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.