Highlights of Men’s Night 2025

Well, here we are...the end of another season. Generally I do the blog fairly soon after Men's Night. Not this time. While our final evening of golf was October 8, I was in no rush to do this write-up. Something about this makes the season end seem more definitive.

We had a great year, which I will recap shortly. Prior to that, I will do a quick overview of the final evening. We had 19 golfers, I think for the third straight week.

Closest to the pins were Braeden Allen on #5 and Sonny Blackbird on #9. There were no deuces. There were also no holes-in-one, which means the $4300 pot will carry over to next year. Let's hope it goes in 2026.

There were three skins won on October 8. Myles Shingoose was on his own for two wins, $26.86 on #2 and $20.00 on #3. Chad Tanner and Terry Susinski paired for $20.00 on #8.

So, let's look back at some highlights of this past season. 

• We had 21 Men's Nights. 
• We started on May 7 and went to October 8. 
• We had two cancellations, one due to weather and one because only 9 guys showed up.
• Jason Gorrell was the season money leader with a $382.75 total. Scott Maynes was second with $295.66 and Phil Ostash was third with $235.68. 
• Zach Bartram found himself in the top 10 for the first time. His $160.02 was good for 8th place.
• There were four instances where a golfer earned over $100 in a single evening. The highest single-night earnings were achieved by Kevin Bartram, who took home $187.15 on May 7. Other notable single-night earnings include Colby Moore with $160.02 on July 9, Dawson Tanner with $116.26 on May 14, and Jason Gorrell with $105.94, also on May 14. These standout performances highlight some of the biggest paydays of the season.
• May 7, 2025 had the highest total payout, totaling $324.71 distributed among the winners.
• August 20, 2025 had the most individual winners, with 7 different players earning skins that evening.
• In total, over $4400 in skins were paid out over the course of the season.
• Darcy Kowalchuk won the ringer board with a -7 score. 
• While not official Men's Night stats, I am certain that there were at least 20 games of poker in the campground, following the golf rounds.

My made-up Saturday afternoon math suggests that there quite a few beverages that accompanied the golf. Over the course of 21 Men’s Night rounds, with say an average of 30 participants each week, estimated alcohol consumption adds up significantly. Each week, we can assume that the group consists of 6 non-drinkers (0 drinks), 6 heavy drinkers (approximately 8 drinks each for 48 total), 14 moderate drinkers (approximately 4 each for 56 total drinks), and 4 “couple-of-drinks” players (2 each for total of 8), for a weekly total of 112 drinks. Over 21 weeks of play, this amounts to approximately 2,352 drinks consumed during the season. In volume terms, that’s about 28,224 ounces or roughly 220 gallons of beverage, enough to fill a small backyard pool. Maybe next year I will create a cumulative list of weekly leaders in the beverage category.

Assuming the average golfer lost one ball per nine holes, there was likely over 600 balls that were hit and never recovered. Combine this with other errant shots, flubs, three-putts, and chunks, and there was likely a couple of thousand instances of profanity.

But these stats, whether factual or extrapolated, only tell part of the story. As we close the book on the 2025 Men’s Night season, it is imporant to note that our weekly golf is about so much more than numbers, winnings, or perfect swings. It’s about camaraderie, laughter, and the shared experience of hanging out with friends on Wednesday evenings. From incredible shots to memorable mishits, from cheers for a well-earned deuce to groans at yet another three-putt, each round was a chance to connect, compete, and enjoy the game we love. 

Whether it was celebrating high earners, savouring scores for the ringer board, or just enjoying a few drinks and some friendly poker afterward, the true highlight of the season was the community and spirit that made every Wednesday a night to look forward to. Here’s to the memories made in 2025 and the anticipation of another great season of golf, friendship, and fun in 2026.

The Many Faces of Men’s Night Success

If you’ve been following along this golf season, you already know that the Wednesday skins game has been good for many people. To date, 55 different players have won at least one skin, which either proves the incredible depth of talent in our group, or shows that luck is the single most valuable club in anyone’s bag. Every week, it’s the same story: the regulars grind it out, showing up rain or shine, week after week, chasing that chance for a skin. And then there are the occasional visitors, the folks who stroll in after long absences, and somehow walk away with half the pot.

When you look at the season money list, it really breaks down into two categories. First there are the Grinders, those of us who rarely miss a Wednesday, scrape together a win here and there, and build our totals like we’re collecting Air Miles. I proudly count myself among the first group. I am a Grinder. I only miss one or two Wednesdays a year, and when I do, I feel like I should leave a note in the clubhouse explaining my absence. My approach is simple. I show up, have enough good holes to stay happy, and hope my partner in the high-low pot matches one of my best holes.

And then there are the Gunslingers, the ones who show up infrequently and walk away with some big cash. Colby Moore would be an example. He has only played a handful of times yet is in the top 10, mainly because of a $160 deuce pot.

Then there’s Jason Gorrell, who’s somehow managed to be both. As a regular, he’s always in the mix, quietly scooping up small wins regardless of whether he is in the high or low group. But every now and then, he explodes for a monster night. He did that this past Wednesday, turning the rest of us into spectators. Not surprisingly, he now sits comfortably atop the season money list, and catching him in our final week would require divine intervention.

This past Wednesday, Jason put together a career round at Men’s Night, a sparkling 36. Along the way, he got closest to the pin on #9, shared the deuce pot, and cleaned up with three skins. Teaming up with Phil Ostash, he pocketed $35.64 on #3, another $25.01 on #8, and capped it off with $35.64 on #9.

Three other skins were won. Darcy Kowalchuk and Zach Bartram got $35.64 on #4, Scott Maynes and Blake Hunter combined for $25.01 on #5, and Wes Arnfinson won a solo $20.00 skin on #7.

Closest to the pin on #5 was Mr. Maynes who also shared the $75.01 deuce pot with Gorrell and Blake.

So back to the main focus of the blog…the Grinders and the Gunslingers. What about everyone else? That’s what makes Men’s Night fun. The random high-low pairings which are the Great Equalizer. You don’t need to shoot the lowest score to win a skin, in fact, the lowest score often gets shut out because they catch a high-scoring partner. However, the highest score doesn’t always mean you’re left empty-handed. Just this past week, someone carded a 53 and still won a skin. That is proof that all you need is one good hole…and a partner who can occasionally find a fairway.

One quick thing to note, not that it may matter to some of you. The season money list is just for skins and deuce pots. Prizes for closest to the pin and hole-in-ones do not count. That being said, give me the hole-in-one prize and I could care less how it impacts my standing on the money list.

So, as we head into the final week, we salute the Grinders, the Gunslingers, and everyone who’s ever muttered, “Well, maybe next Wednesday.”

Well, this Wednesday is the last next Wednesday of the year. So come on out one more time and see how you do. With the hole-in-one pot around $4300, all you need is one good swing to win big.

Don’t forget…it will be October 8 so tee off is at 5:30 pm.