A common
pattern in these blog posts is an update on the most recent Men’s Night
followed by my weekly musings on whatever I happen to be thinking about. If
that second part doesn’t appeal to you, feel free to stop reading early.
First a
quick recap of last night’s Men which featured 36 golfers and the return of our
greens.
After seven
skins going last week, only two went this week. Winners included Chad
Tanner/Darren Ostash ($22.50 on #2) and Charles McKay/Ron Huberdeau ($22.50
on #7). Chad also had closest to the pin on #5. Ryan Mansell was closest on #9.
There were no deuces.
The low
score of the evening was Charles McKay who shot a 36. The highest score was 53
which was recorded by three golfers.
Last night
was significant in that we could putt on real greens. As stated previously, I was grateful for the temporary
greens while we had them but I am also glad to see them go. I suspect after a
week or so of grass growing and mowing, it will be hard to even tell where they
once stood.
Don't forget our Horse Race is this Saturday. Contact me if you are interested in participating.
A friend
recently gave me some feedback on the Men's Night blog, saying that the posts
are great but recently they've become a little maudlin. I'll admit I had to
look that one up, but apparently, it means overly sentimental or emotional.
Fair enough.
The funny
thing is, he's not wrong about it. The blogs have changed. Years ago, I leaned
a lot harder into sarcasm, wisecracks, playful jabs, and the occasional gentle
roast. If you had a rough night on the course, there was a decent chance you
would be featured in the weekly write-up. Or I might even mention your new golf
shorts.
Over time,
though, I realized the purpose of the blog isn’t to give people a hard time. It
is about celebrating Wednesday nights, the people who show up week after week,
the great shots, the lucky bounces, the impossible putts that somehow dropped,
and some stories that may get better with retelling.
One example
of this shift is something I changed just a few weeks ago. I had been in the
practice of noting the high and low scores each week during prizes. And I
frequently mentioned by name the golfer who posted the highest score of the
week. It was usually done with a wink and a smile, but realized I was recording
someone’s toughest night instead of recognizing the people who played well. So,
I stopped. Interestingly, someone last week asked me not to say their name if
they had the highest score.
Don't get me
wrong, there's still room for a little fun. If someone holes out from the next
fairway after bouncing off three trees, I will likely write about it. Or if Gorrell
drives his cart into the lake, I will include pictures and eyewitness accounts.
But the general goal isn't to embarrass anyone. It's to make people smile and
maybe remind them why Men's Night is one of the best evenings of the week.
So yes, maybe
the blog has become a little more positive, a little more appreciative, and
maybe even a little maudlin. I'm okay with that. Men’s Night is just a bunch of
golfers spending a few hours each week chasing a little white ball around,
sharing laughs with friends, and enjoying a summer evening. That seems worth
celebrating.
Of course,
if you're looking for something with a little more edge, there are plenty of
alternatives. You could spend your evening reading the comments section on just
about any news website, watch cable news, or browse social media and listen to
people tell you what is wrong in the world.
As for me,
I'll stick with writing about birdies, long drives, first-time winners, attentive
wait staff, and the people who make Men's Night what it is. If that makes the
blog a little softer than it used to be, I can live with that. Besides, golf
gives us enough frustration on its own. This blog doesn't need to add any more.
No comments:
Post a Comment