Golf Interruptus

Wednesday night at Shoal Lake Golf Course is sacred. It's Men’s Night, a time-honoured ritual. But even the strongest traditions occasionally get sideswiped by the unpredictable forces of nature and life.

Golf Interruptus. That’s the term I’m coining for the bizarre, baffling, and sometimes beautiful interruptions that threaten to derail our weekly golf gathering.

First, let’s address the number one culprit of Golf Interruptus: the weather.

It takes a special kind of golfer to stand on a fairway beneath a black sky soaked to the skin and say with conviction, “It’ll blow over.” Each year, we usually get at least one or two rain nights that shut things down completely. Last July, we played on a day with three separate weather alerts, including a severe thunderstorm warning. You know, just a casual golf-at-your-own-risk kind of evening.

And how could we forget June 12th of last year, when we had a tornado warning and an inch of rain fell between 3:30 and 4:00 pm. It looked like the apocalypse but by 6:00 pm, the sun came out, the fairways were steaming like a sauna, and we played. Naturally.

Honestly, short of actual frogs falling from the sky or a meteor strike, we golf.

Cold weather doesn’t cancel Men’s Night; it just gives it more character. Sure, a few guys stay home when it’s 6 degrees with a 30 km/h wind. But those who do show up, that’s a different breed of man. They’re either dedicated, slightly unstable, or avoiding something at home. Sometimes, it’s all three.

Last night, there were 37 of these dedicated men who showed up to golf. And while I have attended many Men’s Nights, I would think the conditions last night were as close to perfect as possible. While it was not scorching hot it was more than comfortable. There was no rain, no smoke in the air, and the wind was almost completely absent. Calm evenings on Wednesdays seem to be a rarity.

The highlights from the golf include Kevin Bartram and Charlie McNabb getting closest to the holes on #5 and #9 respectively. Three skins went, including Phil Ostash ($44.38 on #2), Charles McKay / Wayne Griffin ($23.13 on #7), and Darcy Kowalchuk / Charlie McNabb ($44.38 on #9).

Jason Gorrell had himself a night carding one of the lowest rounds of the evening with a 38. That was made possible due to a chip-in birdie from in front of the final hole. He partnered with Darcy Kowalchuk’s to split the $211.88 deuce pot. Jason’s score was a 15-stroke improvement from last week.

One other thing to note about last night…Scott Maynes had an incredible birdie on #3. He chipped in from the bush on the left of the hole. His ball was about two feet in grass almost up to his waist.

While weather may be the primary enemy of Men’s Night, let’s not forget the other recurring interruption: life. Some players miss for things such as birthdays, anniversaries, or child-related commitments, such as ball games or 4H events. Look, we get it. Family comes first.

There’s also the odd local tradition of holding Shoal Lake’s high school graduation on Wednesday night. Is this just a coincidence or a conspiracy by community females to distract golfers away from the course? If you’re a parent of a graduate, fine. But for everyone else attending for moral support, what about the moral support required for your fellow golfers that you leave behind?

Sometimes, an interruption is actually worth celebrating. Two weeks ago, our own Robin Kimpinski skipped Men’s Night for something that makes even a hole-in-one seem ordinary: the arrival home of his new grandson, Eli. Congratulations, Grandpa.

From an emergency management perspective, we likely need to prepare for what might be next on the list of Golf Interruptus incidents. Given where we live, we could get rogue cow from a nearby pasture wandering onto the green. I had one in my front lawn a few years back.  

We should form a task force to develop a continuity plan to address other potential threats to Men’s Night. If anyone is interesting in being part of this group, we will be meeting at Gorrell’s campground gazebo next Wednesday at 10:00 pm.

Golf Interruptus. At the end of the day, Men’s Night always finds a way. We dodge storms, sneak past commitments, and tee off into skies that often defy meteorology. Because at Shoal Lake, golf isn’t just a game, it’s a weekly reminder that while life may interrupt, it never fully cancels what matters most. Unless, of course, there’s lightning…in which case, we strongly recommend shelter, a beverage, and waiting it out.