The Small Victories of Men's Night

Before getting into the little things that make Men’s Night so enjoyable, let’s start with a quick recap of this past Wednesday. With September approaching, just a reminder that tee-off time will move to 6:00 PM starting next week.

This week saw a smaller turnout, with 20 golfers in total, but six skins were still claimed. Stephen David and Jason Gorrell took home $20.00 on Hole #5, while Darren Ostash and Logan McGonigal scored the biggest payout of the night with $98.13 on Hole #7. Nathan Maynes and Joe Shwaluk claimed $28.13 on Hole #8, and Phil Ostash and Derek Shamray earned $71.89 on Hole #9. Robin Kimpinski and Tyler McTavish picked up two skins, getting $28.13 on Hole #3 and $52.51 on Hole #6.

Ryden Lanouette posted the low round of the night with an impressive 36. Closest to the pin went to Stephen David on Hole #5 and Robin Kimpinski on Hole #9.

Now back to the small victories of Men’s Night. Let’s face it…not everyone can shoot a low score or win a skin. And don’t even get us started on the elusive hole-in-one prize. But as most people will tell you, the fun of Men’s Night isn’t always about the numbers on the scorecard. It’s about the small victories. The little things, that while not celebrated with a cheque, make the round feel like a win.

If you’ve finished your Wednesday evening round of golf with the same ball you started with, you know this is worth celebrating. Let’s be honest, most of us are not playing perfect golf. But somehow, you’ve managed to keep your ball out of the water, the trees, and the neighboring fairways. Well done.

Small victories can happen to anyone. For example, no matter your skill or ability, sometimes you just sometimes, you hit the perfect tee shot…straight, long, and on the money. You feel like you’ve unlocked some secret level of golf, and for those few seconds, you are a golf god. The rest of the round might be a train wreck, but that one perfect shot will keep you going for at least a few more holes.

Then there are those holes when your drive was mediocre, your first approach shot was chunked, and your third misses the green. Against all odds, you chip it in for par. That is a good feeling. This one is similar to the bad round that ends with hitting it closest on the ninth hole.

Another small victory is when you pull into the Club House with a score of 46 and find out you have the most snips in your group. Sure, your playing partners may have hit more good shots and scored lower, but you had just the right amount good luck to win the snip lead. Claiming a couple of loonies from the guy that shot 38 is a good feeling.

Searching for your golf ball can also lead to a small victory. You are in the woods and your ball is nowhere to be found. But wait, what’s that? A brand new Prov1. It’s like finding treasure in a swamp. You’re not sure who it belongs to, but there’s something deeply satisfying about pocketing that other ball while you’re looking for your own. Even if you find one of Brett Griffin’s balls, covered in mud, scuff marks, and a giant G drawn with a sharpie, it still feels good.

What other small victories do we experience on Men’s Nigh? One is when you manage to see the drink cart multiple times during your round. You just walked off hole #3 with a seven, you are feeling a little dejected, and then you see it…the old green Gator driven by Taylor coming toward the fourth tee box. With only 4 or 5 groups on Wednesday, we saw Taylor a lot.

Probably, my favourite small victory is those evenings where the weather is perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, no wind, and the sun still shining as you finish your round. That was the case this past Wednesday. It was one of those evenings that you wished the sun didn’t set and you could keep playing.

In the end, Men’s Night isn’t about the score. Sure, there those guys who shoot low or win skins. But for most of us, it’s the little victories that make the night special.