The Evolution of a Golf Blog

A common pattern in these blog posts is an update on the most recent Men’s Night followed by my weekly musings on whatever I happen to be thinking about. If that second part doesn’t appeal to you, feel free to stop reading early.

First a quick recap of last night’s Men which featured 36 golfers and the return of our greens.

After seven skins going last week, only two went this week. Winners included Chad Tanner/Darren Ostash ($22.50 on #2) and Charles McKay/Ron Huberdeau ($22.50 on #7). Chad also had closest to the pin on #5. Ryan Mansell was closest on #9. There were no deuces.

The low score of the evening was Charles McKay who shot a 36. The highest score was 53 which was recorded by three golfers.

Last night was significant in that we could putt on real greens. As stated previously, I was grateful for the temporary greens while we had them but I am also glad to see them go. I suspect after a week or so of grass growing and mowing, it will be hard to even tell where they once stood.

Don't forget our Horse Race is this Saturday. Contact me if you are interested in participating.

A friend recently gave me some feedback on the Men's Night blog, saying that the posts are great but recently they've become a little maudlin. I'll admit I had to look that one up, but apparently, it means overly sentimental or emotional. Fair enough.

The funny thing is, he's not wrong about it. The blogs have changed. Years ago, I leaned a lot harder into sarcasm, wisecracks, playful jabs, and the occasional gentle roast. If you had a rough night on the course, there was a decent chance you would be featured in the weekly write-up. Or I might even mention your new golf shorts.

Over time, though, I realized the purpose of the blog isn’t to give people a hard time. It is about celebrating Wednesday nights, the people who show up week after week, the great shots, the lucky bounces, the impossible putts that somehow dropped, and some stories that may get better with retelling.

One example of this shift is something I changed just a few weeks ago. I had been in the practice of noting the high and low scores each week during prizes. And I frequently mentioned by name the golfer who posted the highest score of the week. It was usually done with a wink and a smile, but realized I was recording someone’s toughest night instead of recognizing the people who played well. So, I stopped. Interestingly, someone last week asked me not to say their name if they had the highest score.

Don't get me wrong, there's still room for a little fun. If someone holes out from the next fairway after bouncing off three trees, I will likely write about it. Or if Gorrell drives his cart into the lake, I will include pictures and eyewitness accounts. But the general goal isn't to embarrass anyone. It's to make people smile and maybe remind them why Men's Night is one of the best evenings of the week.

So yes, maybe the blog has become a little more positive, a little more appreciative, and maybe even a little maudlin. I'm okay with that. Men’s Night is just a bunch of golfers spending a few hours each week chasing a little white ball around, sharing laughs with friends, and enjoying a summer evening. That seems worth celebrating.

Of course, if you're looking for something with a little more edge, there are plenty of alternatives. You could spend your evening reading the comments section on just about any news website, watch cable news, or browse social media and listen to people tell you what is wrong in the world.

As for me, I'll stick with writing about birdies, long drives, first-time winners, attentive wait staff, and the people who make Men's Night what it is. If that makes the blog a little softer than it used to be, I can live with that. Besides, golf gives us enough frustration on its own. This blog doesn't need to add any more.

 

What Makes a Great Round

There were seven skins won last night by the 22 golfers. As far as I can tell, that is the most ever in a single evening. And it was also an evening where several players had what could be descibed as great rounds,

Skin winners included Darren Ostash/Vern Snyder ($20.00 on #1 and $44.38 on #7), Jayden Nowasad/James Van de Velde ($20.00 on #2), Phil Ostash/Jason Gorrell ($44.38 on #3), Ron Huberdeau/Riley Swereda ($66.38 on #4), Nathan Nowasad/Mark Swereda ($$31.25 on #5), and Reegan Kominko/Ken Knuff ($20 on #6).

The wins on holes 1, 6, and 7 were noteworthy in that both players scored birdies.

Closest to the pins were Rin Huberdeau on #5 and Reegan Kominko on #9. There were no deuces. The low round of the evening was a 38 and the highest were two 54’s.

One of the things I enjoy most about Men's Night is listening to everyone talk about their round afterward. On any given week, there are people who have great nights. The interesting part is that everyone's definition of a great round is completely different.

Reegan Kominko had a great night last night. His 38 was the low round of the evening and he won a skin. Ron Huberdeau also had a great round shooting a 43 with a big skin on #4 plus closest to the pin on #5.

The interesting thing was Hubey said his 43 was one of his lowest rounds in a long time. Had Reegan shot the same score, he likely would have been a bit disappointed. That takes nothing away from either player. It simply shows how what makes a great round differs among players.

For some golfers, a great round is obvious. If you happen to shoot under 36, you've accomplished something special. That's the kind of score that gets everyone's attention and deserves every bit of praise it receives. Rounds like that don't come along very often, and when they do, they are appreciated.

Most of us, however, aren't chasing 36s. Our goals are a little different, and that's perfectly okay.

For some, a great round means surviving one of those evenings when Mother Nature seems determined to beat everyone. We've all played through windy conditions, wet fairways, slow greens, or clouds of mosquitoes. On nights like that, a score that might seem average on paper suddenly becomes something you're genuinely proud of. Golf has a way of reminding us that the conditions matter just as much as the score.

Sometimes the best rounds are the ones nobody expects. Every season there seems to be a golfer who catches lightning in a bottle and puts together nine holes they'll remember for years. Maybe they haven't been playing particularly well, or maybe they've been struggling for weeks, but on one Wednesday everything finally comes together. Those surprise performances are part of what makes Men's Night so enjoyable because they remind us that everyone has a chance every time, they tee it up.

Personally, I think the most impressive rounds are often the comeback rounds. We've all started with a double bogey or watched a tee shot disappear into the trees on the opening hole. It's easy to let one bad hole ruin the rest of the evening, but every once in a while, someone forgets about the rough start, settles into their game, and finishes with one of the best rounds of the night. That kind of resilience doesn't necessarily show up with a low round score, but every golfer recognizes it when they see it.

Of course, every golfer dreams about one of those magical evenings when everything clicks. The drives find the fairway, the irons are pin-high, the putter suddenly catches fire, and before you know it you've won the low round, picked up a Closest to the Pin, maybe even cashed in on the deuce pot.

Some of the most memorable rounds have very little to do with the final score. It might be the first time someone beats the group they play with every week. It might even be the evening when everything finally comes together after weeks of frustration. Those personal milestones don't make the record book, but they're often the rounds we remember the longest.

As I thought about it this week, I realized that the greatest round you'll ever play probably won't be judged against anyone else's score. It might be the first time you break 50. It might be your first round under 45, your first birdie, or simply the first time you walk off the ninth green feeling like you played the game the way you know you're capable of playing it.

That's one of the things that we appreciate most about Men's Night. On any given Wednesday, one golfer might be celebrating an even-par 36 while another is experiencing their personal-best 46. Both walk into the clubhouse wearing the same smile, and both have every reason to be proud.

Maybe that's the best thing about this game. We all keep score, but we all measure success a little differently. In the end, the greatest round isn't necessarily the one with the lowest number beside it. It's the one that keeps you looking forward to next Wednesday.

Trading Complaints for Gratitude

I am going to change things up a bit this week and focus on all of the good things that we have at our golf course, including Men’s Night. Before I do that, I will do a quick recap of this past Wednesday.

Scott Maynes had the low round of 36. The highest score of 50 was recorded by four people. Scott was closest to the pin on #9 while Reegan Kominko was closest on #5.

Reegan also had a good night with prizes, winning the $52.50 deuce pot and sharing a $20 skin on #2 with Eric Bossuyt. This bumped him up to the third spot on the season money list.

Skins went on three other holes. Winners included Sean Blackbird/Orin McKay ($30.63 on #1), Phil Ostash/Brett Griffin ($20 on #6), and Darren Ostash/Ken Knuff ($60.63 on #9).

Brett and Phil's win on #6 was noteworthy in that they both scored a birdie. Brett’s three improved his ringer board score to -4 for the season, tying him for first place with Ryden Lanouette and Stephen David. Phil went to -3 on the ringer board.

We are now up to 24 golfers for the Horse Race on July 25. If you want to enter, contact me by text at (204) 847-0161 or by email at sdavid@pwsd.ca.

So now for my weekly musings beyond the golf scores.

Generally, I am an optimistic and patient person. It has been somewhat challenging to sustain that perspective as of late. Like most people in Manitoba, I have been frustrated by the weather. It has resulted in the postponement of our Fundraiser and the loss of a Men’s Night. I will also admit I have not loved the temporary greens. And recently, I have joined in some conversations about the potential shrinking of our regular greens.

But the weather has improved significantly, the temporary greens may not last much longer, and the club has decided to make the regular greens larger than initially planned. Also, the Fundraiser has been rescheduled to August 14-15. So, I am not going to mention these any further in my blogs, other than celebrating when the new greens return.

I want to focus this week on things for which I am grateful. And going forward, I resolve not to complain about things over which we have no control.

I have a couple of sayings that I use often. Firstly, I occasionally note that my three favourite days in my life are my wedding, the arrival of my daughter, and every Wednesday in the summer. Obviously, the first two things are hugely significant. But Men’s Night is really important.

We have long winters in Manitoba, and sometimes the transition to nice weather takes longer than it should. But when it gets nice out, there are few better things to do than hit some golf balls at our local course.

My other saying is that there are three things that matter in golf: where you play, how you play, and who you play with, and the first two don’t matter. Even this past Wednesday, I didn’t play or score as well as I usually do. While the golf wasn’t as fun as it has been, I still got to hang out with five good friends.

The majority of people who play on Men’s Night don’t win skins, hit consistently great shots, or turn in scorecards with sub-40 scores. But most of us get to spend an evening, and an afternoon if we are lucky, with some fine people. There are lots of laughs and conversation, and we celebrate each other’s good shots while giving each other a hard time about the occasional errant ball flight.

And when the Men’s Night round ends, we gather in the Clubhouse for the prizes, some food and drink, and continued visiting. Thanks also to Francis, Nathan, and Taylor for taking care of all of our food and beverage needs.

One other thing that has been great in recent years is the emergence of so many additional golfers. We have new people joining us from the campground and from other towns. However, it is the 18-25 year old crowd that really has added to our numbers. The mix of younger and older players enhances the weekly experience.

Speaking of the prizes, I want to thank those guys who help with the scorecards. Ryden Lanouette has been the most regular this year, but others like Scott Maynes, Blake Hunter, Jason Neufeld, Joe Shwaluk, and Darcy Kowalchuk have provided assistance. Jason Gorrell used to be a consistent helper, but now he departs early to prepare for his hosting of the evening poker game.

Thanks to the golf club executive and maintenance crew for their efforts on improving the course. With the conditions this year, it has been easy to be critical, but those are the people putting in the effort. I was on the Board for several years. For the most part, it was fun and engaging. Sometimes it was challenging, especially when people shared their concerns. I haven’t served for three years but still get the occasional complaint from people who think I am still on the Board.

And thanks to the many volunteers who planted trees, maintain the planters, run tournaments, and organize other events. Even this morning, there was a work crew tidying things up around the Club House. Our maintenance team is working hard but several other members have been out there putting time in on the greens and fairways.

I think it is better to trade complaints for gratitude. So, if you golf with me in the near future, I hope you will not hear me complaining about anything. Let’s try to go out and simply enjoy each other’s company and hopefully hit more good shots than bad ones.

When Mother Nature Takes Over

Well, this is not the July that we expected.

Significant rainfall amounts across the region have resulted in the temporary closure of the golf course due to extremely wet conditions. Unfortunately, this isn't just an issue on our fairways. It's the exact same story for many area courses right now. Some places like Gilbert Plains are underwater.

Shoal Lake received almost 200 mm of rain in June, most of it falling in just the last two weeks. In fact, that storm on Sunday gave us around 85 mm of rain in less than 24 hours.

I went out and checked out the course on Wednesday evening, and it is very saturated. The ground is holding so much water that it would make golf cart traffic very difficult, if not impossible, without causing serious, long-term damage to the course. To get things back in playing shape, we are going to need a solid break in the rain and some nice, warm weather to dry things out.

Because of the weather, this past week was a tough one for the club. We had no choice but to cancel Men's and Ladies Night, alongside the senior interclub and our fundraising tournament. For those asking about the fundraising tournament, the golf club executive will be making a official decision at their meeting early next week regarding a rescheduled date.

Our fingers are crossed and the hope is that things will resume next week, including Men's Night on Wednesday but that is still yet to be determined by how quickly the course can recover.

If someone is looking for a reprieve, there are nearby courses available. Hamiota reopened today, but with a 90 degree rule for carts. Minnedosa returns to play tomorrow although their river is expected to crest this weekend. Nine of us went to Oak Island yesterday. Their course is completely dry and in pristine condition.

While the temporary closure of the golf course is certainly frustrating for all of us who want to get out there, it pales in comparison to what is happening across our wider community and region. Shoal Lake and surrounding parts of the Parkland area have been hammered by relentless rainfall with some regional storm tracking hitting massive accumulations that have triggered severe overland flooding. This has resulted in water in basements, major road closures, and extensive damage to personal property and community infrastructure.

Our thoughts are with our regional neighbours dealing with the brunt of this weather. Thank you everyone for your patience and understanding as our grounds crew and club get this situation under control.

Looking further ahead, please remember that the Horse Race tournament is scheduled for Saturday, July 25. You can secure your spot now by sending entries to Stephen David via text at (204) 847-0161 or by email at sdavid@pwsd.ca.