In search of a hole in one...or two

Our second hole-in-one pot will likely hit the $1500 level at which we cap the prizes. After this we will have two $1500 prizes and start building a third. If one or more aces occur on one evening they will split the first pot. If the following week has another hole-in-one, then the second pot will be available to them.

We have not had an ace in a few years since Dale Watson scored on  #5. We are definitely due and I predict it will happen soon. If I had to guess, it will be on the ninth hole with a pitching wedge by a guy with glasses.

There were 25 golfers on Wednesday. It was a beautiful evening  but the threat of thunder showers and a less than promising forecast likely kept some people away.

Skins only went on three holes this past week. Winners included Neuf / Keith Martin ($25 on #2), Dan Stokes ($20 on #4), and Milt / Dale Watson ($20 on #7). The third hole will likely be worth $80 or so this week.

With his win on #7, Milt moved into the lead on the season money list at $79.50...just ahead of Brad Benton's $78.00.

Closest to the holes were record by Ken Wowryk on #5 and Doug Koroscil on #9. Neither they nor anyone else recorded a deuce.

Jason is better than Robin

I didn't go the Mens' Night last week. I do know that Jason Gorrell had the lowest score. Also, I know that Robin Kimpinski didn't. I know these things because that is what Jason told me when I asked him how Mens' night went.

Later when I asked additional questions I discovered that there were 25 golfers, which was way better than the seven the previous week.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Scott Maynes / Wes Arnfinson ($25.50 on #4) and Darren Ostash / Dale Martin ($20 on #7). Joel Ostash and Mike Susinski combined for two wins cashing in for $20 on both #6 and 8.

Closest to the pins were Wes Arnfinson on #5 and Jason Neufeld on #9. Both converted their birdies to get a share of the $37.50 deuce pot along with Darcy Kowalchuk.

That's all I have for this week. Stay tuned for next week's column when I updated you on the Gorrell / Kimpinski rivalry. I think Jay has to give him ten strokes this Wednesday.

Rained out

For the first time in a long we did not have Mens' Night. It technically was not a cancellation. We just didn't get enough guys. We got up to seven golfers and had a soft commitment from an eighth, but we did not get the requisite ten players needed.

We texted and called everyone we could think of to fill out the slate but no one was interested. It is amazing what a solid day of rain can do to deter even the most avid golfers. On a positive note it was some much needed precipitation for farmers, gardeners, and homeowners.

All the skins carry over until next week which is the first day of June. Have fun. Scott Martin and I will be at the school Band Concert...which I know will be awesome.

Happy long weekend!

My shortest blog entries are when I have something going on that limits my time. It's a long weekend and the weather is nice already...so I am just going to do a quick update and get outside.

Among the 26 golfers on Wednesday, several were making their first appearance of the season. I heard lots of guys finished seeding already so that is promising for next week.

Skins went on 4 holes. Winners included Rob Eastcott / Bob Moffatt ($20 on #2), Blake Hunter / Chris Kimpinski ($20 on #6), Dan Stokes / Brad Benton ($46 on #7), and Stephen David / Jason Gorrell ($29.50 on #8).

Closet to the holes were Brad on #5 and Joe Shwaluk on #9. Neither converted the deuce. The only two of the evening went to Darcy Kowalchuk who chipped in on #9 for $39.

Scott Martin recorded a birdie on #1 to move to the top of the ringer board standing with Brad at -3.

Brad moved to the top of the season money list while last year's top winner, Jason Gorrell, recorded his first cash of the year.

I am done. I need to go clean my cart for an 11:00 am tee off. Have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend.

Optimistic Golf

This entry will be about optimism...which is ironic given the date of the calendar. It is Friday the 13th. To get yourself in the proper mindset, think about how you feel about today. Do you think it is cool that it's the 13th or did you wake up expecting bad things to happen?

I get called an optimist quite often. This past week was no exception. Despite a less than ideal weather forecast for Mens' Night, I  kept texting people with my perceived good news. I noted how the drizzle was probably going to stop before golf began and resume after we finished. I mentioned how the temperatures were going to be warmer than initially projected. Several people who responded noted my optimism. Some seemed to suggest that I was delusional. One or two noted that I was crazy and stated how there was no way that they would golf on such a night.

I even had an interesting moment during the round that epitomized my take on things. On the 8th tee when I almost missed my ball. I grazed it and it rolled two feet from the tee. My first reaction was to laugh, walk to my cart and get a 3 wood, while saying "At least I can still make par".

For the record, I didn't par that hole...but I thought I was going to do so. I should also mention that it was pretty cold out and we did end up getting a little wet. But who cares? We got to hit some golf balls, hang out with some friends, and have a couple of beverages. I went home at the end of the evening a little damp, a little cold, somewhat tired, but pretty darn happy. I expect a few others felt it was one of the worst nights ever.

I have trouble with those who should be playing a game who spend more time golfing than complaining. If you are one of those people try a little experiment next time. Try to note the good things that happen during the round. Don't get hung up on the fact that it isn't as warm as you'd like. Don't lament the wind that blows shots off line, the bad bounces on the green, the lip outs, or the double bogeys. Just be happy that winter is finally over and you get to whack a little white ball around a great little golf course in our small town.

I expect the relationship between optimist and pessimists is similar to that between extroverts and introverts. Opposites that can't figure out why the other takes the perspective that they do. I know when I am around people with a less than rosy outlook on things, I try first to encourage them, before invariably just letting them do their thing while thinking something is slightly off within them.

Pessimists complain that it is only 9 degrees outside. Optimists talk about how that's better than 8 degrees. Pessimists are scorecard watchers who point out how the one errant shot or one bad hole attributed to their less than stellar performance. Optimists are ringer board people. They can have a string of triples leading up to a hole but know that just one birdie gives them a chance to lock in another score.

Of the 11 people that actually showed up on Wednesday in less than ideal conditions, I have to assume the majority were optimists. When we finished, everyone seemed to be smiling...although a few were less than happy with their final score.

Sonny Blackbird and Brad Benton were happy, having won two skins for a combined $60 on #1 and 4. Milt won a skin alone on #5 for $27.50 after pairing with the dummy card. The final skin of the evening fell on #6 to Robin Kimpinski and Dan Stokes who won $20 for their efforts.

There were actually two people who hit the par 3's this week, unlike the previous Mens' Night. Brad was closest on #5 and Blake Hunter was best on #9. There were no deuces or hole-in-ones...so that means both pots get bigger next week.

A few more words on the optimism thing before I sign off. You may have heard that people with positive outlooks on life tend to be happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer. If you haven't, it is true. There's actual research to back it up.

By the way, I just heard the Shoal Lake Band Concert is on a Wednesday in June this year. My daughter is in Grade 7 and plays the trumpet...so I will not be at Mens' Night. How lucky am I? I get to hear some awesome music before joining friends for a drink or two after their round of golf. Heck, I bet I even win Chase the Ace!

That's it for this week. See you next Wednesday when the weather will be much warmer and lots more golfers will be out on the course.

Until then, I encourage you all to be the yellow ball.

New Year's Golf

It's another new year of golf, and with it comes the many new things that start any season. Interestingly, the second week of Mens' Night is like the day after the actual new year's eve.

Often the new golf shirts stay on the hanger for the old favourites that are more comfortable and lucky. Our new clubs are no longer bright and shiny and our brand new golf balls may be scuffed a bit and are missing one or two from their original dozen. The shiny golf shoes that you wore the previous week are already breaking in and showing some signs of wear. The healthy bodies that we started with in April are becoming scuffed from trips through the bush looking for balls. Many of us also have a couple of those itchy bumps from the increasingly present wood tics.

But their is still hope and optimism. Those with new clubs are still excited about how great they will play once they figure things out finally. Some of us are finding balls that once belonged to our slick shooting brethren and we quietly enjoy the satisfaction that comes with knowing that even they don't hit it perfectly. We are hoping for a summer of great weather and looking forward to future Mens' Nights, tournaments, and golf trips. Like New Years' Day, we make resolutions about playing better, getting out more often, and enjoying the game even more.

Scott Martin enjoyed the game more this past week. He was the only person under 40, carding a 37. His score was helped by a chip in for a two on #2...from 95 yards. He split the $33 deuce pot with Milt and Hubey who both got their two's on #9.

Mr. Martin also shared the $22 skin on #2 with Carson McLennan. Skins went on three other holes. Jamie McCutchin and Darcy Kowalchuk cashed in for $22 on #6 while Milt and Blake Hunter won twice, on #1 and #9, for a total of $42.

Closet to the pins were Hubey on #5 and Milt on #9. Milt was in the New Year's spirit buying a round...maybe not for the full club house, but at least for his table.

Two weeks in we had the same numbers as the previous week with 22 golfers coming out to play. Many of our friends in the farming industry were off getting their own seasons going. Hopefully they all get their crops in quickly so that we may enjoy even hire numbers in the weeks to come.

While the forecast isn't perfect for this week, don't despair. Remember it is New Years. We need to be as optimistic as possible. Already the predicted precipitation has decreased and they are no longer calling for rainfall but merely showers. Additionally, you need to be selective about where you get you weather information. For example, as of this moment, Environment Canada's site is calling for temperatures 4 degrees warmer than the Weather Network. On behalf of all golfers, let me say "Screw you Weather Network". This Wednesday is going to be awesome...and someone will buy a round for the whole group after they get their $1500 hole-in-one. Just three more sleeps!

Milt's New Slacks

It's finally here...the day we were waiting for all winter. On Wednesday, April 27th, Milt got new golf pants. You can see them in the picture above...still with the sharp creases down the middle of each leg.

Actually the day that most of us were waiting for was the first day of Mens' Night....which occurred this past Wednesday. Last year I predicted an April 20th start. It was 20 Celsius last week but we were not ready at the Club House.

April golf can be interesting for both the rusty players as well as the unpredictable weather. For example, Scott Martin showed up in shorts. When asked about it, he replied that if it was too cold for shorts it was too cold to golf. Approximately 90 minutes later he was wearing a wind suit and a toque.

Twenty-two golfers opened the season with skins going on three holes. Winners included Ian Paterson / Jamie McCutchin ($20 on #5), Mike Susinski / Scott Maynes ($29.50 on #8), and Ron Susinski / Stephen David ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were recorded by Ian Paterson on #5 and nobody on #9. That's right...for the first time that I can remember not a single person hit a green on a par 3 in Mens' Night. I guess we can blame it on the fact that most people were playing for the first time this year. Also, it was really windy.

Ian split the $33 deuce pot with Ron Susinski who chipped in on #9.

Thanks to our closest to the hole sponsors...Kimp Services / Susinski Farms who have looked after #9 for as long as I can recall and the new sponsor of #5 Sandy Lake Locker Plant (Jamie McCutchin).

There are already 10 people signed up for the Ringer Board. Dan Stokes and Robin Kimpinski both posted birdies on #6 while Ian Paterson recorded a birdie on #5. The Ringer Board will run until August 25th so you have the whole spring and summer to lock in scores.

Welcome to our new staff which includes Manager Frances Myhill and wait staff Samantha Ledoux, Hannah Street, and Colten Bell.  We passed a cup and asked people to drop some coins in to tip our new server. Hubey reached in and likely donated $10-15 in coins. I think he had them in his pocket during the round to prevent the wind from lifting him off the ground.

For anyone who is looking for some volunteer work and companionship, we are cleaning up the campground Sunday morning at 10:00 am.  We want to get it ready for season opening. All you need to bring is gloves and a positive attitude...or gloves, a negative attitude, and a cooler of beer.

If anyone is interested in learning more about the golf club or possibly joining the board, the Annual General Meeting is this Monday at 6:30 pm.  Rumour is that Joe Shwaluk will be in attendance.

Let's have a great turnout next Wednesday when the forecast is for 20 Celsius. The steak supper option begins then as well.

It's Over For 2015

This can be a time when we get a bit downtrodden and dejected. Summer is coming to a close, the leaves are falling from the trees, and the long range forecast shows cooler temperatures. However, instead of being sad it's all over, we need to be glad that it happened. Most people would agree it has been a great summer, and a fantastic Mens' Night season.

In a fitting end to a season that had a bit of everything, everyone who played on our final Mens' Night won something. Sure there were only 11 guys because of the cool weather and farming, but still, that is impressive,

Skins went on six holes. Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Ron Anderson ($20 on #1), Scott Martin / Darcy Kowalchuk ($20 on #2), Stephen David / Blake Hunter ($20 on #3), Scott Maynes / John Derhak ($50 on #5), Brad Benton / Joe Shwaluk ($20 on #9), and Jason Neufeld ($20 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Scott Martin on #5 and Brad Benton on #9. Neither they nor anyone else scored a deuce.

The season money winner was Jason Gorrell with a total of $351.50. Second place went to Brad Benton with $258 and Dan Stokes finished in third with $181.75. Jason displaced Scott Maynes who had been the money leader the two previous seasons.

Thanks to all of the golfers who came out this year for Mens' Night. Thanks also to our awesome Club House crew John Derhak, Shawna Hebert, and Tara Horne.

Even though Mens' Night is officially over for the year, some guys are still planning to go out and hit some balls on Wednesday evenings as long as the weather permits. If that doesn't work for you, see you some time next April when we resume for 2016. That's barely seven months away!

One More and Then We Are Done

This coming Wednesday is the final Mens' Night of the year. We started way back in April and we've made it to the end of September. There have been lots of golfers, many golf balls struck, and a good number of laughs.

It is also our 22nd gathering of 2015 which puts us right up there with the most Mens' Nights in one year. We have had earlier starts and later finishes to previous seasons but this year everything seemed to align just right on both ends.

I challenge all of you to get out on Wednesday if you can. Come out for one more evening of golf, another time to hang out with the boys, and for a final chance at that elusive hole-in-one prize. Bring a friend, a neighbour, or invite that new guy that just started at work. The more the better.

Even with the fall farming season in full swing there was a pretty good turnout last week, with 15 players teeing it up.

After seeing seven skins fall the previous week, only two went this time. Dan Stokes and Scott Maynes won $20 on #1 while Ron Anderson and Brad Benton teamed up for $20 on #7.

Wes was closest to the pin on #5 while Scott Martin earned the honours on #9. Scott converted his birdie and joined Jason Neufeld and Brett Griffin in splitting the $39 deuce pot.

Not much more to report...because I was away for the second week in a row. I was golfing in Clear Lake so I cannot complain. If you are going to miss golf you can't get a better reason than because you were golfing elsewhere.

If you can't make it this week, get out tomorrow for what may be one of the last really nice weekend days of summer. It's supposed to be sunny and 24.

No Guilt For Me

I didn't make it to Mens' Night last week. I heard it was pretty good for the 12 guys who played. I had a unbreakable commitment...my 15th wedding anniversary. Despite my wife's encouragement to play I just couldn't do it. She told me it was okay to golf on our anniversary. I just couldn't convince myself that it was.

Golf needs to be an enjoyable guilt-free experience. It just isn't the same if you try to play when you feel that you should be somewhere else. You can't be thinking about the work you are neglecting or those unfinished chores. You don't experience the same level of enjoyment if you wonder if your significant other resents your time on the course.

I am fortunate that I play a lot of guilt free golf. So I was happy to take a night off to celebrate my anniversary. Plus everyone has to miss the occasional Mens' Night.

For the 12 who did play, 6 won money this week. Skins went on 7 holes. This was unusual even for a low number of players.

The brothers Kimpinski (Robin and Chris) won four holes including $20 per hole for #1, 6, and 9 plus $59.50 for #4. Brad Benton and Wes Arnfinson teamed up for two skins, getting $20 for both #1 and 7. The final hole winners were Scott Martin and Jason Gorrell who earned $25.50 for their combined efforts on #3.

Ryan Merasty was closest to the pin on #9. None of the 12 golfers hit the green on #5. Also, there were no deuces.

We have not decided when Mens' Night will wrap up. It will be contingent on the weather and weekly turn out. Once we decide to end the season we will let you know.

For the record, I also can't play on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. That will be my 20th anniversary. Even though I will be absent, I hope that day five years from now is sunny and warm...and I hope all of the farmers are done their harvest early that year.

That Was a Close One

We almost had to cancel Mens' Night this coming week. Some guy from Brandon was supposed to aerate the greens. For some reason he was starting at 3:00 pm and going until 8:00 pm. Scott Maynes told me this a couple of weeks ago. I told him not to tell anyone else until closer to the actual date. I have crisis management training. I knew that it was a bad idea to incite the masses prematurely.

At the end of the evening, with some trepidation, I gathered the courage to tell the others. They took it remarkably well. Some instinctively started comforting their friends. There were some tears on cheeks and the occasional cry of frustration. Yet despite the despair, people were doing okay.

Then like many traumatic situations, there was a glimmer of hope. It was suggested we switch Mens' Night to another evening. First I heard "Let's do Thursday". Then a voice, similar to mine, said "No, Stephen has a board meeting then. What about Tuesday?" Quickly there was consensus and Mens' Night was saved. The tears stopped flowing and the sobbing waned.

But wait. Mild panic arose when we realized we didn't clear the night switch with clubhouse management. Even though Butch was present during the previous discussion, we didn't ask him if it was okay. Cautiously I approached him, nervously explaining the situation and asking if we could have golf on Tuesday. Butch replied with "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it. They are aerating on Thursday instead, you can have it on the regular night".

Suddenly cheers erupted from the crowd behind me. Plastic glasses and beer cans met in mid air to toast our good fortune. High fives and hugs ensued. I just stared dumbfounded looking at Butch. Why didn't he tell us sooner. We could have lost someone,

I quickly worked past my feelings of anger while looking at the happy faces that filled the club house. There was Brad Benton, smiling and telling stories of how he teamed with the dummy card to win two skins ($20 on #7, $20 on #9). The tears on Robin Kimpinski's face were replaced by laughter as he and Jason Gorrell recounted the skins they won together on #1 ($20) and #8 ($31.50). Even the normally stone-faced Scott Martin seemed happy as he congratulated Brett Griffin on their shared $20 skin on #6.

With Mens' Night saved, we were free to celebrate with Ron Anderson and Brad Benton who were closest to the pins on #5 and #9. We even cheered for Brad when we discovered that his two on #9 won him a share of the $28.50 deuce pot with Ian Paterson.

The evening wrapped up with many of us sharing our feelings about the crisis that was averted...and pledging to return next Wednesday at 6:00 pm to support each other further.

Three in the Tree

Normally I don't write anything about what happened before Mens' Night on the blog. Occasionally, if someone has a practice round of 36 and follows it by a 48 I mention it. Or if a 48 is followed by an official 36 I say something. But usually I keep the golf references to what occurs between 6:00 and 9:00 pm.

However, sometimes very unique happens. This Wednesday, for example, while enjoying some warm-up holes, Dan Stokes hit a great drive on #8 to the 100 yard mark. Then he hit his wedge over the green to the trees behind the green. And the ball did not come down. Below is a picture of Dan pointing to his ball. Remarkably, he hit his third shot from where it was lying and then got up and down for bogey.

For the actual Mens' Night round, the highlight was Leslie Blackbird's score of 33. He paired with Neuf to win skins on three holes ($20 on #2, $20 on #6, and $44 on #7).

The only other skin of the evening went to Jason Gorrell and Dick Edgeworth who won $22 on #9.

Closest to the pins were Scott Martin on #5 and Jason Gorrell on #9. Gorrell converted his putt to share the $30 deuce pot with Robin Kimpinski.

Gorrell's combined winnings put him at exactly $300 for the season, the first time anyone has reached that plateau.

With the fall farming season starting up, there were only 20 golfers. Many more turned out for the season-ending Nine and Dine on Friday.

Remember we have switched to a 6:00 pm tee off time for the remainder of the season. Hopefully we will see you on Wednesday for our 19th Mens' Night of the season.

A Good Day for a Golf Movie

It doesn't seem to be a great weekend for actual golf, especially today with the heavy rain and thunder. You may have to get your golf fix somewhere else.

There is always golf on TV. Tiger Woods is playing in the final group on a Saturday for the first time in a couple of years. There's also the Canadian Womens' Open.

Or you could watch a golf movie on Netflix, but not Caddyshack or Happy Gilmore which are curiously absent. They also don't have Tin Cup, making me think that Netflix doesn't like golf. They do have a nice documentary about competitive youth golf called The Short Game which is worth watching.

The Ringer Board wrapped up this week. Jamie McCutchin won the first flight with a -8 score, followed by Robin Kimpinski at -7 and Darcy Kowalchuk at -6. Jason Neufeld captured the second flight with a -2 with Scott Martin second at even par.

The prizes for the ringer board were divided as follows - 70% for the first flight (40/20/10) and 30% for the second flight (20/10). With 19 golfers participating, the cash payouts were 1st flight ($76, $38, $19) and 2nd flight ($38, $19).

For the regular Mens' Night there were 24 golfers. Numbers were predictably down a bit given that many of our friends in the farming industry were busy getting ready for harvest.

Skins went on five holes. Winners included Jason Neufeld / Jason Hunter ($34 on #1, $39 on #6), Darren Ostash / Kyler Demond ($24 on #2), Wes Arnfinson / Larry Koroscil ($143 on #3), and Darcy Kowalchuk / Kevin Bartram ($20 on #9).

The $36 deuce pot was claimed by Darcy Kowalchuk. Closest to the pins on #5 and #9 were Ryan Merasty and Darren Ostash respectively.

Before I wrap it up I would like to congratulate Dave Gill who had a hole-in-ne at the Tamarack Golf Tournament this week. Dave's ace was on the 12th hole in Clear Lake and helped him win his match.

Remember, starting next week we go to a 6:00 pm tee off for Mens' Night.

Dog Days of Summer

There were lots of golfers this past week. How many, I am not certain. I was away. I heard there were either 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, or 50 golfers depending on whom I asked. Looking at the sheet now, I think the number was 44 but their appears to be more than that listed.

In any case, it was a good night for golf. I was out of town but I assume it was a hot one. A couple of people said it was the hottest Mens' Night ever. This could be hyperbole because I am sure there has been a hotter Wednesday some time in the recent past. It would be safe to assume that it was an extremely warm and humid evening.

We are in the middle of what is commonly referred to as the dog days of summer. The expression "dog days" refers to the hot days of summer originally in areas around the Mediterranean Sea. The coincidence of very warm temperatures in the early civilizations with the rising, at sunrise, of the dog star Sirius led to the association of this phrase with these conditions. The dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of July and August, which typically exhibit among the hottest of summer temperatures.

Skins only went on three holes. Winners were Robin Kimpinski / Ron Coombs ($41 on #5), Joel Ostash / Ron Huberdeau ($27 on #8), and Jamie McCutchin / Ivan Crampain ($22 on #9).

The Kimpinski brothers, Robin and Chris, were closest to holes #5 and 9 respectively. They converted their putts to share the $81 deuce pot with three other people, Sonny Blackbird, Ron Susinski, and Jamie McCutchin.

There were lots of scores entered for the ringer board. The final opportunity to post scores is this coming Wednesday. Right now Jamie McCutchin is in the lead with a -8.

Hopefully we will see another good turnout this coming Wednesday. The hole-in-one pot seems due to go soon, plus the third hole skin should be worth around $150 this week.

If you are free this Sunday between 4 - 6 pm, feel free to drop by new campground adjacent to the golf course. We are having our grand opening / volunteer appreciation event.

Golf No Matter What

The picture above is something that I found on the internet. The caption that accompanied it said "When you are playing golf, no matter what happens, keep your head down". It also illustrates the theme for this week...golfing no matter what the conditions are like.

So...it didn't rain on Mens' Night this week. That might be surprising for anyone that looked outside at 1:00 or 3:30 or even at 6:00 pm for that matter. But once we got going at 6:30 pm there wasn't a drop of rain for the next few hours. Fortunately, we hit the requisite number of 10 golfers to make it an official Mens' Night.

Following the final night of 2013, I wrote a blog entry entitled "Seven Alone" which talked about the seven guys who braved the cold and damp conditions to play. Interestingly of those 7, 5 played this past week.

It shows that there are some people that golf no matter what the conditions. This statement isn't intended to be critical of those who like it warmer and dryer. It is simply an observation. Some of us are willing to golf even when reason and logic suggests that we should not.

I think this speaks to the allure of Mens' Night. It isn't merely about the golf and the scores. It is a night where we clear personal and work schedules to ensure that we get a chance to get out and hang with the boys. Occasionally there are conflicts that we can't avoid, mainly on the recommendation of our significant others. But generally, we play whenever we can.

For the most part it is only exceptionally bad weather that keeps us away. Even that is relative. A couple of weeks ago, for example, we played on an evening when wind gusts were bending the tops of the flags until they almost touched the ground. We played and were grateful that we didn't have the "almost tornado" of two night prior.

I have only a few pictures of golf on my phone. A common theme is the fun that results when we golf when we shouldn't. There's a shot of the fifth green with a double rainbow after a wicked thunderstorm. There's another one of a bunch of us riding out a torrential rainfall while visiting in the maintenance shed. Finally I have one of four of us bundled up with layers of clothing, toques, and mitts. That one is from a cool day last October.

So thanks to the other nine guys who came out this week. And for those that couldn't come, maybe we will see you on Wednesday.

Skins went on five of nine holes with two double winners including Dan Stokes / Scott Maynes ($20 on #1 and $75.50 on #2) and Jason Hunter / Jason Gorrell ($20 on #4 and $66 on #9). Joe Shwaluk and Brad Benton teamed up for the other skin, $20 on #7. Closest to the pins were Robin on #5 and Brad on #9. There were no deuces.

There are only two more nights to add scores to the ringer board - August 12 and 19. Remember if there are any holes for which you do not enter a score you get the Mens' Night triple bogey. Good luck making sure that is not the case.

Let's hope the weather is fairer this week. If not, good luck for those that are willing to brave the elements.

Golf by the Numbers

Numbers are important in golf. Your select specifically numbered clubs to hit numbered balls after deciding on the number of yards to your target. You use informal statistics and probability to make decisions about where to hit and what to hit. Some golfers even record their shot distances on their GPS devices so they get a sense of their trends and patterns. And of course, you use numbers to track your progress, both in terms of scores and handicaps.

So this week I will present an overview of Mens' Night which focuses on numbers.

This past Wednesday there were 28 golfers, 9 of whom won prizes. It was an incredibly windy start to the evening with wind gusts up to 75 km/hr. Skins went on 4 holes including Mike Susinski / Darcy Kowalchuk ($35 on #1 and $20 on #7), Pete Ostash / Jason Gorrell ($51 on #6), and Scott Maynes / Ron Anderson ($20 on #8).

Jamie McCutchin and Brad Benton scored 2's so they split the $42 deuce pot. Blake Hunter was closest to the pin on #5 and Mike Susinski hit it tight on #9.

This season we have had 14 Mens' Nights during which 45 golfers have won over $2000 in prizes. Yet we have not had 1 hole in one...but it feels like it may be coming soon.

Speaking of holes in one, the odds of an amateur making a hole-in-one are 12,500 to 1. The odds of a low handicapper making an ace are 5,000 to 1 while the odds for a professional golfer are 2,500 to 1. If you are a low handicapper and play 1,000 rounds in your life (an average of 25 rounds for 40 years), you have a 20% chance of making at least one hole-in-one.

Well that's it for this week. It's Saturday afternoon and 23 Celcius outside, the wind is only 15 km/hr and there is only a 20% probability of precipitation. I need to get outside. Unfortunately, there seems to be 0 people available to golf.

The Happy Golfer

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.

This quote is from the latest issue of Golf Digest which focuses on happiness. The basic premise of most of the stories and articles is that happy people enjoy golf more than unhappy people. That isn't necessarily an earth-shattering revelation, but it is still worthy of some reflection.

Many people who golf focus on imperfections. Bad lies, bad swings, bad shots, and bad scores fill their brains. Even when they golf relatively well they lament the one bad hole. Last night for example, I heard someone ask another how he played. "Terrible" was the response. You can imagine my surprise when I saw that person's card and noted that he had a 40 on the evening.

There are others that simply enjoy the chance to get out and golf and enjoy the outdoors. I heard one of these happier people describe their round as "lots of fun" last night. When asked how they played they said "really good". Imagine my surprise when I saw that person was just under 50.

The point of the opening quote is that golf should be more than just one's score relative to par. While we reward scoring in our mens' night format, the emphasis of the evening for most people is getting together with some friends and enjoying an evening chasing golf balls around the course. While I enjoy playing and would never turn down a skin, I am happiest when there are lots of guys out playing and having a good time.

I am happy to say that we had 42 golfers last night including a few new faces. I would bet that Mike Susinksi and Jamie McCutchin were happy when they hit it closest to the pins on #5 and 9 respectively. Mikey was likely doubly happy when he scored a two on the same hole and ended up splitting the $63 deuce pot with Brad Benton,

Brad seemed happy a little earlier when he cashed in for a $90 on #5 with Stephen David (that's me). Scott Maynes and Luke Funk appeared to smile when they won $56 on #4. Hubey was definitely elated when he won a $21 skin with Robin Kimpinski on #8. Derek Ostash was still okay when he won the $21 for hole 7 even after learning that his partner (Ervin W.) departed before signing the cheque.

I know that there are at least 40 people excited about the horse race on Saturday. We actually have 48 people signed up...so I am assuming 8 will be unhappy with the weather, the format, the food. their play, or some other aspect of the day. I hope they at least have the good fortune to have one or two happy people in their group.

In closing, I invite you to think about the recently painted deck at the Club House. Were you among the happy majority who was glad that the old, worn surface was refinished and who was grateful for the volunteers that did the work? Or, were you among the unhappy minority who didn't like the colour and complained to a friend about how the natural wood finish should have been maintained? I bet if you are in the first group you are generally a happy person. If you are in the second group, the converse is likely true.

See you Saturday!

Four Deuces!

Remember a week ago or so when it was almost like a mini drought around here? It hadn't really rained in a month or so. I actually was contemplating buying a pump to get some water from the lake for my lawn.

Fast forward until now. Most people would agree we have had too much rain as of late...including that two inch deluge on Monday evening. Even yesterday, it rained pretty hard from 3:00 - 4:30 pm. Fortunately, all that did was delay the practice round for some early birds. Once Mens' Night started at 6:30 pm the weather was great for the 32 golfers who came to play.

A heavy rain before golf usually means that some Mens' Night scores will be really low and others will be really high. Such was the case yesterday, when several players took advantage of the soft, receptive greens to attack pins. There were quite a few others that had trouble with the soggy conditions, with many stories of chunked shots and fat approaches.

One group actually had the four lowest scores of the night with Brad Benton, Scott Maynes, Scott Martin, and Jason Gorrell scoring 37, 37, 38, and 38 respectively.

They were part of a fivesome with Dan Stokes...who wasn't among the low scorers for the night. I knew he was having some trouble during the round when the beer cart girl stopped by my group. She remarked that "Dan Stokes doesn't seem like he is having fun tonight".

Fortunately for Dan, his evening turned around later. His lone par on the eight hole found a good partner with Derek Kempthorne and they claimed the massive skin of $133.50. This win also jumped Dan to second place on the season money list.

Another sizable skin went on hole #7 when Jamie McCutchin and Stephen David combined for $83.50. The only other hole that went was #1 which was good for $20 for Milt and Cubby.

There were four deuces on the evening with John Gill, Darcy Kowalchuk, Blake Hunter, and Scott Maynes splitting the $48 pot. Blake's two on #5 and Darcy's two on #9 were the result of tee shots that gave them the closest to the pin honours for the night. Blake missed the $1500 hole-in-one prize by less than a foot. I know this because later he said that he was "11 inches from not going to work tomorrow".

Scott Maynes' deuce on five also helped him to move into the lead on the ringer board with a score of -6. There are five more weeks to post scores, with the final night August 19th.

For anyone who likes ordering golf stuff online, I came across a really good Canadian site called Golf Avenue that sells new and used equipment and offers free shipping on orders over $150. Their website is www.golfavenue.ca.

Don't forget that the Horse Race is next Saturday. Currently we are at 47 entrants with a cap of 60 players. To enter, text me at 847-0161 or by email at sdavid@mts.net.

Finally, welcome back to Jason Neufeld who played last night after being out of commission for a while.

The beauty of simply showing up

One of the nice things about our Mens' Night formats is that you can show up once and win money. You pay your $8 for skins and you have a crack at whatever has accumulated to date.

Such was the case last night when Barry Bone played and won $112.25.  He split the $58.50 deuce pot with Jamie McCutchin and paired with the dummy card to win $83.00 for the skin on #9. This single evening performance catapulted him to the #2 spot on the season money list. Not bad for an $8 entry fee.

Despite not getting a share of the deuce pot, Scott Maynes was great off the tee on the par 3's with closest to the pin on both #5 and 9.

With 39 golfers out there were lots of ties for skins. The only other holes that went were # 1 (Brad Swereda / Brad Burns for $36.50) and #6 (Mike Susinski / Terry Susinski for $20). The skin on #8 continued to be elusive and will likely be over $150 next week.

While I have your attention I will make a couple of quick golf club related announcements.

Firstly, our Horse Race tournament is only a few weeks away on June 25th. We already have 21 entries. With a cap of 60 golfers you may want to get your name in soon. To register, text me at 847-0161 or send me an email at sdavid@mts.net.

Our campground project has come a long way in a single calendar year. It was a year ago this coming Friday that we started. Exactly one year later, at the end of this week, we will be officially open with 58 full service sites. There are already 2 campers in lots as of this morning with at least 20 more due. 

If you know of anyone looking for a seasonal lot there are still approximately 36 available. We expect these to go quickly once word gets out about the awesome full service campground next to the golf course and lake that just opened in our community.

Night of the Ostash's

Well, we didn't crack 50 golfers last night. We only had 34. But we sure had a lot of Ostash's. It seemed like there were around 30 of them. Someone suggested the number was more like 10 or so. But still, when almost a third of the guys playing are from the same family that is noteworthy. When we paired off scores later there were 3 of 17 groups that had two Ostash's. I thought that their family reunion was not until Saturday. Maybe I was wrong.  It had to be on Mens' Night. Or maybe it was Tuesday...during the Jack and Jill, when there must have been 7 or 8 female Ostash's as well.

Not surprisingly the low round of the night was an Ostash with Matt Ostah carding a 35. One of the three skins were won by an all-Ostash team. Pete and Milt teamed up on #6 for the $48 prize.

The other skins went to Ryan Merasty / Mike Susinski ($48 on #2) and Scott Maynes / Wes Arnfinson ($20 on #4).

There were three deuces with two of them made by the same guy. Congrats to Blair Neal who won 2/3 of the $51 pot as a result. The other two was by Mike Susinski who won $17 for his efforts. Blair has closest to the pin on #5 while Mike just missed the ace on #9.

Robin Kimpinski added a birdie to the ringer board to take the lead at -5. Milt Ostash was really excited about adding scores...but then became distracted and forgot to tell me which holes he was entering.

Next week there will be no fireworks and probably fewer Ostash's. However, the 8th hole should be worth around $130. Many other pots are building as well. Plus it's July. If you are male and not golfing on Wednesday evening...you need to be.

I will see many of you at tomorrow's Fundraising Tournament. For those playing, best of luck for low scores and lots of fun. For any asthmatic players, the forecast for tomorrow is "smoke"...so best of luck for clear airways.

Environment Canada even has a new weather icon for such conditions (shown above). The actual forecast states "Mainly cloudy. Widespread smoke. High 28. UV index 6 or high." Let's hope none of those Ostash's have respiratory issues.