Here's to Waywayseecappo!

 

I was trying to think about what to write today and wasn't having any luck. I have written lots about the weather over the years and of late, and I am done with that. I could do another hole-in-one feature given the size of the three pots but that has also received previous attention. Then it came to me...I should acknowledge a group of guys who have made our Men's Night even better.

For the past three years, we have been fortunate to have great representation from Waywayseecappo. They came on one Wednesday, had a positive experience, and then kept returning. Every single week we have 5-10 visitors who start a little early, play Men's Night, and then often get another nine holes in until darkness falls.

Some weeks, half of the players at our Men's Night are from Waywayseecappo. There are several who come regularly and some who come occasionally. The one constant is Charles McKay who seems to be there every week, taking skins from his younger companions and ordering chicken wings to go at the end of the evening.

All these Waywayseecappo boys are good golfers and, more important, great guys. Everyone thinks the same. So at the risk of missing someone who has visited previously, I would like to do a shout-out to Charles McKay, Terry Brandon, Myles Shingoose, Dawson Tanner, Dylan Tanner, John Tanner, Eugene Tanner. Brent Cloud, Chad Tanner, Trevor Wilson, Randy Brandon Sr. & Jr., Logan Tanner, Donovin Tanner, Montanna Sutherland, Ash Brandon, Branden Tanner, Ash Tanner, and Dion Brandon.

Last week we had 29 golfers. Not surprisingly, 9 or 10 were from Waywayseecappo. 

Nathan Maynes had a night. He score the only two deuces and pocketed $54.38 for his efforts. He also was closest on #5, hitting his tee shot to about 18 inches. Finally, he won a $26.26 skin on the same hole pairing with Cubby Bartram. Brad Benton just edged out Nathan for closest to on #9.

Five other skins went on Wednesday. Winners included Theoren Hunter/Brent Cloud ($79.39 on #1), Robin Kimpinski/Stephen David ($41.26 on #2 and $67.89 on #8), Charles McKay/Trevor Wilson ($67.89 on #6), and Jason Gorrell/Blake Hunter ($26.26 on #7).

Currently, Brad Benton and Robin Kimpinski lead the ringer board at -4, followed by a group of five others at -2.

There are a couple of upcoming tournaments to note. Our fundraiser is on Friday, July 8 and there is still room for teams of 4. Then there is the Horse Race on Saturday, July 23.

One final thing...below is a pic of the ball that Brett Griffin was using on Wednesday. It looked like this for several holes and wobbled when he putted it.

I golfed with someone yesterday who said something that I believe to be true. He said that there haven't been many normal weeks of weather in 2022. Lately, there have not been seven straight days in which we could say "This is a normal June".

We had a fantastic winter and summer in 2021. It may be balancing itself out this year. The winter was a chaotic mess with frequent poor conditions and closed highways. The spring and summer have been unseasonably cool, wet, and windy.

I know complaining about the weather as it relates to golf may seem a bit trivial. But we just had a seven-month-long winter. Also, as goes golf so goes many important industries in the region. Crappy summer weather hurts recreation, tourism, farming...heck, even ice cream sales are likely down.

The bad weather delayed the start of the golf season, has caused low numbers for weekly attendance and even resulted in one night being canceled outright. Last week was the perfect example of the unperfect weather. The threat of a storm and cool, rainy, and windy conditions kept most golfers at home. The thirteen guys that did show up actually saw much-improved conditions shortly after the round started.

I pride myself on my optimism but this weather is getting to become a challenge. Today is the first day of summer and the official longest day of the year, yet it seems as if we are waiting for the nice weather to get started. I guess we shall see what tomorrow brings.

Right now, I need to bring an update on last week's golf. I mentioned 13 golfers. Only one skin went...$20 on #9 for Stephen David and Brad Benton. There were no deuces. Closest on #5 was Nathan Maynes and closest on #9 was Nick Roulette. Lowest score of the evening was a 37 which was carded by three golfers.

Okay...Men's Night is tomorrow so I need to do an update quickly. 

Last Wednesday there were 24 golfers. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Pete Ostash/Phil Ostash (96.89 on #5), Brad Benton/Shane Kimpinski ($20.00 on #7), and Jason Gorrell/Dawson Tanner ($27.50 on #9).

Closest to the holes were Scott Maynes on #5 and Pete Ostask on #9. Jason Gorrell won $47.50 for the only deuce of the evening.

This Will Be Fast

Last Wednesday there were 20 golfers. Skins went on two holes. Winners included Kendal Koroscil/Jason Neufeld ($25.63 on #2) and Terry Brandon/Charles McKay ($25.63 on #7). 

The low score for the night was a four-way tie. Congrats to Jason Neufeld, Logan Tanner, Brad Benton, and Dawson Tanner for all scoring a 39.

Brent Cloud was closest to the pin on #5 and he was the sole winner of the $37.50 deuce pot.

Deuces Wild

There were five deuces last Wednesday, which I think is a record. Congrats to Brendan Cloud, Kendal Koroscil, Logan Tanner, Stephen David, and Tim  Gianotti for sharing the $88.13 deuce pot. Logan's two was on the par 4 second hole which makes it even more impressive. Stephen and Tim's deuces paired on the 9th hole for a skin.

Closest to the pins were Kendal on #5 and Stephen on #9. Kendal had visions of an ace with his ball coming to rest inside of two feet from the cup. Maybe this week one of those $2250 hole-in-one pots will go. I see that a $5000 ace was made in Minnedosa on Saturday.

Despite only having 21 guys, only two skins went. Dawson Tanner and Jason Neufeld won $59.39 for #3 while Stephen and Tim cashed in for $20.00 on #9.

So far we've had one week that was effectively canceled due to poor weather and two nights in which it was windy, cool, and wet. Here's hoping that the forecast for this Wednesday of 17 Celsius and sunny is realized...but not the part about the wind of 40 km/hr gusting to 60.

Two Short, Too Bad

We need 10 guys for an official Men's Night. The cool and rainy weather conspired against us this past week and we only had 8 golfers. Therefore there was no Men's Night and we carry over everything to this week.

On a positive and somewhat selfish note, I will be there this Wednesday after two weeks of conflicting events. This will be the latest that I have ever started the Men's Night season...on May 25. My hope is that anyone else who has yet to get out will be there this week.

Let the Season Begin

Well, that took a while. After 30 plus years in Manitoba, you would think that I would be used to the six-month-long season of winter. I am not. Technically, Men's Night was only one week delayed from last year but the golf season is about a month delayed. But let's put the misery of winter behind us and look forward to this new season with optimism.

In the spirit of positivity, here are my wishes for 2022. Firstly, I hope that someone claims the hole-in-one prize. Obviously, my preference would be that it is me. If that isn't the case, may it happen on a night when I am present, and perhaps within my group. Secondly, let there be few nights lost due to weather. I know extreme summer storms are the new norm. May they happen on Thursday evenings instead of Wednesday. It would also be nice if we could have at least one night with 50 golfers. We haven't accomplished this feat in several years. Finally, may every golfer who comes out this year have fun, be fun with play with, and pay their $10 skin fee.

For our first Men's Night of the year, there were 20 golfers. There were three scores under 40 and four over 50. Everyone else slotted somewhere in between. The low scores of the night were the 37's of Charles McKay and Chad Tanner. Nathan Maynes also carded a very respectable 39.

Skins went on five holes. Winners included Nathan Maynes/Blake Hunter ($36.88 on #2), Charles McKay/Phil Ostash ($46.26 on #6 and $28.75 on #9), Randy Brandon/Shane Kimpinski ($28.75 on #7), and Chad Tanner/Pete Ostash ($28.75 on #8).

Closest to the pin on #9 was Kendal Koroscil. No one hit the green on #5. There were no birdies.

A few golfers joined the ringer board which runs from May 11 to August 24. For $10 it is a fun added element for anyone who might be interested.

Thanks to Jason Gorrell and whoever else helped out running things this past week. I was in Winnipeg for a meeting and will be there again this coming Wednesday. If someone is going to get a hole-in-one, would you kindly wait until I am back on May 25.

While there is still some wet spot on the course, things are drying up quickly thanks to the pumps. Credit for this goes to our new head greenskeeper Robin Kimpinski who is already doing a great job.

One More Night

Well tomorrow is officially the final formal Men's Night. Given that the Club House is closing October 1, tomorrow will be the final evening for skins. That doesn't mean that you can't keep golfing every Wednesday.

As the final evening, it would be great if we could get a boost in attendance. The forecast looks extremely promising. My assumption is that many in the farming/agricultural sector have completed harvest and might be interested and available for the final evening. If not, best of luck in your ongoing work. If you do come out tomorrow, please make sure to thank Francis and Joseph for taking care of us on Men's Nights. Also don't forget tee off at 6:00 pm.

Last week we had 15 golfers. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Blake Hunter all alone ($20.00 on #1), Sonny Blackbird / Kendal Koroscil ($20.00 on #8), and Brad Benton / Stephen David ($25.64 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Scott Maynes on #5 and Reegan Kominko on #9. Neither made a birdie but Brad Benton did make a deuce to claim the $52.51 pot.

Only Two Weeks to Go

 

Here we are on the first day of Fall...the second last formal Men's Night of the year. We know next week, September 30, will be the final evening because the Club House closes on October 1. That doesn't mean we can't keep golfing if the weather permits.  Today is also the first day of Fall...and what a beautiful day it is with a forecasted high of 25 Celsius. Let's not forget that we had snow on September 22 

Last week we had 15 golfers. After a deluge of winning holes the previous week, only a single hole went this time. Stephen David / Brad Benton won $20. on #2.

Closest to the holes were Darcy Kowalchuk on #5 and Phil Ostash on #5. Neither they nor anyone else made a deuce.

Men's Night Continues...Until It Ends

 

Someone asked me when Men's Night ends. I replied "it ends when it ends". We don't set a date for the final evening of play. We just let it happen organically. When the weather is too cool to get us 10 players we look to the forecast the following week. If it doesn't look promising, we call it a year. 

Last Wednesday the weather was fine and we had 13 golfers. Skins went on six holes. Stephen David had the double bonus of being the middle score with a 41 and pairing with his own dummy card. That resulted in three $60.00 skins on #2, #6, and #7.

Other skins went to Charles McKay / Drew Ostash ($20.00 on #3), Joe Shwaluk / Robin Kimpinski ($20.00 on #5), and Chad Tanner / Pete Ostash ($20.00 on #8).

Closest to the holes were Brad Benton on #5 and Darcy Kowalchuk on #9. The $24.37 deuce pot was split by Joe Shwaluk and Robin Kimpinski.

I am hearing that some farmers are getting close to being done...so maybe tomorrow or next week we get a boost in numbers. Here's hoping.

Big Payout Wednesday

For only 12 golfers last week, there was a lot of money won. Skins went on five holes including two big ones as well as a large deuce pot had a solo recipient.

Scott Maynes and Kendal Koroscil combined to win a $96.00 pot on #1 and $121.27 on #5. 

Donovin Tanner claimed the $116.26 deuce pot for his two on #9. Donovin also was closest on both #5 and #9. Finally he teamed with Pete Ostash for two skins ($28.13 on both #6 and 9).

The remaining skin went to Reegan Kominko / Doug Cripps ($20.00 on #2).

Remember tee off tomorrow night at 6:00 pm.

Ringer Board Wrap Up

It's really hard to find a picture of a ringer board online. Speaking of ringer boards, ours wrapped up this past week. Scott Maynes claimed the honours with his -7 score which he locked in with two pars on his remaining holes. Brad Benton dropped a stroke to finish second at -5.

It's Wednesday morning...a week from our last Men's Night. Therefore this blog entry will be quick.

There were 20 golfers last week. Skins went on four holes. Winners included Brad Benton / Kendal Koroscil ($20.63 on #2), Jason Gorrell / Darcy Kowalchuk ($20.00 on #3, $49.39 on #8), and Charles McKay / Nathan Maynes ($20.63 on #7). Closest to the pin on #5 as Keith Martin. No one hit the green on #9 and there were no deuces.

 

Lots of Summer Remaining

 

A week in August with cooler rainy weather is a tipping point for some people. It sometimes creates anxiety in some who have been enjoying the great weather. They unfortunately turn into those people who start saying that "Summer is over".

Summer isn't over. It doesn't officially end for over a month. Just because it is the third week of August doesn't mean you have to pack up your bags, put away your deck furniture, and get your winter clothes out. We are often fortunate with nice weather in September.

I have golfed on 59 days this year. As of this time last year I played 54 times. I finished 2020 with 76 golf outings. So if I am fortunate enough to get another 22 rounds in this year, surely summer can't be over on August 21. Let's collectively remember how much winter weather sucks and let's do everything we can to golf, camp, boat, and sit outside as much as possible.

Now my intro aside...the weather wasn't ideal for golf on Wednesday. Consequently, we only had 13 golfers. The curious thing was despite the low numbers, only won skin went. Stephen David / Darcy Kowalchuk won $20 on #3. The positive aspect of that result is that the other holes continue to build in value. The first hole is now worth $76.00 and the fifth $101.27 plus whatever is added next week. There were no deuces. Closest to the holes were Joel Ostash on #5 and Pete Ostash on #9.

Good luck and have fun to everyone going out for Night Golf this evening.

Don't forget the final night for the Ringer Board is Wednesday for anyone needing to enter scores.

No Pictures on a Scorecard

I saw this picture a few days ago and wanted to use it in the blog. Last night's weather makes it work well. Firstly, the high wind required that on some holes, we aimed at different holes. From the back tee on #8 we were taking a driving line toward the centre of the fairway on #5. Secondly, the high wind was doing some funny things with the golf balls and often they were not ending up where we intended.

Even on days when the wind is calm balls can go astray. Not just on other fairways, but on certain locations on certain holes. For example, if you miss off the tee on #6 and your shot goes long and over the trees onto #7, we say "It's in Dan's apartments". That is honouring former resident Dan Stokes, who had a tendency to end up in that area. By the way, Dan is visiting tomorrow for the Horse Race weekend.

Of course, as long as your ball is in play it doesn't matter. As the blog title states, there are no pictures on the scorecard. Many of us have parred holes despite being on the wrong hole on a shot. I thought about it and I have done that on every hole on the course except for #9. I have hit the eighth green once off the 9th tee but I didn't par it. Its a tough second shot into the green over all those trees beside #8.

The most errant shot that I have ever witnessed was about 12 years ago on Men's Night. A guy I was playing with hit it between the green on #8 and the tee box on #9...from the first tee. If I recall correctly, he didn't par the hole. The gentlemen teeing off on #9 did find it amusing.

Golf is a game of both common and uncommon experiences. All of us have made perfect shots but not everyone has a hole-in-one. Hitting errant shots is a common occurrence. Similarly, everyone who played last night shared the common experience of hiding out from the intense rain and wind that hit us for about 12-15 minutes. However, not all groups got to witness a playing partner snap a club after a missed second shot on #7. That experience was likely unique to my group last night.

Due to the weather, we had a very low turnout last night with only 17 golfers braving the forecast. Low numbers usually result in lots of skins being won and such was the case last night with six holes going. 

Kevin "Cubby" Bartram pulled a rare feat which will from here on in be called the "Double Dummy". He was the middle score on an evening where there was an odd number of golfers. So his card was copied as the dummy card. Then when we did the random high / low group pairings, Cubby's card matched with his own dummy card. That worked out well for him as he won two skins alone, $20.00 on #3 and $67.87 on #6.

Other winners included Stephen David / Brad Benton ($67.87 on #2), Reegan Kominko / Charlie McNabb ($20.00 on #4), Pete Ostash / Shane Kimpinski ($28.76 on #7), and Kendal Koroscil / Ron Susinski ($28.76 on #9).

Closest on #5 was Joe Shwaluk and Kendal Koroscil on #9. Neither they nor anyone else made a deuce. I will do a quick shout out to Joe who played really well in my group despite the crazy wind. He had just a single bad hole which he thought related to putting a heavy jacket on to protect him from the elements.

Well that's it for this week. Don't forget the Horse Race is this Saturday with the qualifying round starting at 9:00 am. Also only two more weeks to enter scores on the Ringer Board.

Golf Balls - Do They Matter?

I am doing the blog shortly after Men's Night. As a result, I am starting with some general musings prior to talking about what happened yesterday evening. If this doesn't appeal to you, skip to the end to see the results from last night.

Everyone seems to like different golf balls. Some spend $65 a dozen for premium balls. Others get them by the plastic case at Walmart. Many of us are partial to a particular brand, but others hit whatever comes out of their bag for the next shot.

Ball selection may even change depending on circumstances. For example, many people hit a ball of lesser quality for the first tee shot of the day or on a harder hole. Sometimes the better or newer balls don't come out if it is too windy. Often we use higher quality balls during tournaments. All of those things are reasonable and within the rules of golf. What you can't do is replace a ball mid hole unless it is lost. I bet once a week I see someone hit a distance ball off the tee and swap it out for a different ball for an approach.

Certainly better golf balls perform best under ideal conditions. Maybe they go a little straighter and farther off the tee. The reality is for the slower swing speeds of the average golfer, the difference is negligible. Most of us aren't hitting high spin shots into greens. Few of us are shaping the ball to the left and right at will. Also, if you are someone who loses 3-4 balls an outing, a more expensive golf ball is likely not going to help you.

All I know is when I am standing over a $5 golf ball I feel a little less confident than with a $1 ball. It isn't that I think I will hit it badly. It is simply that I would rather not lose it. There's enough things to think about when hitting a ball. I would rather not care whether or not my next shot results in a missing ball.

My advice to you is to spend as much money as you want on golf balls. Hit what you think suits your game or what makes you feel confidant. Whether you spent $20 a dozen or $60 really doesn't matter. However, feel free to buy those premium balls. I love finding them on the course.

I assume that there were lots of balls lost last night given the wind. Scores ranged from 36 to 59 and there seemed to be lots of use of the Men's Night max. Skins went on only two holes. Brothers Cyril and Derek Patterson teamed up for $34.38 on #3 while Myles Shingoose and Phil Ostash won $20.00 on #4.

Closest to the pins were Blake Hunter on #5 and Scott Maynes on #9. That's three weeks in a row on the same hole for Maynes. Scott shared the $54.38 deuce pot with Cyril Patterson and Stephen David.

Good luck to everyone playing in the Hamiota match play tournament this weekend.

Counting Holes Isn't Everything

 

When I do this Men's Night update quickly, I often write a little bit more than just the results. Such is the case this week. If this doesn't appeal to you skip to the last three paragraphs.

This image at the start of this blog is an excellent representation of why most of us golf. It is quite accurate for me other than the walking down the fairway part. I only walk on the golf course when my cart breaks down during the round.

Take this last Wednesday for instance. As is often the case, I got out at 2:00 pm and was joined by three friends. Another joined us for the Men's Night round. When that was finished, we joined five other guys for two-man best ball. We played until it was too dark to see. 

Throughout the afternoon and evening, there were both good and bad shots and small amounts of money changed hands to pay off wagers. At the end of the day, it didn't matter what your score was or how you played. The important was that we got to hang out with some friends on a nice day in July doing something that we enjoyed.

Last year I started tracking the holes that I played. As of Wednesday, I have 1239 holes over 47 times golfing. At the same time last year I had 1125 holes and finished with 1818. While my goal isn't to get to a certain number, it is to play as much as I can. We spend our long and cold winters looking outside wishing the weather was better. We need to take advantage of it when it is good. Also, I don't want to make the hole tracking a competition, especially given that Scott Martin has 1454 holes in as of today.

One noteworthy thing about my 1239 holes this year, only 18 were played on my own. Two times I went out and played nine. On both occasions I found it a bit boring and wished I was playing with someone else.  I tried playing an extra ball but that just seemed to extend the boredom.

On Wednesday I played 51 holes for the day. There were 25 others who joined me for the official Men's Night round. The vast majority of those out played a bit either before or after Men's Night

Skins went on four holes. Jason Gorrell / Noah Street won $20.00 for #4. Jason's win was assisted by his chip in eagle on the par 5 hole. Other winners included Stephen David / Mike Susinski ($39.38) on #7 and Robin Kimpinski / Ron Sopko ($20.00 on #8, $85.63 on # 9).

Closest to the pins were Scott Maynes on #5 and Robin Kimpinski on #9. Both scored twos on the evening to share the $50.75 deuce pot with three others - Cubby Bartram, Brad Benton, and Pete Ostash.

The ringer board ends on August 25 so those involved need to start thinking about locking up some scores. Rob Kimpinski added another birdie to get his season total to -7 with three holes to record. Brad Benton is one stroke behind at -6 while Darcy Kowalchuk and Scott Maynes are both at -5.

Revenge of the Dummy

Last week, the infamous dummy card struck again. It presents itself when we have an odd number of golfers. Sometimes it is helpful and allows someone to win a skin on their own. Other times it isn’t so kind. Such was the case on Wednesday.

Jason Gorrell had a great two on the par 4 first hole. He paired with someone who birdied for a net 5. Normally -3 on a single hole would be a guaranteed win. However, Jason was also the middle score of 37 golfers. As the middle score, we replicated his card and called it the “Dummy”. Jason’s card went to the low pot and his dummy went to the high pot where it also paired with someone who had a birdie on 1. So the two combined 5’s pushed.

On a positive note, the first hole wasn't worth much...just $23.13. Also, Jason also split the $69.38 deuce pot with Keith Martin.

Closest to the holes were Montana Sutherland on #5 and Scott Maynes on #9. 

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Jay Bell / Logan Tanner ($48.13 on #3), Dale Martin / Darcy Kowalchuk ($48.13 on #4), and Theoren Hunter / Sonny Blackbird ($48.13 on # 8.

There are five weeks remaining to get scores entered on the ringer board. If you don't get scores in for particular holes you automatically get assigned triple bogies.

Our annual horse race tournament is Saturday, August 14. We had to move from our regular day in July due to uncertainty about the health orders. We recognize that this may create conflicts for some people. Anyone interested in signing up for the Horse Race is asked to call or text Stephen David at 847-0161.

Holy Smokes!

Since Men's Night is in one day, I need to do this writeup for last week. As I type away, I see that the forecast for tomorrow is "Mainly cloudy. Widespread smoke". Interestingly, the layer of smoke will knock the daytime high down to 22 Celsius despite a humidex of 30. Other than the smell, the smoke doesn't bother me but I am sure that there are others who don't fare so well. It is likely not a fun time to be asthmatic.

Manitoba golf conditions are so varied. We hit balls with snow still on the ground while also playing during heat waves. Wind is so frequent that it throws you off a bit when it is calm on the course. But smoke is a whole different thing. From what I have read, it is relatively safe to be out golfing in such conditions as long as you don't have a pre-existing condition or vulnerability.

On a positive note, it has rained fairly steady today and that has the potential to reduce the smoke in the air. Let's hope it continues raining through the night to clean the air and to give farmers a much needed soaking.

Last week, we had a season high of 40 golfers. One neat thing was that the middle score was 44. There were six of them and three went up and three went down. Then after the random draw, all the 44's paired with another 44.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Jason Gorrell / Ron Huberdeau ($25.00 on #1), Joel Ostash / Troy Chwaluk ($46.25 on #2), Robin Kimpinski / Darren Ostash ($88.75 on #6), and Ron Susinksi / Mike Susinski ($66.25 on #7).

Charles McKay was closest to the pin on #5 while Nathan Nowasad was closest on #9. Charles converted his birdie to share the $75.00 deuce pot with Troy Chwaluk.

Anyone interested in signing up for the Horse Race, please let me know.

No Laying Up on Men's Night

 

How do you approach Men's Night golf? Are you slow, steady and analytical or do you grip it and rip it?

Men's Night is an interesting time for golf. Some people play a composed game while focusing primarily on their score. Others play a little more freely, favouring the big shot over the safe play. Two things seem to be true regarding these varied approaches. Firstly, whatever you choose to do is right for you. Secondly, whatever you choose to do will cause someone to question your choice.

My personal game on a typical Wednesday transitions from Door #1 to #3 from 2:00 to 9:00 pm. I start off taking my time and thinking about my shots before getting a little looser as the day progresses. Usually my end game is a hybrid of caution and aggression. Of course, when I hit a driver on the first hole, I hear how I shouldn't hit that club there. Then when I lay up on #7, I am asked why I don't go for the green in two. 

On Wednesday, we had 34 golfers which seems to be our weekly average this past month. Skins went on five holes. Winners included Rhys Lanouette / Phil Ostash ($41.25 on #1), Robin Kimpinski / Cubby Bartram ($41.25 on #3), Scott Maynes / Theoren Hunter ($21.25 on #4), Alexander Maddess / Kendal Koroscil ($41.25) on #5, and Reegan Kominko / Noah Street ($21.25 on #9).

Closest to #5 was Charles McKay and closest on #9 was Sonny Blackbird. Only Sonny converted his birdie and he shared the $63.75 deuce pot with Nathan Maynes.

If you didn't get your cheque for a prize they will be on the board next week. Usually I go in as soon as my round ends and wait for an hour or so as people slowly turn in cards. Then I do the prizes and drive around the course and deliver cheques to anyone who is still around.

This week I took a different approach. As I finished nine, five kind gentlemen from Wayway allowed me to join them and we played a nine hole scramble. At the end of the day, I played 50 holes in total.

The weekend has a great forecast. Whether you plan on golfing or something else, have a good one.

Hello July

Once July hits there is a lot going on...mainly leisure related. Consequently, my blog updates get briefer and usually focus solely on the results. I am not sure of the readership of the blog but I view it as a historical document. I want my future grandson to know what happened in 2021 in case he is running Men's Night in 2045.

Last week we had 32 golfers. Skins went on five holes. Winners included Sonny Blackbird / Charlie McNabb ($61.25 on # 2), Dale Martin / Keith Martin ($20.00 on #4), Brad Benton / Jamie Kaskiw ($20.00 on #8), and Jason Gorrell / Ron Susinski ($77.50 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Jim Geekie on #5 and Myles Shingoose on #9. Neither converted their birdie.

The $60.00 deuce pot was shared by Scott Maynes and Robin Kimpinski. Robin's two was a chip in eagle on #1.

Robin added a birdie on #3 to get to -5 on the ringer board. He leads Brad Benton and Maynes by 1 stroke and Darcy Kowalchuk by 2.

A Quick Update

There were 36 golfers on Men's Night which was our highest turnout of the year. Six skins went which is high for over 30 golfers. Winners included Nick Roulette / Theoren Hunter ($41.25 on #1), Brad Benton / Kendal Koroscil ($22.50 on #3), Darcy Kowalchuk / Logan Tanner ($57.50 on #4 and $64.25 on #7), Scott Maynes / Myles Shingoose ($71.25 on #5), and Alex Maddess / Keith Martin ($80.00 on #8).

Closest to the holes were Charles McKay on #5 and Pete Ostash on #9. The $67.50 deuce pot was claimed by Jason Neufeld.

An Unfortunate Delay

Each year we lose 1-2 Men's Nights due to heavy rain. Sometimes numbers are low at the start or end of the season due to cooler temperatures. However, losing four in a row this year due to health orders really sucked. I can't imagine many safer places for viral transmission than having 2-4 guys playing golf on the 70-75 acres that make up our golf course. I understand the need for health orders but it was hard to understand why we couldn't golf when 100's of people could be jammed in Walmarts across the province.

Fortunately, that month-long shutdown is over and we were able to return to play this past Wednesday. There were 30 golfers this week. Scott Maynes had a solid evening, recording a score of 35 with three birdies. Scott also combined with Alexander Maddess for skins on two holes ($48.75 on #3 and $64.38 on #6). Those were the only skins of the evening.

Closest to the hole on #5 was Nathan Maynes and on #9 was Donovin Tanner. The only deuce of the evening was Kendal Koroscil who chipped in from in front of #9. He won $56.25 for his efforts.

Hopefully, sometime in the near future, they will open patios and the restaurant so that we can have some food together after the round and support Francis's business even further.

For the record, I have no idea how big the golf course is. I checked online and it suggested that most golf courses range between 100-180 acres with a typical 9 hole running around 70. I also know the campground is 14 acres so I just estimated.

COVID Restricts Men's Night

There will be no formal Men's Night for the next few weeks. A new provincial health order states that organized team, league play events, or competitions such as Ladies Night, Men’s Night, Club leagues or Match Play events are not allowed at this time under Order 13 (4). Our hope is that this order ends as scheduled on May 30. 

In the interim, we will not be doing Men's Night group skins or prizes for closes to the hole, deuce pot, or hole in one.

You are still permitted to golf on Wednesday. For non-members, we will honour the reduced Men's Night rate of $10 for green fees during this shutdown. Also, if numbers warrant we will also look at running the beer cart on Wednesdays.

There are two additional current measures that impact golf. Firstly, group sizes should not exceed 5 golfers. Secondly, they have reintroduced the restriction from last year which states that you should only share a golf cart with members of your own household.

I suppose we should be grateful that we can even play given that Ontario is currently restricting all golf. This is a small inconvenience that we can easily handle for the greater good.

Last Mens' Night for a While

There were 26 golfers on Wednesday. Conditions weren't bad but a typical windy night for Shoal Lake in May. It started off warm but got progressively windier and cooler.

Skins went on three holes. Winners include Charles McKay / Brandon Cloud ($20.00 on #1), Scott Maynes / Stephen David ($20.00 on #2), and Austin Hunter / Theoren Hunter ($38.75 on #7).

Chad Tanner was closest to the hole on both #5 and #9. He was not able to covert either birdie. There were four deuces by Scott Maynes, Dawson Tanner, and Montanna Sutherland.

This will be our last Mens' Night for a couple of weeks as new public health orders will be preventing outdoor gatherings. Hopefully, we get back at it sooner than later.

Here We (I) Go Again

We have an older crowd generally at Men's Night but it is skewing younger the last year or so. Such was the trend again to start the 2021 season. I didn't do an official count but we had 22 guys for our first Men's Night and likely half were under 25. Therefore I think I need to get the Whitesnake reference in early.

On the first round of the year, we had skins go on four holes. Winners included Dawson Tanner / Logan Tanner ($36.88 on #1 and $20.00 on #2), Charles McKay / Reegan Kominko ($36.88 on #4), and high school buds Robin Kimpinski / Milt ($29.38 on #9).

Closest to #5 was Charles McKay and closest on #9 was Milt. I was going to use his last name but he is up there with those single-named celebrities such as Madonna, Adele, and Kermit. Neither Charles nor Milt made their putt and no one else recorded a deuce on the evening.

The Ringer Board started off again with Darcy Kowalchuk jumping out to an early lead at -1. He's technically tied for first but I gave him credit because he's my buddy and he's getting older and I wanted to give him a shout-out. Plus, alphabetically he is first.

It looks like a great day for golf tomorrow. The warm weather is about to begin.

One More Night

 

Well it has been a good run. We started Mens Night back on May 20, which was later than usual due to the pandemic and early restrictions placed upon golf courses. And here we are getting ready to have a Men's Night on September 30 which is the latest that I can remember.

This Wednesday is the final night that the Club House is open. Consequently it will be our final official Men's Night of the year. That doesn't mean that we can't continue golfing on Wednesday.

We had 19 possible Men's Nights but lost two, one due to heavy rain and another due to insufficient players. Some years we get to 20 nights played but that requires a later April or early May start. There were some nights with great turnout and others when we just got past the required 10 golfers.

Last week we had 14 golfers. Skins went on four holes. Darcy Kowalchuk and Donovin Tanner teamed up to win three $20.00 skins, on #2, 3, and 8. The only other skin was on #5 when Nick Roullette and Pete Ostash combined for a $40.01 win. Closest to the pins were Nick on #5 and Phil Ostash on #9. Nick also converted his birdie to claim the $46.86 deuce pot.

So come on out if you are free for the final Men's Night of the year. Tee off is 6:00 pm. We welcome back any of the farmers who have enjoyed the great fall season and have already finished their harvest.

At Least We Have No Hurricanes

Last year our final night of Men’s Night was September 4. For the following two weeks in 2019, we didn’t get enough golfers before the weather went south quickly. I hate to remind you but last year was the second of two Septembers in a row when we had snow. Last September was actually the second wettest on record dating back to 1872.

This year we’ve already played golf into middle of September and plan to keep going as long as the weather holds. The way farming seems to be going we might get some guys back next week if we are lucky.

Last week we had 11 golfers. The lower number was attributable to a cool evening and farming. Despite the low number, skins only went on two holes. Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Blake Hunter ($20.00 on #7) and Jason Gorrell / Sonny Blackbird ($20.00 on #8). Closest to the holes were Pete Ostash on #5 and Reegan Kominko on #9. There were no deuces.

Thinking about tomorrow, there may be a chance of showers but the high is forecasted as 16. Be grateful that conditions are favourable. My home province of Nova Scotia is going to get hit today with either a hurricane or a tropical storm. Tomorrow Shoal Lake may get 1-3 mm. Parts of Nova Scotia may get over 50 mm today. And they also have a storm surge warning which means the winds may be so high that ocean waves might flood the coast. I grew on the east side of the province which today is expected to experience extreme impact of the storm as shown in the map above. So we are doing pretty well for Men’s Night tomorrow.

Almost Missed It

 

I just came on my compter to print out the stuff for Men's Night when I realized I forgot to update the stuff for Men's Night. So here it is in a nutshell. There were twelve golfers last Wednesday. Skins went on four holes. Winner included Darcy Kowalchuk / Robin Kimpinski ($20.00 on #1. $20.00 on #6), Charles McKay / Noah Street ($20.00 on #3), and Brad Benton / Reegan Kominki ($24.38 on #9). Reegan also had the only deuce for the $22.50. Closet to #5 was Jason Gorrell and # was Stephen David.

Men's Night tee off tomorrow evening is 6:00 pm.

Bonus Golf

This is the time for extra golf. Summer is winding down but officially fall doesn't start for a couple of weeks. Despite a couple of cool days the weather looks like it will turn around starting tomorrow. Many people are back to work or school with no vacation time remaining. But we are likely a long time from putting our clubs away. 

So why not take advanatge and get out to Mens Night tomorrow evening. It will be 16 Celsius and sunny with a 6:00 pm tee off to get in ahead of the earlier sunset. You could have a few beverages, hang out with friends, and maybe cash in $2250 for a hole-in-one.

If your recall, we had snow in September the last two years. It will not be long before we are looking outside at a barren white landscape longing for nicer weather. And right now is perfect bonus golf weather. Still warm enough to make it enjoyable but not so cold that you need to spend your evenings putting away deck furniture and other summer items. When it's bonus golf time it almost doesn't require negotiating with your significant other. They understand the need to get out a few more times before it's shut down for the season.

Heck it's going to be way nicer tomorrow than last week when it was cool and rainy. We still got 11 golfers out then. Skins went on the first four holes. Winners included Brad Benton / Joe Shwaluk ($73.76 on #1), Chad Tanner / Brandon Tanner ($20.00 on #2, $26.88 on #3), and Robin Kimpinski ($73.76 on #4).

Closest to the pins were Chad on #5 and Brad on #9. There were no deuces. Robin had the low round of the evening with a 36.

Ringer Board Wrap-up

The ringer board ended this week. I will do a brief recap of the regular Mens Night before providing an update on that.

For the second week in a row we had 16 golfers. Skins went on four holes. Winners incuded Austin Hunter / Randy Brandon Jr. ($44.38 on #2, $20.00 on #7), Scott Maynes / Ribsey Sopka ($20.00 on #6), and Blake Hunter / Randy Brandon Sr. ($44.38 on #8).

Closest to the pins were Brad Benton on #5 and Robin Kimpinski on #9. Maynes won the sol $30 deuce pot and Stephen David had the low round of the evening with a 38.

The four leaders on on the ringer board all dropped strokes on the final evening. Robin lost two strokes, Maynes went down 3, Brad dropped 3, and Stephen lost 2. When all the strokes were counted the flight winners were as follows: first flight: Robin -4, Maynes -3, and Jason Hunter -2 on a count back and second flight: Jason Gorrell 2, Wes Arnfinson 7. Anyone that did not get a final score entered for a hole received the Mens Night triple bogey.

75 Words or Less Update

There were 16 golfers this past Wednesday. Skins went on only two holes with Brad Benton and Ian Paterson winning twice ($34.88 on #5 and $56.80 on #9). Brad was closest on #5 and Phil Ostash hit it tight on #9. They shared the $30. deuce pot. 

Next week is the final week to enter ringer board scores. Any unrecorded holes will be noted as triple bogies.

A Rare August Cancellation

This radar image likely shows why not many people showed up =on Wednesday. In fact, with only eight golfers we did not have enough for Men's Night. I am guessing thatmost people either looked out the window or checked out at the weather forecast and decided not to play. They missed out on a fun evening of golf.

It started to rain about 5:20 pm and went hard until 6:00 pm. Then it stopped. We waited a another 10 minutes to see if someone else might arrive but no one did. As a result, no official Men's Night occured and consequently there is nothing to report. There were no skins awarded, no closest to the pins recorded, and no deuces or holes-in-one.

So the skins for next week are the same as what was projected on Wednesday. One challenge is that the ringer board now only has two weeks remaining. If you have yet to lock in your scores you need to start making some decisions quickly.

Instead of going home, the eight people visited the Club House to load up on essentials and then played golf. We were inspired by a man who simply stated "What the hell else are we supposed to do on a Wednesday night". We decided to have a four-man scramble which took two extra holes to decide. Thanks to Sport, Charlie, Robin, Brad, Darcy, Gorrell, and Hubey for coming out.

For future reference, if the weather is bad on a Men's Night you can often find shelter in the comforatble confines of the maintenance shed. It can accomodate several carts and multiple golfers. And if you enjoy engaging conversation you will hear stories and jokes as well as lots of talk about the weather. Most of those seeking shelter in the maintenance shed show off their skills as amateur meterologists and use advanced computer radar and precipitation models to predict when the rain will stop. Of course, there are also those wiser few who choose not to be weathermen. Instead they become calm and rational philosophers who simply state that "the rain will stop when it stops".

A Slight Delay

Men's Night is later today. I am just updating the blog this morning with last week's information. It is what it is. Sometimes we get busy and distracted. Such was the case for me these past seven days.

Last week we had another solid turnout with 39 golfers in attendance. Low score of the evening was a 36 by Terry Brandon who was making his first Men's Night appearance of the season.

Skins went on three holes. Winners included Ron Huberdeau / Randy Turner Jr. ($74.38 on #3), Jason Gorrell / Dion Brandon (#$24.38 on #6), and Robin Kimpinski / Blake Hunter (#94.38 on #7).

Closest to the holes were Theoren Hunter on #5 and Ron Sopako on #9. Both converted their birdies to share the $73.14 deuce pot with Reegan Kominko.

Including tonight, there are three more weeks to add scores to the ringer board. Currently Robin Kimpinski and Scott Maynes lead at -6.

Nice Wednesday...plus No Fire Ants

People often complain about things when they golf. Many bad shots are blamed on the lie of the ball or the high wind. Ocassionally people take liberties and ask for drops when they shouldn't. I have heard people asked if a small patch of dirt on our course was ground under repair. It wasn't. It was just dirt. Also there are people who have difficulty making a straight line between two points when those two points are white stakes for out-of-bounds areas.

But you got to hand it to Bryson DeChambeau for going a step further. Yesterday he attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to get a free drop because of fire ants. He said he saw a couple of red ants nearby and seriously tried to make a case that his personal safety was in jeopardy. The PGA official was not buying it. Like anyone who saw the video of the incident, the official likely thought Bryson was simply trying to dodge a bad lie which included some small sticks upon which the ball was sitting and could not be removed.

On Men's Night we had 36 golfers and no fire ants. Conditions were perfect and the vast majority of scores reflected this. Robin Kimpinski had the round of the night with a 35 that included two lost balls. He also added two scores to the ringer board bringing him to a season leading -6. Scott Maynes is one stroke behind at -5.

Robin paired with Blake Hunter for two skins ($22.50 on #2 and $70 on #5). Robin also had 2 of the 5 deuces of the evening to claim 40% of the $67.50 deuce pot. Other two's were recorded by Kory Stebeleski, Chris Malchuk, and Charles McKay.

Other skins included Larry Oakden / Branden Tanner ($22.50 on #6) and Pete Ostash / Chris Malchuk ($22.50 on #8).

Closest to the holes were Joel Ostash on #5 and Charles McKay on #9.

Hot and Humid Golf

It was a great week for golf included a full Men's Night, a Nine and Dine, and a Horse Race. This was a combination of multiple events and nice weather. The end of July is a busy time at the golf course and this certainly is the case this year. We also have experienced an increase in both our memberships and daily golfers.

Some people might argue that Thursday to Saturday were almost too hot for golf. It certainly was warm and humid. Just ask Jason Gorrell who had about ten gloves hanging on a clothesline attached to his cart.

Last week was our biggest turnout for Men's Night this season with 44 golfers. Usually when we get higher numbers fewer skins are won. This was not the case with six out of 9 holes going. Winners included Charles Blackbird / Wes Arnfinson ($70 on #1), Braeden Allen / Dan Wowryk ($27.50 on #2), Donovin Tanner / Shane Kimpinski ($169.37 on #4), Jason Neufeld / Jim Geekie /9$163.12 on #6),  Scott Maynes / Randy Tanner ($22.50 on #8), and Noah Street / Reegan Kominko ($82.50 on #9).

Closest to the pins were Troy Chwaluk on #5 and Robin Kimpinski on #9. Troy converted his birdie to split the $82.50 deuce pot with Braeden Allen who score his deuce on the par 4 second hole.

Scott Maynes currently leads the ringer board at --5 with a one stroke lead on Robin and Stephen David. You have five more weeks to post scores up to and including August 26.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Horse Race tournament on Saturday. It was the tenth time we held this tournament and the 53 that played represented the most entrants ever.

Bad Golf Happens

I want to talk a bit about playing bad golf. Before I do I will do the Men's Night recap. That way, if you aren't interested in my ramblings you may simply stop after you find out how everyone did on Wednesday.

We had 32 golfers last week. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Neuf / Jason Gorrell ($20 on #2), Charlie McNabb / Charles McKay ($86.25 on #3), and Chirs Kimpinski / Kendal Korsocil ($42.50 on #8).  Closest to the pins were Keith Martin on #5 and Wes Arnfinson on #9. The $60 deuce pot was split by Wes, Mark Pawluk, and Scott Maynes.

So that was Men's Night...now for some rambling self reflection.

I write a lot about staying positive on the golf course. Sometimes it is challenging. Like most golfers I like to play well. I am fine playing with okay. It is more frustrating when I struggle a bit. 

I am not sure about everyone else but my golf game usually stays fairly consistent. But I have periods of highs and lows. Some days and weeks I hit it exactly where I want to and my score and enjoyment reflects this. On other occasions the opposite is true.  

Since last Sunday I have been in a bit of a funk. I don't feel comnfortable over the ball. I am hitting in places where I usually don't. I am messing around with my swing, my stance, and my grip. I am watching videos, trying positive swing thoughts, and starting to distrust certain brands of golf balls.

In this moment, I feel that my golf game is getting worse every time I play. Apparently that happens to a lot of people. It comes on suddenly, without much warning. One day you’re hitting the middle of the fairway and the next if feels like you’ve totally lost your swing. This situation shouldn’t be handled with panic or anxiety. Your golf swing is not lost. You still have your golf swing. You don’t just lose it.

It's funny because I have golfed a lot this year. I incorrectly assumed thought that my game would just keep improving after every hole added to my annual total. It hasn't as of late. However, I am just going to accept the current situation and not get too stressed about it. Not accepting that you will have periods of bad streaks will cause you to start to fiddle and tinker with your golf swing. I have done that and it hasn't worked.

There is a fine line between a great golf shot and a terrible golf shot. The difference may be as small as a half inch, perhaps the distance between the center of your golf club and the toe of your golf club. Once you get a little tense because of a bad shot or a bad hole, it is easy to lose that half an inch and start hitting bad shots.

So for anyone else experiencing a rough patch, it likely will not last forever. Be grateful that it isn't winter. Be happy that we have a golf course in town that you may play whenever you want. If we put all the emphasis on how we play, sometimes it isn't fun. If we put the emphasis more on having fun, there is less pressure on how you play.

Plus there is no point in worrying. It's not like we have a big horse race tournament on Saturday.

No Such Thing as Illegal Pin Placements

Setting up a golf course is tricky. Not only do you have to rotate tee box locations and pin placements, you have to do so knowing someone will not like what you did. Such was the case yesterday when a few people joked or complained about the tough hole locations.

Certainly there were challenging pin placements but I don't think any could be considered illegal. Also, like wind and rain, it was the same conditions for eveyone. We all had to hit at the same pins and putt toward the same holes.

Now I will admit, I have sometimes tampered with the course setup. Most often it is moving tee boxes back or forth. Sometimes it is to find fresh patches of grass to avoid undue wear. Occasionally it is to make things easier such as when I go to the front of the third teebox when there is a strong west wind. I don't mess with the tee boxes on Men's Night though...at least not since Robin caught me doing it a couple of weeks ago. I did suggest moving a tee box slightly ahead yesterday after hitting a tree branch in my backswing. That seemed reasonable at the time.

The PGA rule 15-3(ii) recommends that holes should be placed at least four paces from any edge of the putting green and even futher if there is a sand trap near the edge or if the areas surrounding the green slopes downward. The key word in the previous sentence is "recommends". As far as I know, there is no minimum distance a pin must be from the fringe.

The rules also suggest that at least a 2 foot radiius surrounding the hole should be nearly as level as possible and of uniform grade. The hole shouldn't be placed on a steep slope on which a missed putt from above will roll a long distance from the cup. In this context, the hole placement on #3 yesterday might be questionable...but it was not illegal.

Having been part of the golf club board for a while, I know there are no shortage of opinions about how we do things. I recall voices of opposition to building the campground. Some people deemed it an unnecessary expense and a potential revenue loser. We know now that is not the case. At the time, it was frustrating to hear people complain when we were trying to improve the course. 

Recalling that frustration, I will pledge to be better. I will not complain about where the pins are and I will not move the tee boxes. We have a small but great group of employees and volunteers that put in a tremendous amount of time giving us a great place to play golf. I am going to resolve to be even more grateful and less critical of their efforts. I encourage you all to consider doing the same.

We had 36 golfers last night. Three of them scored 39 for the low round. Obviously they didn't have too much trouble with the hole locations. Good job Robin Kimpinski, Joel Ostash, and Dale Martin.

Skins only went on three holes. Austin Hunter won two alone when paired with the dummy card. He got $41.25 on #2 and $22.50 on #7. The remaining skin was claimed by Stephen David and Charlie McNabb ($22.50 on #5).

Closest to the pins were Charles McKay on #5 and Kevin Bartam on #9. Kevin had one of the four deuces with the others being recorded by Stephen David, Dale Martin, and Rhys Lanouette.

The Horse Race is scheduled for Saturday, July 25. Anyone interested in playing is asked to contact Scott Maynes.

Finally, don't forget the Nine and Dine tomorrow evening. This will be an opportunity for anyone who didn't play last night to complain about the pin placements.

Angry Golf

Bryson Dechambeau had a big PGA win on the weekend in which he averaged a record 350 yards off the tee. He also berated a cameraman for filming him. We usually don't have too much anger at Men's Night. Occasionally someone snaps at Milt for casting a shadow on their putting line. Once in a while you will hear an angry "Crickets" after someone misses a short putt that they felt should have been a gimmie. Generally Men's Night is fairly quiet and respectful. But there have been a few exeptions.

I am not sure how long I have been involved with Men's Night but this blog started ten years ago, in 2010. In that time I recall a few instances where tempers flared. There was one time when someone hit a little too close to the group in front of them which resulted in a ball being hit back at them. Then there was a little disagreement between two gentlemen that resulted in a group of five breaking up into groups of 2 and 3 about halfway through the round.

To be fair, golf can be frustrating. For every moment of joy there are many things that go less than ideal. Some people handle this adversity well and others have temper tantrams, be they big or small. I have seen probably a dozen clubs thrown including three to the slough adjacent to the eight tee box. Two of those clubs by eight were not recovered. I have also witnessed people hammer a club after a poor drive or putt. I also know the odd seed box has been victimized by a mini-meltdown.

Depending on the player, anger takes a variety of forms. What is most common from my experience is the person who has a blow up hole and goes silent for the next half hour. That's a less than fun 30 minutes especially if you are stuck on a cart with that person. Some people are always happy and simply grateful to be hanging out with some buddies on a nice day hitting golf balls. Others are often just one bad shot away from rage.

Nobody is immune to anger but some handle it differently. Some people have meltdowns while others simply curse an errant shot and move on. Some get a double bogey and it results in a tilt where they have a couple more bad holes. Others respond to the double with calmness while stating that they are going to birdie the next one.

For anyone who thinks that they might be an angry golfer, the following link offers some tips on how to turn things around - https://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/features/the-game/how-to-curb-your-anger-on-the-golf-course-91022

I was away last Wednesday but was hopeful that July 1 would make for a large turnout. This was not the case as only 29 golfers played. Normally that's not a bad number but holiday Wednesdays usually bring more guys. I heard that camping, fishing, and family time resulted in many regulars being away.

Skins went on four holes. Winners included Robin Kimpinski / Jason Hunter ($20 on #1), Reegan Kimpinski / Jason Neufeld ($43.75 on # and $20 on #8), and Matt Ostash / Doug Cripps ($43.75 on #7).

The low round of the night belonged to Brad Benton with a 35. Closest to the holes were Brad on #5 and Doug Cripps on #9. Neither converted the birdie which paved the way for Randy Brandon to claim his second big deuce pot of the year. After winning $186 a few weeks ago he picked up $131.25 on Wednesday.

Thanks to everyone who came out for the Fundraiser Tournament on Friday. Don't forget that we have another Nine and Dine this coming Friday.

Weekly update

It happens a couple of times per year. I get busy and don't get the blog done. When I eventually get to it, I just do a quick update. Today is one of those times.

It was a great night for Men's Night last Wednesday. 40 came out to play. Skins went on three holes. Winners included Noah Street / Rhys Lanouette ($45 on #1), Brad Benton / Ron Susinski ($25 on #2), and Joel Ostash / Reegan Kominko ($80.62 on #8). It is worth noting that three of those winners are under 20 years of age. Great job young guys.

Phil Ostash was dialed in on the par threes, at least off the tee. He was closest to the pin on both #5 and #9 but was unable to convert either birdie. As a result, he missed out on the $75 deuce pot shared by Austin Hunter and Montanna Tanner.

Tomorrow is July 1st which often leads to one of the best turnouts of the year. Of course, we also have our Fundraiser Tournament on Friday. A great week for golf in Shoal Lake.

Feel Good Golf

I just read an article on the 37 Best Feelings in Golf. It starts off by stating that golf is a maddening game, one that isn’t kind to us most of the time. But we love it anyway, and it’s the good moments that keep us coming back.

Think about a typical Men's Night. Some rounds are better than others but it is still fun. Occassionally you follow a double bogey with a chip-in birdie.

Of the 37 things noted in the article, my personal favourite is likely knowing a putt is good before it even gets to the hole. From a Shoal Lake perspective, I certainly appreciate a good drive on the third hole more than anywhere else on the course. And from a broader context, I really enjoy when everyone in the group is playing well on a sunny day free from any cares or worries.

If you want to check out the article, it may be found at https://golf.com/instruction/rules/the-37-best-feelings-in-golf/

Wednesday night was a good night for golf. We had 32 players including several who joined us for the first time this year. Special welcome to the six genetlemen from Waywayseecappo who visited and appeared to have a fun evening. One of them, Chad Tanner, had one of the low rounds of the night at 38. Another, Randy Brandon, hit it to a couple of feet to a far back pin on #5 to get closest to the pin and win a $189.36 deuce pot. Thanks also to Charles, Brandon, Donovin, and Myles for coming to Shoal Lake. You are welcome back at any time.

The low round of the evening belonged to Robin Kimpinski and Scott Maynes with 37's followed by Jason Hunter and Chad Tanner at 38. The other closest to the pin was on #9 by Reegan Kominko.

Skins went on four holes. Winners incuded Wes Arnfinson / Chad Tanner ($39.37 on #2), Darcy Kowalchuk / Rhys Lanouette ($86.25 on #3), Jason Neufeld / Troy Chwaluk ($63.12 on #5), and Blake Hunter / Theoren Hunter ($63.12 on #7).

The golf course will continue to have Friday Nine and Dines every two weeks. The next one is June 26.

The New Normal for Golf

It is interesting how quickly we have become used to a pool noodle in the cup. The golf course has only been open for 40 days yet this new hole configuration already seems standard. Like many of the COVID-19 related changes, we simply adapt and do what we need to do. Occasionally a ball pops out that should stay in but that is a small price to pay for increased safety. We have also seen fewer handshakes, smaller golf groups, and usually just one person per cart.

A couple of interesting developments with the Phase 3 Restoring Services announcement by the Province. Effective June 21, the Club House can increase to 75% capacity and outdoor gatherings may increase to 100. These new measures will help with our upcoming tournaments. Also, people don't have to self isolate after arriving in Manitoba from Northern Ontario and the western provinces. That is great news for our seasonal campers and visitors from Saskatchewan. Finally, as of June 21, you may share a golf cart with someone who is not a member of your family.

So the PGA returns this weekend. It is the first official tournament since the Players Championship was cancelled on Thursday, March 12. It's funny watching them play without fans and crowd noise. 

There was a little more noise on the golf course Wednesday as we hit 31 golfers. It was neat to see everyone spread around outside just before our 6:30 pm tee off. After our regular long winter and spring quarantine, there were lots of people reconnecting after many months apart.

With the increased numbers there were lots of pushes for skins with only one hole going. Joel Ostash and Jim Geekie won $20 on #1. Milt was closest on #5 while Jim Geekie was tight on #9. There were no deuces which means the pot on Wednesday will likely be close to $200. The low rounds were Joel Ostash and Robin Kimpinski with 38's followed by Pete Ostash with a 39.

Thanks to Robin for the nice course set up with some pins in new and weird places.

There's Lots of Golf in 2020

In early April we didn't even know if there would be a golf season. Later that month we found out that we could open at the start of May. Since then there has been a lot of golf played. The weather has been warm but windy. There aren't a lot of other sport alternatives. It seems like a fairly low-risk activity that includes social distancing by it's very nature. Every year many of us are eager to get back hitting golf balls after our long Manitoba winters. Add a spring pandemic and those feelings are even stronger.

Personally I have played 18 days since the start of the season. That includes 408 total holes which is equivalent to 45 nine-hole rounds. Yes I am tracking them. Last year I didn't get to golf until June 19. This year I am making up for it. If it sounds like I am bragging I apologize. I am simply excited to be playing regularly and grateful that our golf season hasn't been canceled.

What other signs are there of increased golf in Shoal Lake. Several people have already got full value from their membership. Another big indicator is the number of new people who are golfing including lots of youth. It is great to see the increase in play among the under 20 crowd. This may be attributable to COVID-19. Many planned activities for kids have been canceled or have yet to start. In the absence of school functions, team sports, and summer camps many are heading to the golf course to fill the gap.

And there is more golf to come. Right now it looks like we will make a go of all of our tournaments. There will be social distancing and other COVID-19 measures employed but we will still have the tournaments. For our fundraiser we will likely reduce the number of entrants. We may have to adjust the horse race tournament in later July. Also we had our first Nine and Dine last night. We intend on running a couple each month for anyone who is interested.

And of course there is Men's Night. We had a fairly good turnout this week with 26 golfers including several people making their first appearance of the year. Skins went of three holes. Winners included Charlie McNabb / Dave Gill ($20 on #1), Troy Chwaluk / Jason Hunter ($30 on #2), and Brad Benton / Shane Kimpinski ($20 on #8).

Wind was once again a factor. Brad Benton managed the conditions well with a low round of 37. Others were not so fortunate. There were six of the 26 scores over 50 and the middle score was 46. That is as high as I can recall it. Closest to the pin was Scott Maynes on #5 and Kendal Koroscil on #9. No deuces were recorded which means next weeks pot will be well over $100.

One final thing to note is that July 1 is on a Wednesday this year. If my memory serves me correct we usually get a huge boost in attendance when this happens. Maybe we will hit 50 golfers then.