers are those who can have a bad shot or hole and quickly shake it off and rebound on the next one.  The best and most consistent players have  something akin to short term memory loss.  They do better because they literally can’t remember what just happened.  Every time they get on the next tee, they stand there with a clean slate, a clear mind.  The frustrations of the last hole are not there. They can’t remember that last 3-putt or the last chunked shot around the green.  They can't remember that previous drive that went into the trees.

Others have vivid memories of their bad luck.  They tee off seven still talking about that ball that never should have been lost on four.  They stand over a long putt on nine and remind everyone how they three-putted five.  They come back to the first tee later in the day and state their hope that they don't get another six like last round.

If you want to move on after a bad shot, you need to get past that bad shot.  You need to release all the negative emotion.  I may not score as consistently as some but I am pretty sure I enjoy my time on the golf course more than most.  I may lament a lost ball for a moment before grabbing another to hit.  I don't throw my clubs because I missed a par putt or chunk a chip.  I don't see the point.  I go to golf to relax and hang out with friends.  I don't want to make it a stressful experience for myself or others.

We also seem to forget some things from September to May.  For example, some people forget that they aren't scratch golfers and get mad about early season scores in the mid forties., when that is exactly where they should be.  We don't remember that winter lasts almost 8 months in Manitoba.  It does...so I think we need to suck it up and make sure to maximize the four months when we don't live in a frigid tundra.  We fail to recall how the greens handle the winter...with people frequently complaining about their condition at the start of the year.  Again, we live in a place in which winter lasts a long time.  Be patient.  The greens will get better.

I almost forgot to write about last week.  Four skins were claimed including Jamie McCutchin / Charlie McNabb ($20 on #2), Devin Allen / Brad Benton ($20 on #3), Blake Hunter / Stephen David ($32.10 on #5), and Jason Gorrell / Sonny Blackbird ($25.50 on #6).

Speaking of Gorrell, had a nice chip in from the back of the seventh green for an eagle.  His score of -2 on that hole was the only eagle of the night.  There were no deuces.

Closest to the pins were Stephen David on #5 and Devin Allen on #9.   I missed the putt on #5.  I can't recall if it was a 3 footer or a 50 footer.  

Sorry for being late

I enjoy writing the blog and recapping Men's Night each week.  It isn't cutting edge journalism by any means but I try to do a good job.  I proofread and correct the spelling and grammatical mistakes that I notice. Usually my heart is in it and I knock it off early on Saturday morning.

There are two occasions in which my blog entries are a bit lacking.  Firstly, there are the weeks when I am away.  It's hard to write about things when I wasn't a witness to the things when they happened.  Secondly, long weekends can be a distraction for good reasons.  These two things converged this week.  I was in Winnipeg for a meeting and missed the golf.  Then May long weekend came.

So I am left to report the facts with the exception of one report from the field.  Brad Benton asked me to note that he scored an eagle on one after hitting a 3 wood onto to the green and converting the putt.  That was the only two of the evening earning him the $46.80 pot.

Skins went on three hole.  Winners included Austin Hunter / Peter Ostash ($20 on #2), Jason Neufeld / Phil Ostash ($20 on #3), and Robin Kimpinski / Theoren Hunter ($42 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Robin Kimpinski on #5 and Jamie McCutchin on #9.

Thanks to Neuf and Blake for taking care of things in my absence.  I will absolutely be there tomorrow.  It looks like a nice hot day...plus I hear that some of our farmer friends are wrapping up seeding.

Here we go again!

Well we finally got the season started.  This was one of our latest openings in recent years...but who cares because it is here now.  The start of the season is always filled with such promise.  Many have new clubs or golf clothes with new swing thoughts ready to be applied.  There are visions of low rounds and holes-in-ones as well as aspirations to score better on the ringer board while cashing in more skins.  Heck, even the desire to win the Chase-the-Ace pot is palpable at this time of year.

Speaking of Chase-the-Ace, I finally got my ticket pulled for a chance but couldn't find it among the 41 cards. It's over $1300 for next week for anyone that might be interested.

On a fairly cool opening night, we had 13 golfers come to open the year.  Skins only went on two holes.  Robin Kimpinski paired with the dummy for a $20 win on #1 while Theoren Hunter and Phil Ostash combined for $20 on #2.  Closest to the pin on #5 was Pete Ostash.  No one hit the green on #9.  There were no deuces.

I frequently say that Wednesdays from May to September are my favourite days.  However, I don't mind Saturday mornings such as these.  It's fun to update this blog with both a coffee and my dog nearby...knowing that I will be hitting golf balls with the boys in a couple of hours.

Also I know that the whole golf season is ahead of us.  There should be about 20 Mens' Nights with lots of laughs, some good and bad shots, and more than a few rides home on the cart in the dark.  We will also have some nine-and-dines,  a few Jack and Jills, and several tournaments.  Most of us still have a fairly clean slate with our significant others...given that we probably have yet to play too much or stay out too late too often.

So best of luck to everyone for a fun and long summer of golf.  May your shots be straight, may your balls fly far, may your rounds be blessed, than no worse than par.

Goodbye winter...hello golf!

Our first Men's Night of the year will be next Wednesday, May 9th starting at 6:30 pm.  At the end of last season I predicted that we would get going by April 25.  I apologize for being off by two weeks but the weather is just starting to cooperate.

It looks like the course wintered well.  The greens look good and everything is much dryer than we usually see at this time of year.

The format for Men's Night will be the same, with skins beginning at 6:30 pm.  One slight change will be the entry fee will go up from $8 to $10.

The Ringer Board will continue and run from the first week until August 22.  Last year's champion Jamie McCutchin will be looking to defend his title.

We will also keep track of prize winners.  Last year, Robin Kimpinski led the way with $469.25 in earnings.

In terms of other things to note in and around the golf course, we would like to welcome Carter Chegwin as our new head greenskeeper.  Carter is taking over from his grandfather Dave.  We have also chosen to lease the Club House this year to Francis Caspillo.  Finally, there is a new washroom facility in the middle of our campground.

Spread the good word...and maybe we will see you next week,