Skins, Deuces, and a Soaking Rain

There were 27 golfers out this past Wednesday for a night filled with skins, deuces, and a good soaking rain for the last few holes. Skins were claimed on six different holes, with winners including Reegan Kominko ($88.15 on #1), Cole Hunter and Wes Arnfinson ($33.76 on #2), Phil Ostash and Stephen David ($20.00 on #5), Jason Neufeld and Riley Swereda ($20.00 on #6), Orin McKay and Brent Allen ($75.02 on #7), and Terry Susinski and Paul Lucas ($75.02 on #9).

Five deuces were carded on the night by Riley Swereda, Paul Lucas, Stephen David, Ryden Lanouette, and Braeden Allen. Ryden’s deuce was especially noteworthy, coming on the par-4 second hole. 

Closest to the pin honors went to Stephen on #5 and Riley on #9. Riley also had the low round of the night with a solid 34, while the high round of 58 was by an unnamed player in his group. Ryden Lanouette is also holding down the top spot on the ringer board, currently leading the pack at -3.

There is a lot of action happening around the course right now. The temporary greens are in full use, and grass is starting to grow on the original greens. Additionally, the tree crew has been busy planting new rows of trees spanning from holes 5 to 8.

With the temporary greens currently in full use, please remember that we are not adjusting our regular putting rules. Rumours have it that some groups on Wednesday played a two-putt maximum, or even allowing gimmies on birdies and pars. If your group is doing this, please discontinue the practice immediately.

To keep things fair, the general rule of putting out all birdies must be strictly followed. However, if you want to give a competitor a reasonable gimmie for a double or triple bogey to keep up the pace of play, that is perfectly fine. While Men's Night is absolutely intended to be fun, remember that we are also playing for real money, so let's keep the field fair and accurate for everyone.

Grit, Gusts, and Grater Greens

Last night, 27 golfers took to the course for a Men’s Night that felt more like a survival test than a casual round. We were met with a double-threat of howling winds and temporary greens, both of which required a serious mental adjustment and a lot of patience.

The low round of the night was the 36 by Dave Mansell, which was ever more impressive given the conditions. Only two skins were won. Darcy Kowalchuk and Ryden Lanouette won $58.14 on #4 and Fred Hrycak and Cole Hunter combined to earn the $20 prize on #6. 

The deuce pot was claimed for the first time this season with Stephen David getting a two on 5 for $168.60.  Closest to the holes were Jason Gorrell on #5 and Scott Martin on #9.

Nothing quite compared to the experience on the ninth green, which seemed to possess a personality all its own. Unlike the other temporary surfaces, the ninth had a texture that was inexplicably jagged and uneven. Putting across it felt less like a golf stroke and more like trying to roll a ball across a giant, rusty cheese grater.

While it was easy to let the frustration boil over after a few redirected putts and wayward drives, there is a genuine value to these challenging conditions if you look closely enough. The wind, though a nuisance for our ball flight, acted as a natural defense system by keeping the mosquitoes entirely at bay and providing a refreshing cooling effect during the heat of the afternoon. Furthermore, those temporary greens are a vital sacrifice, serving as a necessary interruption while our regular putting surfaces are resown and restored.

Beyond the practical benefits, these odd conditions provided some other perks that we should all appreciate. The relocation of the holes actually forced us to intentionally hit golf balls to unusual spots on the course where we usually only end up by total accident, giving us a whole new perspective on the layout. These rougher putting surfaces also provided the ultimate ego-saver, as no one can truly be blamed for a three-putt when the green has the topographical consistency of a gravel pit. The wind also turned the round into an impromptu fitness session, as several guys got in some cardio in by chasing down runaway hats.

Ultimately, the night turned us all into amateur physicists, as we spent a couple of hours calculating the aerodynamics of a ball moving through a gale force wind and the friction of a sphere bouncing over jagged, irregular surfaces. Thanks to everyone who made it to the evening and through the evening.

Wednesday Night Wind & Big Greens Changes Ahead

There were 18 golfers this past Wednesday, which was a reasonable showing for a cool and windy night. The challenging weather conditions and the quality of the greens made for some tough scoring across the field, but Ryden Lanouette seemed completely unaffected, carding an excellent 39 to take the top spot. He was followed closely by Scott Maynes at 41 and Brett Griffin at 42.

Every other golfer on the course finished at 45 or higher, leading to the highest middle score in recent memory at 49. This unique night of scoring also saw Jason Gorrell and Wes Arnfinson take home an unusual 49-49 low and high pot pairing, while the highest individual score of the evening reached 58. The elements clearly took a toll on the field, highlighted by a combined score of 16 on the par-5 fourth hole.

Skins were awarded on three holes this week, and all of them were won with combined pars. Joel Ostah and James Van De Velde had a good night, getting $28.13 on hole #2 and another $41.26 on hole #6. Phil Ostash and Blake Hunter earned $20.00 for their victory on hole #3.

Ryden Lanouette claimed closest to the hole on #5, but hole #9 went completely untouched as no one managed to hit the green. There were also no deuces recorded for the evening.

Looking ahead, players should be advised that the course will likely transition to temporary greens this week. The Club is embarking on a major project to completely reseed all of the greens, and the work is expected to begin within the week. The regular greens will remain closed to protect the new grass until it is fully established and ready for its first mow. This closure and recovery period is expected to last approximately four weeks from the start of seeding. The Club appreciates everyone's patience and cooperation while these course improvements take place.

Fortunately, the upcoming forecast looks promising for both Men's Night and grass growing, with a stretch of  hot summer temperatures climbing from 32°C on Monday up to 35°C by Thursday. This ideal weather should give the new seed a massive head start. 

Finally Some Men's Night

Well, we were about a week or so later than usual, but we finally had our first Men's Night of the year. The extra wait paid off, though, as the delay gave everyone more time to gear up, resulting in an expanded field for our first round of the season. The weather was good for golf shirts and shorts, resultiing in a turnout of 27 golfers.

There were two skins won on the night. Dawson Tanner collected a solo $20 on #3 after pairing up with the dummy card. Meanwhile, the duo of Joel Ostash and Brett Griffin partnered up to grab a $30.01 skin on #9.

Ryan Mansell had a solid evening, proving his iron play is already locked in by hitting it closest on both par 3's. However, the putters weren't quite as warm as the weather. Neither Ryan nor anyone else in the field managed to card a deuce during the round. The tough early season greens likely were a contributing factor,

Jason Gorell had the best round of the evening, scoring an even par 36 despite a bogey on #9. That was impressive given his tee shot hit the reeds on the same hole.

The ringer pot officially got underway for the season. This allows players to lock in their best score on any given hole between now and the third week in August. Brett Griffin is the early man to beat, standing as the only player to record a score on the board with a birdie on #1.

Great start to the season. See you all this Wednesday.

Time to Golf Again!

The first Men’s Night of the year should happen soon…maybe next Wednesday if we are lucky, or no later than the week after if things aren’t quite ready. And after what felt like the longest Manitoba winter in recorded history, I think we’ve all earned it. 

At one point in February, I was considering taking up curling just so I could hang out with other men in a socially acceptable setting. By March, many of us had forgotten what grass looked like. And by early April, every sunny day created the same false optimism where we hoped that the course would open next week. It never did.

But now here we are. The signs of winter are mostly gone, the geese have returned take over the ninth green, Francis will soon have the Club House running, and golf season is almost back.

There’s something about the first Men’s Night of the year that feels different from every other Wednesday. Nobody has officially ruined their swing yet. Everyone still believes the new driver was a good purchase. Those who went to a simulator three times feel like they have a headstart on others in their group. Guys who shot 51 in the final Men’s Night round of 2025 are suddenly convinced they figured something out over the winter. Hope and delusion are both at peak levels in early May.

Some traditions will immediately return. Jason Gorrell will likely find himself near the top of the money list whether he shoots high or low on the first night. Scott Maynes will chip in from somewhere completely unreasonable and act like it was planned. Darcy Kowalchuk will stripe some drives down the middle while casually mentioning how much older he is than others in the group.

Milt will spend at least three holes explaining how he used to hit that club about 20 yards farther. Someone in his group will politely nod while secretly wondering if he’s talking about 2007. Blake Hunter will likely deliver a round that includes both a tap-in birdie and a golf shot that briefly threatens people on an adjacent hole.

Wes Arnfinson will line up a putt from every possible angle before somehow leaving it exactly two inches short. Somewhere along the way, I will loudly declare that I am just happy to be out here before becoming visibly upset over my third lip-out of the round.

There will also be several golfers dressed for completely different weather conditions. Paul Lucas will be in shorts. Neuf will be wearing a toque. And someone else will be fully prepared for rain that never comes.

Players will start off their first hole with a birdie and wonder if this will be their lowest round ever. Others will double bogey the first three holes and start hoping for a score or two to add to the ringer board. The boys from Wayway will likely play $20 skins until after dark.

Inevitably, the first few holes will also double as a catch-up session on how everyone survived the winter. Vern Snyder will recount his trip to New Zealand and talk about how much better the weather was there. We’ll check in on Phil Ostash on how he’s recovering after his knee surgery, likely getting a very optimistic “it’s coming along” response regardless of reality. And we’ll ask Reegan Kominko how his hockey season went out in BC.

The beauty of Men’s Night is that it never really changes, and that’s exactly why we like it. Soon the campground will be full again. The smell of fires will reach the course, coolers and cans will be rattling in carts, and groups will gather at the Club House afterward to debate missed putts, replay great shots, watch some hockey, and maybe head to a campsite for an extended visit involving some playing cards.

We’ll welcome back the regulars and those mysterious golfers who only appear three times a year but somehow always leave with half the skins money. We’ll see golfers from Shoal Lake and surrounding communities, all showing up for the same reason…to enjoy a Wednesday evening with friends, good weather, competition, and just enough aiming fluid to improve confidence on the last few holes.

There are lots of things to look forward to this season. The return of the deuce pot. The ongoing chase for the ringer board. The Horse Race tournament later this summer. The inevitable debates about whether conditions were windy or merely character building. The annual accumulation of lost golf balls scattered throughout the water hazards, bush, long grass, and occasionally the lake adjacent to holes #8 and 9. The complaints and the optimism about the green conditions.

And of course, we will resume pursuit of the elusive hole-in-one pot, which has now grown large enough that several players are probably already planning imaginary purchases with money they absolutely will not win. A quick reminder to those in my group, if someone wins we don’t tell our wives. 

So, charge your Bluetooth speaker, dust off your clubs, stretch whatever muscles survived winter, and prepare yourself for another summer of golf, laughs, questionable shot decisions, and stories that improve slightly every time they are retold.

Winter took its sweet time leaving, but Men’s Night will finally resume after another offseason. That alone feels worth celebrating. See everyone on a Wednesday some time in the near future.