Here's to 2024!

 

The season came to a close on a beautiful day last Wednesday. The day before the Club House closed for the year, we had 25 golfers at Men's Night. 

Reegan Kominko and Wes Arnfinson combined for three skins ($58.76 on #4, $34.37 on #5, and $34.37 on #9. Reegan also claimed the $69.38 deuce pot. 

The only other skin went to Robin Kimpinski and NathaN Nowasad who won $34.37 on #3. Closest to the holes were Ashton Tanner on #5 and Ryden Lanouette on #9.

As is my practice, this final blog includes a summary of the year. Here are some of the highlights from this past season, filled with memorable moments, friendly competition, good laughs, and plenty of camaraderie.

Big Picture Highlights:

• Robin Kimpinski topped the money list with $376.85.
• Ryden Lanouette was the ringer board champion.
• We played a total of 24 times, with over 60 golfers winning money, including closest-to-the-pin contests.
• Despite a generous pot, no one was able to achieve that elusive hole-in-one.
• Remarkably, despite some erratic weather, we did not have a single canceled night all summer.
• There were more than a few evenings that ended with some poker at the campground.

Season Highlights:

• Our first round was on May 8. The following week, Wes Arnfinson cashed in for almost $200 with a huge deuce, a closest-to-the-pin win, and a shared skin.
• June was marked by challenging weather. On June 2, gusts reached 70 km/h, and the following week, there was a tornado emergency alert. Although some spouts touched down in the region and hail was a concern, we still managed to play on Men's Night, even with incredibly wet course conditions. That night, Joel Ostash was closest on both par 3s, a rare achievement for the season.
• July kicked off with an interesting mix of scores ranging from 32 to 56, with ten players finishing below 40 and another ten going 50 or higher. We had our best turnout of the year with four golfers, despite no one from Wayway participating. Fred Hrycak had a standout round on July 24, scoring 37 with four birdies.
• In August, Ryden Lanouette wrapped up the ringer board with a final score of -8. Fred Hrycak came within inches of glory when his tee shot on #9 just missed going in.
• September featured consistent turnouts, with plenty of skins being won as we started winding down with earlier tee times.
• October was fantastic, marking the first time that we had two Men's Night rounds after October 1. The first night was extremely cold, but the following week brought beautiful weather.

As we close the chapter on this season, I want to thank each of you for your participation and enthusiasm. It’s the friendships we’ve built and the memories we’ve created that truly make our Men's Night special. Whether you were a frequent player or joined us for a few rounds, your presence helped make our Wednesday nights worthwile. Here’s to 2024...and here's to a short winter! 

Embracing the Cold

 

It was pretty cold out last week. When we teed off at 5:30 it was about 10 Celsius with wind gust up to 50 km/hr. By the end of the round, it was around 7 Celsius air temperature with a pretty good windchill. 

But 12 of us still golfed. It was uncertain until around 5:20 pm when the last couple of guys arrived. People bundled up, wore toques, and spent more time in carts with sides on and windshields up.

These days at the start of the season and the end of the season can be unpredictable with weather. But even on a day like last week, I think of the upcoming 6-7 months we will spend away from the golf course. I think of those days in January when I look out onto the frozen wasteland that is Manitoba, wishing I could be outside hitting golf balls.

This week we are lucky. The weather is forecasted for a high around 24 with mimimal wind. Remarkable weather for golf. And this will be our final Men's Night of the year, given that the Club Hose closes on Thursday.

For last week's recap, only one skin went. Reegan Kominko and Joe Shwaluk combined for a $20 pot on #9. There were no deuces. Closest to the pins were Pete Ostash on #5 and Stephen David on #9. The low round of the evening was a 40 carded by both Pete and Reegan.

October is Almost Here

Before I write anything else, we will try for a 5:30 pm start this week. If you are a little late, no problem.

It is always a good sign when we get 20 Men's Nights in a season. We hit that number last week. Also, the forecast looks very reasonable for this week. That means we will play in October. That doesn't happen every year. 

We also did not have a single cancellation this summer, which is quite rare. Usually those happen due to heavy rain or wet conditions. We could have lost a night back on June 12. That was the day of the tornado warnings and heavy rain and hail in the region. However, the sky turned blue around 6:00 pm the same day and we were able to get the round in despite the extremely wet ground conditions.

I usually make a similar statement at this time of year. I remind people that these golfing days are getting fewer and far between. Soon we will pack away our clubs for that 6-7 month long period. So if you get a chance to golf you should take it. But maybe not today. As I write this, there is a wind warning. The highest breezes are forecasted for 4:00 pm when the wind will be close to 60 km/hr and with gusts as high 85 km/hr.

Last Wednesday, we had 18 golfers. Three people made money. Skins went on two holes with the Cole Hunter/Jason Neufeld pairing claiming both $20.00 on #8 and $24.38 on #9. Cole also had the only deuce to claim the $73.13 pot. Neuf was also closest to the pin on #9. Braeden Allen ws closest to the pin on #5. The low round of the evening was Charles McKay's 38.

Late Season Golf

This is the time where it is best to embrace some Fall golf. The days are getting shorter but the weather is still very nice. Sure there may be a few more leaves on the ground but the fairways and greens are still in excellent shape.

The 21 of us who played last week seemed to enjoy it. Jason Gorrell and Ethan Hunter likely had fun. They combined for two skins...$20 on #2 and an amazing $242.51 on #8.

Other winners included Logan Tanner/Paul Lucas ($24.38 on #1), Zach Bartram/Dawson Tanner ($82.51 on #3), Pete Ostash/Wes Arnfinson ($92.51 on #5), and Jason Neufeld/Charles McKay ($62.51 on #7).

Logan also had closest to the hole on #9. Wes was closest on #5. There were no deuces.

With the earlier sunsets, we will tee off at 5:45 pm effective this week.

From Fairways to Workdays: A Late Season Update

 

At the end of the season, when I get back to work, my blog entries tend to get shorter and come later. That's just the way it is. I love golf and enjoy updating the blog, but sometimes neither are priorities. So here is the update from last Wednesday, seven days afer it happened.

Of the 18 golfers, four won skins. Winners included Joel Ostash/Ron Huberdeau ($69.38 on #2 and $128.76 on #6) and Jason Neufeld/Stephen David ($69.38 on #9).

Neuf had the only deuce of the night for $33.75. Closest to the holes were Zach Bartram on #5 and Robin Kimpinski on #9.

It Happened Last Week

Last Wednesday we had 29 golfers. Only two skins were awarded. Winners included Robin Kimpinski/Stephen David ($185.65 on #1) and Chad Tanner/Shane Kimpinski ($96.26 on #4). 

Robin's two on the par 4 first hole was the only deuce of the evening, earning him the $54.38 pot.

Chad scored the low round of the evening with a 34.

Closest to the pins were Sonny on #5 and Vern on #9.

Ryden Lanouette - Ringer Board Champion

The ringer board came to an end on Wednesday with Ryden Lanouette finishing at -8. Ryden had one hole remaining and got a par on #9 to secure the victory. Finishing second and thrid in the first flight were Phil Otash at -5 and Robin Kimpinski at -4. Darcy Kowalchul also had a -4 but lost on a countback. The second flight was also won in a countback of -2 scores with Fred Hyrcak edging out Ethan Hunter. 

In other Men's Night news, there were 32 players on Wednesday. Robin Kimpinski and Logan Tanner combined to win the only skin of the night, getting $125.01 on #8. Their individual prize shares vaulted them into the top two spots on the season money list ahead of Wes Arnfinson.

Closest to the pins were Darcy Kowalchuk on #5 and Phil Ostash on #9.

Tim Gianotti had a two on the par four first hole to claim the $60.00 deuce pot. He also paired with a four which should have been enough to claim the large $167.52 skin. Unfortunately, another high/low duo both scored birdies to push the hole.

Almost!

This is a visual representation of what I heard happened last Wednesday. I was away but it was reported that Fred Hyrcak almost had a hole-in-one on #9, coming up 6 inches short while right on line. Nice try Fred. Hopefully someone will hit that jackpot prior to the end of this season. It will be worth at around $3500 tomorrow evening.

I can't report much else from last week other than the prizes. I have been away two weeks in a row so I am looking forward to getting back at it tomorrow. Thanks to the boys who looked after Men's Night in my absence.

Not surprisingly, Fred was closest on #9. Reegan Kominko was closest on #5. Both converted their birdies to share the $60.00 deuce pot.

There were 33 golfers last week buut we were short $10 so prizes were based on the $320. collected.

Skins went on just one hole. Neuf and Milt combined to win $20.00 on #7. There are two holes (#1 and 8) already worth over $100. The sixth hole could also get past that level if we get a good turnout tomorow.

Navigating the Waters of Lakeside

 

Given the name Lakeside golf course, we typically don't have a lot of water in play. That is fine with me. We have the ponds on #3 and #7. Occasionally, an errant shot can find the lake on the right side of #8 or go over the back of #9. Of course, we had the additional challenges of on-course causal water due to the heavy rain in June. Like this week's meme, it sometimes seems that if there is water somewhere, it is easier to find than we would like. And the tool to help you find the water is your trusty golf club, whether it's your driver or an iron. The one that frequently surprises people is the pond on the right side of #7. You can be inside 100 yards with a clear path to the pin, yet the ball occasionally goes off to the right. That happens with other shots but the impact is much greater on that hole. It quickly turns a birdie chance into a hope for a bogey.

One positive development on our course is the recent removal of weeds from the pond on #3. It is easier to see shots that clear the pond and how they finish. Thanks to the maintenance crew for cleaning up that area.

I am not sure how the water impacted play last Wednesday. I was away getting rained on at the end of a round in Poplar Ridge. From what was reported, the rain wasn't too much of an issue in Shoal Lake.

The 32 golfers combined to win four skins and get three deuces. Skins winners included Paul Lucas/Ron Huberdeau ($38.13 on #2), Joel Ostash/Joe Shwaluk ($20.00 on #3), Derek Patterson/Blake Hunter ($20.00 on #7), and Scott Maynes/Kevin Bartram ($59.38 on #9). 

Paul, Derek, and Scott split the $60.00 deuce pot. Scott was closest on #5 and Derek hit it tightest on #9.

Remember there are only two weeks remaining to record scores for the ringer board, August 21 and 28. Last week, Ryden Lanouette added a birdie on #7 to get to -8. Jason Gorrell and Phil Ostash are 1 and 2 strokes behind the leader respectively.  For any holes for which one doesn't enter a score, you will receive a triple bogey.

Another Quick One

This will be a quick update. The picture represents an experience that we all have occasionally.

There were 29 golfers last week. Only three skins went. Winners included Jason Neufeld/Hayden Mackedenski ($20.00 on #3), Stephen David/Paul Lucas ($39.38 on #5), and Darcy Kowalchuk/Ron Huberdeau ($39.38 on #7).

Closest to the pins were Ryden Lanouette on #5 and Scott Maynes on #9. The $54.37 deuce pot was shared by Ryden, Scott, Stephen David, and Milt.

There are only three weeks to lock in scores for the ringer board. The final night is August 28. Currently Jason Gorrell and Ryden Lanouette are leading with -7.

The Weather Has Been Good

 

This seems to be the annual trend. The season starts off promising, then the weather is less than ideal, and then it improves in July. Such has been the case this year. While this photo is an internet meme, I have seen many legs and feet that look similar. This is the classic golfer's tan.

Last week was a beautiful day for the 34 golfers in attendance. The low score was 37, Closest to the holes were Jason Neufeld on #5 and Joe Shwaluk on #9. Pete Ostash was the lone winner of the $63,75 deuce pot.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Darren Ostash/Wayne Griffin ($21.25 on #2, $21.25 on #5) and Robin Kimpinski/Brent Allen ($46.88 on #3).

For those participating in the ringer board, there are four more weeks to record scores. The final night is August 28.

The Night Before Men's Night

Well...it is 9:00 pm on a Tuesday, the day before Men's Night. I am just now doing the blog because of a combination of being busy and being inattentive. In any case, here is what happened six days ago.

There were 41 golfers. Skins went on six holes. Closest to the pins were Braeden Allen on #5 and Nick Roulette on #9. Fred Hrycak and Ryden Lanouette split the deuce pot of $135.02.

Fred had a fantastic evening. He had a 37 with four birdies. He also paired with the dummy for a $25.63 skin on #6.

Other skin winners inclided Mark Williams/Chris Hogg ($25.63 on #2), Braeden Allen/Bill Flynn ($25.63 on #4), Robin Kimpinski/Kevin Bartram ($45.01 on #5), Jayden Nowasad/Jim Geekie ($45.01 on #7), and Scott Maynes/Nathan Nowasad ($45.01 on #9).

That's it for this week. My goal is not to wait until next Tuesday to do the next update.

Wednesday Recap

It is an extremely nice outside on this Friday afternoon...hot, clear skies, and almost little wind. Consequently this will be a quick blog entry.

There were 31 golfers on Wednesday. Skins continued to go at a high rate with 5 holes going. After two previous evenings of multiple deuces, there were none this week.

Hole winners included Robin Kimpinski/Wes Arnfinson ($19.38 on #2), Ryden Lanouette/Joe Shwaluk ($19.38 on #3), Pete Ostash/Jim Geekie ($19.38 on #4), Blake Hunter ($42.51 on #6), and Cyril Patterson/Cubby Bartram ($42.51 on #8). Closest to the holes were Theoren Hunter on #5 and Barry Shama on #9.

Don't forget our next two tournaments...the Horse Race on July 27 and the 55+ on July 30.

Rollercoaster Weather

Boy we have strange weather. On Wednesday, we had the best Men's Night conditions of the year with blue skies, warm temperatures, and minimal wind. 

As I write this on Friday morning, we are still scheduled to have one of the hottest days of the year. The forecast is for a high of 32 with a humidex of 41. It was already quite warm early in the day. Then at 9:10 am, the sky turned black and now we are in the middle of a significant low pressure system with high winds and rain. 

We actually have three separate weather alerts right now. There is both a watch and a warning for thunderstorms. About a month ago we had the same, but for tornados. If you aren't sure of the difference, watches are intended to raise awareness to the potential for hazardous weather conditions, and typically serve as a lead-up to a warning. Warnings are issued when sever weather is either imminent or occuring. Right now it is occuring.

Back to golf. Two weeks in a row, we have had a high number of winners. Skins went on seven holes for the second consecutive time and there were multiple deuces. 

The scores on Wednesday ranged from 36 to 55 for the thirty seven golfers. There were nine people who shot 46. Closest to the pins were Noah Street on #5 and Darren Ostash on #9. They split the $69.38 deuce pot with Jason Gorrell.

Skins winners inclued Joel Ostash/Wayne Griffin ($23.13 on #2), Dave Gill/Jason Gorrell ($23.13 on #3 and $50.63 on #9), Theoren Hunter/Braeden Allen ($23.13 on #4), Scottt Maynes/John Gill ($96.26 on #7), and Sonny Blackbird/Nathan Nowasad ($23.13 on #7).

Gorrell had three birdies, on holes 3, 8, and 9. This helped him to jump into second place on the ringer board at -5. He and Robin Kimpinski are one stroke behind leader Phil Ostash.

Don't forget to sign up for upcoming tournaments, including the Horse Race on July 27 and the Seniors on July 30.

How Low Can You Go?

There were some low scores and some high scores on Wednesday. In fact, there was a 24 stroke difference between the top and the bottom. That is for nine holes. There were around ten scores under 40 and another ten or so over 50.

Two golfers carded an amazing 32 which is -4. Congrats to Matt Ostash and Buck Morton for their stellar play. Matt's was noteworthy given that it included a bogey on eight.

The high score was 56. That golfer shall remain nameless out of respect for his family. Interestingly, one of the 32's paired with this score and the other 32 found a 49 as a partner. Neither won skins.

Those 32's were one off the nine-hole Men's Night record of 31. I had the pleasure of being in the group on both occasions previously. First there was Jason Wowryk whose 31 also had a bogey on eight. Plus he hit it into the reeds on the right side of hole #3. I actually found his ball and he put it to 10 feet on the green from about 140 yards away in almost waist-high cat tails. The other 31 belonged to Scott Maynes who went five under despite some heavily aerated greens. Scott avoided much of the plinko motion by hitting most of his approach shots within five feet.

After too many weeks of poor weather, we fnally had a nice evening. It was excellent scoring conditions with sun, limited wind, and soft, receptive greens. We did have a bit of a monsoon that hit around 9:30 pm which resulted in many guys rushing from the Club House to lower their bag covers or find shelter for their carts.

The better weather resulted in a great turnout with 44 golfers. Amazingly, that was without the Waywayseecappo contingent. Had they come we would have cracked 50 for the first time in several years. The positive attendance likely related to this being the first week of July with several new faces here for the Fundraiser tournament.

On an evening in which I realized that I only had six blank cheques, I was hoping for lots of pushes. Instead, skins went on 7 of 9 holes which likely is the most in a single night in recent history. Winners included Kendal Koroscil/Ken Wowryk ($27.50 on #1), Dale Martin/Sonny Blackbird ($46.25 on #2), Stephen David/Blake Hunter ($46.25 on #4), Derek Patterson/Cole Hunter ($118.58 on #4), Ethan Hunter/Garry Williamson ($73.13 on #6), B.J. Scott/Jason Neufeld ($27.50 on #7), and Reegan Kominki/Nathan Nowasad ($46.25 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Lunk Funk on #5 and Pete Ostash on #9. The $82.50 deuce pot was split five ways among Robin Kimpinski, Jim Geekie, Pete Ostash, Noah Street, and Phil Ostash.

Best wishes for a fun afternoon for everyone participating in the Fundraiser later today.

Double Birdies

Thirty guys showed up this past Wednesday for Men's Night. Scores ranged from a low of 35 to a high of 61.

Skins went on three holes...all won with a pair of birdies. Winners included Robin Kimpinski/Joe Shwaluk ($20.00 on #1), Charles McKay/Ashton Tanner ($45.63 on #7), and Jason Gorrell/Nathan Nowasad ($56.25 on #9). Closest to the pins were Pete Ostash on #5 and Zach Bartram on #9.

This is a big week for the golf course with the annual Fundraiser Tournament scheduled for this Friday. Let's home for minimal rain this week.

A Nice Turnout

It is interesting what better weather can do for attendance at Men's Night. This past Wednesday we had 43 golfers, easily our highest total of the season.

Usually with more players, fewer skins are won. However, there were five holes that went. Winners included Reegan Kominko/Jim Geekie ($43.13 on #1), Robin Kimpinski/Neuf ($43.13 on #2), Myles Shingoose/Ryden Lanouette ($26.88 on #3), Chad Tanner/James van de Velde ($51.88 on #8), and Ryan Mansell/Brett Allen ($86.89 on #9).

Jason Gorrell had closest to the pin on #5 and Ryan Mansell was closest on #9. Ryan and Jason also shared the $80.63 deuce pot.

Tornado Warning

Sometimes I don't know whether I am writing a golf blog or a weather blog. Certainly there has been a lot of focus on things of a meteorological nature this year.

Take this past Wednesday for example. As far as I can recall, this was our first tornado warning on a Men's Night. There were actually funnel clouds spotted in different communities throughout our region.

Around 3:30 - 4:00 pm, Shoal Lake was hammered with heavy precipitation, including hail, for about 15 minutes. During the deluge, I couldn't see the lake adjacent to my house. My road received 1.1 inches of rain in that time period. Shortly thereafter, I jumped on my cart and headed to the Club House.

When I arrived there were not many people around. I joined two guys to play a few practice holes. As we were about to hit our second shots on three, the sky opened up again. We picked up our balls and quickly found our way to the shelter on the rear of the maintenance shed. We stayed there until almost 6:15 pm.

Then something interesting happened. The clouds disappered and it suddenly was warm and sunny. The 24 guys who came to play had fairly good conditions for the round, with a few exceptions. My group started on #1 and were cruising along nicely until the sixth tee box. Suddenly, we could feel the pressure drop and saw dark clouds forming again to the west. We picked up our pace and finished the last three holes as fast as possible. As we putted on #9, a light rain started. That became a heavy downpour a few minutes later when we were inside our sheds. Some groups weren't so lucky, getting soaked because they were still playing.

I have not seen as much water on the course as was there on Wednesday. There was almost nowhere that was dry. There was a stream running in the low spot across #5 and #8 that was likely 8-10 feet wide at 4:30 pm. There were countless shots that hit fairways that were lost in newly-formed water hazards. The fourth hole was extremely saturated from the back tee well into the middle of the fairway. It was a mess.

On the golf side of things, it was a relatively successful evening. Joel Ostash did very well, getting the closest to the hole on both par 3's and splitting the $92.51 deuce pot with Robin Kimpinski. Skins went on four holes. Winners included Reegan Kominko/Ethan Hunter ($25.00 on #3, $60.01 on #6), Sean Blackbird/Jason Gorrell ($76.88 on #5), and Darren Ostash ($25.00 on #7).

Fast forward to today and we are still dealing with weather-related issues. There was a another storm last night which added more water to an already saturated nine holes. This resulted in a course closure for the day due to the grounds being too wet. I probably wouldn't be golfing anyway, given the wind gusts of over 70 km/hr. That wind likely was what caused a large tree to crack off onto our road. It looks fairly small in the picture but it took me a while to clear it away using a bow saw.

Normally I would look at the forecast and make positive comments about the expected weather for this Wednesday. I will forgo that this week because conditions have been so unpredictable as of late. If you are wondering what it will be like for our upcoming Men's Night, I recommend that you look at the sky at 6:20 pm, and hope that it stays reasonable for the next two hours.

Surviving the 70 km/hr Gale

I have written too much about windy golf. I have also noted how we often have less than ideal weather. So I guess there is not much to say about last Wednesday. It was cold and windy. So much so, we were worried we would not get enough guys. We ended up with 14. That isn't a lot for June. 

Two players didn't let the wind get them down. Phil Ostash and Cole Hunter combined for two skins, winning $20.00 on #1 and $109.39 on #2. Those were the only holes that went. Closest to #5 was Milt and closest to #9 was Stephen David. There were no deuces.

The wind last week was gusting to 70 km/hr. That is fairly significant. It was enough to break off a few tree branches. It made the par 4 sixth hole unreachable in two. It put the water on #3 in play for many golfers.

We live in a place of extremes. We have cold winters and hot summers. And there can be lots of variability from one year to the next. Take for example, June 5 which was last Wednesday's date. In 2009, the temperature only reached 0.5 Celsius. The record hight was 34.6 Celsius in 2019.

The 20 km/hr wind forecasted for this coming Wednesday is much more reasonable. But we know that weather can change quickly in Manitoba. Let's be optimistic. Maybe I will get to wear shorts golfing for the second time in 2024.

Chasing the Elusive Ace

 

The hole-in-one pot will be over $3000 this week. That's a nice prize for one lucky shot.

The last ace on Men's Night was almost twelve years ago on July 27, 2012. Dale Watson won $1616 for his hole-in-one on the fifth hole. Given that this week will be June 5, 2024, that is 4346 days without one. In the time between there likely have been many near misses, both on the two par threes as well as the short par fours on #1 and 2.

Logan Tanner had a near miss last week on #9. He had to settle for closest to the pin plus a solo claim to the $61.87 deuce pot.

The other closest to the hole went to Dawson Tanner on #5.

There were also four skins awarded to the 33 golfers. Winners included Shane Kimpinski/Stephen David ($51.88 on #1), Myles Shingoose/Keith Martin ($71.88 on #3), Pete Ostash/Phil Ostash ($51.88 on #7), and Scott Maynes/Dylan Kimpinski ($71.88 on #8).

Scott Maynes also had the only sub-40 round with a 37.

One other notable occurrence was having 4 of the 17 high-low partners score a combined max of 16 on hole #5.

When the main hole-in-one pot finally goes, we will have two pots of $2250 waiting. Remember, on the remote chance that there are more than one ace in a single evening, those individuals would split the single active pot.

Fore the Record: Fancy Fairway Edition

 

The pic shown is of Ethan Hunter. I included it (with his permission) because he had a good Men’s Night. Information regarding his experience is found further on in this blog entry.

When I got home on Wednesday evening, I texted a quick summary of the evening to someone who was away. The person responded with a suggestion that I add some descriptive words, with more adverbs and adjectives, to really paint a picture. So I took my short overview and dropped it into ChatGPT, an online AI tool. What follows is what it produced.

In a single, magnificent round of a game drenched in unbridled anticipation, only one splendidly adorned skin journeyed forth, with the illustrious Landon Tanner, in a most fortuitous pairing with the unfeeling dummy on the formidable fourth, triumphing in the grand sum of $92.06.

In a grand contest on the majestic fifth, it was none other than the venerable Cubby Bartram who emerged closest, while the sagacious Ethan Hunter made his presence known on the ninth. In a stroke of unparalleled genius, Ethan deftly executed a deuce, thus securing the solitary claim on the grandiose $43.13 pot.

In the annals of our shared history, I am compelled to recall a fateful day that myself and another braved the unforgiving terrain of Shilo, where the cold was of such an intensity that it etched itself into our very bones. On that day, the heavens unleashed a relentless sleet, reducing visibility to mere inches, and the final two holes were played in a surreal landscape of blinding white, rendering our vision obsolete, and causing my words to falter into a slurry of speech.

This week, by contrast, began with an almost preternatural calmness until the infamous Men's Night commenced. It was at this juncture that the wind began to howl with a ferocity that defied the elements, and the temperature plummeted to a biting chill. I have previously engaged in rounds with snow stubbornly clinging to the trees and on one memorable evening when the thermometer read 7 Celsius, though the biting wind made it feel a bone-chilling 3. In another particularly audacious endeavor at Pinawa, early one April, I found myself striking a pond and, in a feat of remarkable daring, ventured onto the icy surface to take my next shot.

This past Wednesday, however, ascends into the lofty echelon of the top five coldest experiences of my golfing existence, a frigid testament to the relentless caprices of nature.

Well, that was interesting. A little too fancy for my taste but it was worth trying once.

 

Local Man Wins Big

There was 27 for Men's Night this past Wednesday. That's a reasonable number for this time of year. 

The story of the night was Wes Arnfinson. He won the solo deuce dot with a two on hole 9. That was worth $153.75. He was also closest to the hole for another $20 and paired to win the $38.87 skin there with Reegan Kominko.

The only other skin to go was #8 where Ethan Hunter and Zach Bartram combined for a $51.25 win. The other closest to the hole was Fred Hyrcak on #5.

The forecast for this week looks good enough. See you then if you can make it.

Let the Fun Begin!

As the grip of another long Manitoba winter finally loosens, we got back to the important stuff with our first Men’s Night of the year. The thawing of the snow and the budding of the trees signal not just the arrival of spring but also the promise of another great summer of golf. 

Each new season is like a reunion with our clubs and our friends and acquaintances. It is interesting that in a small town or area such as this, we get a bit disconnected during the colder months. I heard several people ask others how their winters were.

As we start this 2024 season, be optimistic about this fresh start. Best wishes for a year in which every shot is straighter, every putt drops, and every round includes clear skies with a gentle breeze. May the groups in front of you never play to slow and may those groups behind you never be too fast. For those of you who spent money on the latest and greatest golf equipment, may those shiny new drivers add 50 yards to their tee shots. I encourage you to imagine positive outcomes to manifest positive results. For example, you should all fantasize about getting a hole-in-one by practicing their victory dance in front of the bathroom mirror, and mentally spending the imaginary prize money. Above all else, anticipating the endless laughter, camaraderie, and memories shared with friends on the course, and perhaps at the campground afterwards, even if those memories involve more lost balls than birdies.

Now to the golf results from Wednesday.

Brent Allen and Reegan Kominko hit it closest to the pins on #5 and #9 respectively. There were no deuces recorded.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Phil Ostash/Joe Shwaluk ($20 on #1), Darcy Kowalchuk/Wes Arnfinson ($24.38 on #5) and Ethan Hunter/Braden Allen ($48.76 on #7).

We would really like to see more participants in the Ringer Board this year. From May 8 to August 21, participants will strive to record their best scores on every hole, aiming to secure the lowest 9-hole score by season’s end. And the cost is only $10 for the season. On any given night, each golfer can enter as many scores as they wish, with each entry representing their best effort on a particular hole. Once a score is recorded, it's locked in. If you don’t have all scores entered after the final night, you will be assigned the Men’s Night max for that hole.

The Last One for the Year

 

I want to provide context for this week's image. It is meant to reflect the saddest day of the golf season. For me, the last Men's Night of the year fits this description. I know that there may be a few more opportunities for golf before the course shuts down, but Men's Night ends this Wednesday.  The Club House will be closing after the upcoming long weekend.  

On a positive note, we get to have a Men's Night in October for the second year in a row. That has not happened previously.

Last week was an excellent final Men's Night for September. We had 23 golfers and the conditions were more than reasonable. Darren Ostash handled the wind better than anyone and scored the low round of 39. 

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Jason Gorrell/Logan Tanner ($40.81 on #1), Vern Snyder/Barry Nychuk ($113.07 on #3, $40.81 on #8), and Wayne Griffin/Ron Hubderdeau ($28.76 on #9).

Phil Ostash was closest to the hole on #5 and Kendal Koroscil was closest on #9. There were no deuces.

Since I noted Wayne Griffin previously, I should mention that he is moving to England later in October. If you see him around before he departs make sure to wish him well.

Given the rapidly declining daylight, tee off will be at 5:30 pm. Let's hope for a reasonable day of weather so that we may get this final day in for 2023.

Let's Do It Again!

Tomorrow is September 27 and the forecast is 22 Celsius and sunny. What more of a reason do we need for another Men's Night?

Last week we had 23 golfers. Skins went on only two holes. Winners included Jason Neufeld ($38.93 on #5) and Tyson Wood /Stephen David ($54.68 on #6).

Closest to the holes were Terry Susinski on #5 and Ryden Lanouette on #9. Ryden hit it to two feet, made the birdie, and claimed the $43.13 deuce pot.

Still Time to Play

 

You never know when the weather or lack of golfers will force us to shut down Mens' Night for the season. So we should take advantage of the remaining good weather and get out and play some golf. I recognize that not everyone is available at this time of year. If you are busy with something else, all the best doing what you need to get done.

Last week we had 20 golfers. That seems to be about our average as of late. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Stephen David/Barry Bone ($40.30 on #2), Sean Blackbird/Paul Lucas ($20.00 on #7), and Ethan Hunter/Jason Neufeld ($20.00 on #9).

Ethan also had closest to on #9 and converted the birdie to claim the $36.15 deuce pot. Closest to on #9 was Vern Snyder.

Leaf Us Alone

 

We don't have a lot of fallen leaves on the course yet but they will be coming soon. Remember two important things at this time. 

Firstly, it is okay to clear a path on the putting green to get rid of leaves and other loose impediments. You can use your hand, your putter, a broom, or a leaf blower. 

Secondly, if you are certain that you hit a shot into a pile of leaves and your ball cannot be found, you can take a free drop and relief under Rule 16.1 of the Rules of Golf. You may simply play a new ball from the general area without a loss of stroke. This often happens along the rough on the right side of hole #1. Prior to taking relief, confirm with a playing partner that they agree with your decison.

Last week, there were 20 golfers. Dawson Tanner and Charles McKay registered the low round with a 34. Charles also won a skin with Blake Hunter, cashing in for $45.38 on # 4.

Other skins went to Sonny Blackbird/Darcy Kowalchuk ($20.00 on #1, $45.38 on #7) and Brett Griffin/Brad Benton ($58.26 on #8, $171.27 on #9).

Closest to the holes were Ryden Lanouette on #5 and Dawson Tanner on #9. Stephen David had the only deuce to claim the $37.50 pot.

Remember, we will continue with a 6:00 pm tee-off until the end of the season. Wednesday looks promising. The current Environment Canada forecasts suggests 24 Celsius and sunny. Not bad for September 13.

More Golf to Come

With the arrival of September, we sart to hear the familiar laments of those who believe that the summer is over. Yes the weather starts to change and those who had vacation time return to work. But we shouldn't give up because the calendar changes. Summer is as much a state of mind as it is a period of time. Don't let your mind turn over simply because the month does.

Technically, summer runs later than usual this year with the first day of fall arriving on September 23. Also, our weather has been very good. In fact, this past long weekend has to be one of the warmest we've had in a long time. And there is lots of golf to play. Last year, we had a Men's Night in October and the final day of play on the course was October 29.

So don't give up yet. There is still time for more Men's nights. And if the weather is favourable and you are free, there are additional opportunities for evening golf and more chance to add to your golfer's tan.

Twenty-six players worked on their tan last Wednesday. Skins went on only two holes. Winners included Trevor Wilson/Nathan Maynes ($20.00 on #1) and Jason Gorrell/Robin Kimpinski ($20.00 on #5). Gorrell had the only two of the evening to claim the $48.75 deuce pot. Dawson Tanner was closest to the hole on #5 and Nick Roulette was closest on #9.

Remember for the remainder of the year, we tee off at 6:00 pm. And remember that our hole-in-one pot keeps growing and will likely be worth around $2400 this week. Eventually someone is going to get lucky, and you can't win it if you don't play.

Ringer Board Winner

 

The ringer board wrapped up this week. Unofficially, Brad Benton is the winner, edging Darcy Kowalchuk on a countback. Both finished the season at -5.

This past Wednesday we had 27 golfers for Men's Night. Skins went on four holes. Winner included Charles McKay/Joe Shwaluk ($60.64 on #1), Dawson Tanner/Brandon Cloud ($28.76 on #2), Jason Gorrell/Terry Susinski ($20.00 on #5), and Sean Blackbird/Kendal Korsocil ($165.02 on #8).

Closest to the pin on #5 was Terry Brandon while closest on #9 was Stephen David. Stephen converted his birdie to claim the $50.63 deuce pot.

With his winnings this week, Joe Shwaluk jumped to second place in the season money list with $260.04. Jason Neufeld remains in first with $264.39. This year 51 golfers have won skins with a total season payout of $3720.28

There is one tournament remaining this season...the two-person 55+ event that has been rescheduled until Thursday, September 7. Contact the Club House to register.

Final Week for the Ringer Board

Before we do the overview of last week's Men's Night, I need to remind everyone that the final opportunity to record scores on the ringer board is this Wednesday, August 23.

Last week there were oly 19 golfers. Skins went on four holes. Winners included Ryden Lanouette/Ron Susinski ($81.26 on #4), Nathan Maynes/Ashton Tanner ($20.00 on #5, $20.00 on #8), and Charles McKay/Jason Gorrell ($26.88 on #7).

Nathan also was closest to on #9 and converted the birdie to share the $35.63 deuce pot with Sean Blackbird. Joe Shwaluk was closest on #9.

Speaking of Joe, thanks to him for coordinating another excellent Night Golf evening.

Here's the Latest

 

I was away last week so thanks to the the boys who looked after Men's Night. And thanks to whomever can take care of things tomorrow eveing when I am away.

There were 24 golfers last Wednesday. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Tim McWhirter/Keith Martin ($20.00 on #2), Sonny Blackbird/Shaine Kimpinski ($20.00 on #5), and Phil Ostash/Scott Maynes ($20.00 on #9).

Sonny was closest to on hole #5 and Dave Mansell was closest on #9. Sonny converted his birdie to split the $45.00 deuce pot with Jim Geekie.

Joe and Pete - Power Couple

There have been many famous two-person collaborations...Milli Vanilli, Batman and Robin, Tom and Jerry, Thelma and Louise to name a few. 

We can add a new twosome to those ranks...Joe Shwaluk and Pete Ostash. The two combined for skins on the third and fifth holes, collecting $98.76 and $169.40 respectively. Beyond their winnings, both added something else noteworthy during their rounds. Pete was closest to on hole #9. Joe chipped in from the bush line on #3 for birdie. 

On an evening with 27 golfers, skins went on four other holes. Winners included Brad Benton/Jason Gorrell ($20.00 on #2), Chad Tanner/Zach Bartram ($20.00 on #7), and Jason Neufeld ($20.00 on #8).

Nathan Maynes was closest to on #5. He converted his birdie to share the $50.63 deuce pot with Brad Benton. Benny also had the low round of the evening with a 33, featuring a chip in on #2 for two and a 80 foot birdie putt on #6.

A Big Week for Prizes

 

After a quiet week on July 19, there were multiple winners last night and some very large prizes. We had 30 golfers yesterday and 11 won something. The big winner of the evening was Scott Maynes who claimed a deuce pot of $178.13. Mike Susinski and Wayne Griffin combined for a $152.52 skin on #1. Other skins winners included Pete Ostah/Bill Flynn ($20 on #2), Jason Gorrell/Charlie McNabb ($37.50 on #7), and Jason Neufeld/Terry Susinski ($37.50 on #8).

Closest to the pin winners Trevor Wilson (#5) and Keith Martin (#9) picked up $20 each for their efforts.

Scott Maynes' first win vaulted him to second place in money list behind Jason Neufeld who has $244.39 in season winnings. Charles McKay is in third place with $160.97.

Next week we will likely have four skins worth $100 or more including a new accumlating hole-in-one prize.

We previously capped our hole-in-one pot at $2250. As of last night, we have three such pots. The intent is if someone gets an ace one week, there will be a big prize ready to go for the next week. However, we are going to have the second and third pot remain at $2250 but allow the first one to build until we get a winner. As of last night, that prize is $2283.76 and it will be over $2300 next week.

Don't forget to enter the Horse Race this Saturday if you have yet to do so. As of today we have 33 entrants.

A Quiet Week...So a Quiet Update

 

There were only two skin winners last week...Joel Ostash and Milt. That's them standing alone on the podium. They combined for a -2 on the second hole and won a $20 skin for their efforts. The previous week, skins went on five holes. 

Two weeks ago we had six deuces. Last week we had zero among the 30 registered golfers.

There were two closest to the pin winners...Kendal Korsocil on #6 and Milt on #9. Joel Ostash had the low round with a 35.

Good luck to everyone at the Horse Race this Saturday.

Burning Gator and Multiple Deuces

 

That's the only picture I could find for a burning gator. The relevance to Men's Night is that we didn't have our regular beer cart because the course Gator had a small problem. It caught fire when a t-shirt that was sitting on it got somehow tangled up in the engine. The damage wasn't too significant and they just needed to order a replacement part for the one that melted. Thanks to the grounds crew for setting up a rental cart as a makeshift beer cart.

The theme of the actual Men's Night this week was birdies which occured on mulitple holes by multiple golfers. In fact, there were six players who scored deuces.

We don't have an official Men's Night list of rules but we do have some longstanding practices. One is if we have 5 or more deuces we don't pay anyone out and carry the money over to the following week. So instead of 6 people splitting a $65 pot last night, the money goes to build the pot for the next week. That being said, we will still acknowlegde the deuces of Brandon Cloud, Chad Tanner, Jaden Patterson, Jason Gorrell, Joel Ostash, and Stephen David.

Jaden had the low round of the night with a blistering 34. Following close behind was Darcy Kowalchuk with a 35 despite two bogies. Congratulations to Zach Bartram who shot his lowest round with a very solid 43.

Darcy was closest on hole 5 and Brandon Cloud had closest to on 9.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Ron Huberdeau/Jason Neufeld ($44.38 on #2), Dawson Tanner/Derek Patterson ($82.51 on #4 plus $21.88 on #9), and Chad Tanner/Ron Susinski ($61.88 on #9).

The Horse Race on Saturday, July 29 is fast approaching. Contact Stephen David if you are interested in participating. The current list of entries may be found at the following link -https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t45aX7nyalqo7vpIx8Paneu0thv0oqgw/edit

Few Winners But Still a Fun Night

It is the morning of the local Fundraiser tournament and I have a bit of time to burn. So here is a quick update from this past Men's Night when we had 36 golfers.

Only a single skin went, on hole #7, where Dale Martin and Mike Susinski combined for $60.63. Closest to the holes were Matt Ostash on #5 and Dan Wowryk on #9. Terry Susinski claimed the $67.50 deuce pot.

The Horse Race tournament is Saturday, January 29, 2023. Call or text at (204) 847-0161 if you are interested in entering.

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Country singer Luke Combs makes a statement that is likely true for many of us at different times. We golf because we enjoy it but sometimes it can be frustrating. I will speak to my personal experience with this in a moment. However, I will quick do a recap of last week's Men's Night for anyone who just prefers that information.

There were 28 golfers on June 21 with skins going on three holes. Chad Tanner and Charlie McNabb won twice ($20.00 on #2 and $38.13 on #3). Pete Ostash and Milt combined for a $20.oo win on #9. Closest to the pins were Derek Patterson on #5 and Jim Geekie on #9. Derek converted his birdie to share the $52.50 deuce pot with Chad and Pete. Chad's two was noteworthy in that he got it on the par 4 second hole.

Okay, back to the highs and lows of golf. Stop reading now if you aren't interested.

I generally try to be optimistic with golf and I have written often in this blog about the importance of positivity. However, the last three weeks have been challenging. I am hitting the ball very well tee to green, but if I miss the green I am having troubles. I have been plagued with an extended bout of the shanks. This isn't the occasional thing in which I hit one bad shot once per week. This time it is several shots per outing. For example, yesterday in Minnedosa, I had no less than seven shanks. A few times I turned a ball just off the green with a chance for birdie into a triple. The best or worst of these was 20 feet from the pin in one on a long par 3 which ended as a score of six.

Here's the funny thing...I can't wait to get out and play again. Tomorrow will be a full day of golf and I will be playing early and late. And as soon as it stops raining or misting outside, I am heading over to hole 6 to try to remember how to chip again. I am hoping one of the 20 videos that I watched this morning will provide some insight.

In addition to the need to practice work through whatever it is that I am doing wrong, I need to relax and remember how fortunate I am to be playing golf. I need to stop walking up to a chip thinking that I am going to mishit it.

And if it takes a bit to sort things out, I will still be outside golfing. Golf is not a game of perfect...but even poorly hitting golf balls in early summer is a heck of a lot better that most things in the winter.

The Search is On

I want to talk about lost or missing golf balls. But I wlll do the Men's Night run down for those of you who are simply interested in that part.

We had 33 golfers last Wednesday. Skins went on four holes including one big prize on #8. Winners included Charles McKay/Jim Geekie ($41.26 on #2, $158.16 on #9), Brett Griffin/Keith Martin ($78.77 on #6), and Pete Ostash/Luke Funk ($20.63 on #9).

Charles was closest to the hole on #5 and Ron Huberdeau was closest on #9. Charles and Pete split the $61.88 deuce pot.

Okay...now on to lost golf balls. Personalities are revealed when searching for missing  balls. 

Some people will not stop looking until told to do so. It doesn't matter whether they've lost a $6 ProV1 or a junk ball. Sometimes these tireless searchers are motivated by not wanting to hurt their score. In other instances, they simply don't want to give up looking. On many occasions they look so long that their group plays ahead and finishes the hole without them.

Others are in the oppositie camp, having no emotional attachment to their lost ball. Most often these individuals buy their golf balls in bulk through some online dealer. They hit a ball into the bush and say "Oh well, that only cost 80 cents". Additionally, while these people care about their score, they often take a more realistic approach to searching. They say things like "That one is in there too far so there is no point in looking" or "I am not getting any wood ticks today". 

Both groups are right. Whether you want to search a bit or not, that's up to you. Just remember a couple of things. Firstly, if you think a ball is in trouble, hit a provisional. Secondly, you have three minutes to search. If you find the ball in the bush, you may take a drop within two club lengths of the found ball. And finally, if you can't find your ball and did not hit a provisional, the official rule requires you to go back to the spot of your previous shot and play under stroke and distance. If your local group allows you to simply drop where you think you lost the ball, you must add two strokes.

The last point sometimes causes confusion. For example, you hit off of the sixth tee and think that you are okay but eventually can't find the ball. You can go back and hit three of the tee. However, if you don't return to the tee and drop further up the hole where you think you lost the ball, your next shot is your fourth.

I also believe that there is no such thing as a lost golf ball. Someone will find it. For example, I found a ball last week and showed it to someone. They said "That's mine. I lost it last night". Of course, they extended their hand and I returned it without question. Maybe I should have charged a small finder's fee of something.

Staying in Bounds

 

There are a few places on our course where you can hit a ball toward OB and then find out you are safely on the right side of the white stakes. It happens most often on second or third shots on #5. It also occurs on #3, #5, and #7. You drive up feeling a little bummed because you had to hit a provisional...and then there is your ball, just in bounds. Of course, that doesn't mean you are out of jail because usually you have to cross back through some trees to get back in play. 

That's the way golf goes sometimes. You need to take the highs with the lows. For example, many weeks we are short $10 or $20 because someone forgets to pay. But then last week we were ahead $5. Bonus!

We had 33 golfers last Wednesday, which wasn't bad. Birtle had 73 on Thursday, but apparently their Chase the Ace prize is big and ready to go soon.

We had skins go on four holes. Winners includedBrad Benton/Ash Brandon ($71.27 on #3), Robin Kimpinski/Kendal Koroscil ($71.27 on #4), Reegan Kominko/Donovan Tanner ($20.63 on #7), and Brandon Cliud/Darren Ostash ($58.14 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Dale Martin on #5 and Brandon Cloud on #9. They bought made their putts to share the $97.51 deuce pot with Dawson Tanner.

Lucky to Get the Round In

 

Sometimes golfers are not the bad decison-makers. Often this relates to club or shot selection. On Wednesday it related to the weather. I arrived at the course at 4:50 pm when the air temeprature was 28 Celsisus. By 5:10 pm, the temeprature dropped down to 16 Celsisu. Twelve degress down in 20 minutes. A big storm blew in and Shoal Lake finally received some well needed rain. While our numbers were lower than previous weeks due to the weather conditions, we still had 19 golfers tee of for Men's Night. We did have to wait until about 6:50 pm before we started. Once we got going the weather settled considerably. In the entire rain, we only got a little bit of drizzle for ten minutes or so.

You know the conditions were less than ideal when no one from Waywayseecappo showed up. That is the first time in three years that Charles and the crew didn't make an appearance. Those who decided to play had a good evening, although the scores were not great as a group. There were two scores under 40 led by Brad Benton's 36 and Phil Ostash's 39.

Phil also cashed in with a big $139.53 skin on #7 with Bill Flynn as his partner. The only other hole that went was #2 where Brad Benton/Charlie McNabb claimed $20. Closest to the holes were Jason Gorrell on #5 and Terry Susinski on #9. There were no deuces.

Forty-Four Was the Score

 

Forty-four was the number for the night as seven of the 43 golfers recorded that score. That was the most golfers that we had this year. It would actually be an excellent turnout in July. When the weather is like mid-summer it seems to get a few more guys out slinging clubs.

Conor Geekie had the round of the evening with a great 34. Close behind was Logan Tanner with a 35. The high round of the evening was a 58.

Despite have 43 golfers we calculated the skins based upon 41. One person forgot to pay and another took a 50% discount and only put five dollars in the container.

The previously mentioned Logan Tanner has a night. He scored a 2 on both par threes for the only deuces of the evening and the $116.27 pot. Logan also was closest on the fifth and split a $25.63 skin with Derek Cross on #5.

Conor Geekie was closest on #9.

The other skins were Randy Brandon Jr./Noah Street ($38.76 on #1) and Ryden Lanouette/Cody Cornwall ($38.76 on #2).

We have a couple of tournament closing quickly. There is a cheap one of June 17 for Just for You Daze. Forty dollars gets you your entry fee and buffet supper.

There is also the Fundraiser on Jul 7 and the Horse Race on July 29.

This Will Be Brief

There were 21 golfers last week. The number was lower than previous weeks. This dip was likely due to a weird weather system that went through earlier in the day.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Logan Tanner/Pete Ostash ($30.63 on #5), Phil Ostash/Cubby Bartram ($112.61 on #6), and Stephen David/Jason Gorrell ($20.00 on #9).

Phil had the low round of the eening with a 38.

Closest to the pins were Logan on #5 and Brad Benton on #9.

A Big Deuce Pot

Neuf is the Frnch word for 9. That is fitting given what happened last Wednesday. On the ninth hole, Jason Neufeld scored the only two of the evening, and the first in several weeks. For his effort, he claimed what was one of the largest deuce pots in our history...$174.38. Neuf also paired with Trevor Wilson to get the skin on the same hole which was valued at $58.13. 

Despite it cooling off rather quickly, there were 29 golfers last week. Skins went on five holes. In addition to #9, winners included Ash Brandon/Zach Bartam ($20.00 on #1), Brad Benton/Blake Hunter ($66.26 on #2), and John Tanner/Jason Gorrell ($37.50 on #3 and $58.13 on #4).

Closest to the pins were Cubby Bartam on #5 and Chad Tanner on #9. Despite hitting the best shot on #5, Cubby ended with a score of 5 which was indicative more of the pin position than his putting.

Great Weather Is On Its Way

Last Wednesday was an odd one in terms of weather. It started out a little overcast then there was a storm warning. It rained from about 4:20 - 5:00 pm then the sky completely cleared. We still had 27 golfers, many of whom waited until late to decide if they were playing.

The official round belonged to Chad Tanner who shot a masterful 32. His group members said that he had a birdie putt on every hole. Surprisingly Chad did not win a skin with his partner Robin Kimpinski.

The only skins went on #1 and 5, both by the team of Charles McKay and Terry Susinksi. They picked up $20 on the first hole and $40.63 on the fifth.

Closest to the pins were Charles on #5 and Myles Shingoose on #9.

The forecast for this week, including Men's Night, looks great at this point.