Hughes Aces Sixteen

It was a race to beat the weather tonight but for most of us it was a race we lost as we had to finish the last couple of holes in the rain. Even the mosquitoes were taking cover under the umbrellas.

Congratulations to Peter Hughes who didn't let the threat of rain keep him from getting a hole-in-one.

Peter Hughes all smiles after getting a hole-in-one.

Peter used a Gap Wedge to ace the 108 yard sixteenth hole.

The battle for first overall continues to tighten as the Fat Shafts hold a slim one point lead over the surging  KGB squad. The Fat Shafts took five points tonight while the KGB swept all six points in their match against the Whizbangers.

The idea of possibly getting damp kept several golfers away and that led to some forfeits. Both the Southpaws and CCCP were given six points each as the Rolling Stones and Wedgers failed to have enough players. The Dubbers also earned six points while the Bogies took four. The Fivesome managed two points while the Hackers posted a single point.

The low rounds of the evening were turned in by Tim Donaldson and Rick Dean who both shot a 29. Donaldson also earned Closest to the Pin honours on hole #3 while Eric Mofina stuck his tee shot close on hole #12. Thom Christmann was the 50/50 winner this week.

Fat Shafts First to 50

As we settle into the heart of the season the Fat Shafts are the first team to surpass 50 points this year despite only taking two points in their match tonight against the impressive CCCP team who took  four points.

The evening was perfect weather wise as it finally felt like a summer night of golf.

Don St.Denis fires at hole #7.

The warm weather and calm air did little however to help the scoring as not one team could post a sub-100 total.

Just three teams swept their matches as the Hackers, KGB and Rolling Stones all eared six points. The Dubbers and Latecomers grabbed four points while the Whizbangers and Fivesome took two points each.

Andy Koetstra shot even par 27 for the low round of the night and moved into a four way tie for the Individual Low Gross.

The Closest to the Pin winners were Peter Hughes on hole #2 and Kyle Wilkinson on hole #11. Mark Kennedy was the 50/50 winner this week.

Team Low Gross Tie

After seeing teams struggle to post low scores to start the season, tonight things improved a great deal with several posting totals in the 90's.

Jim Conley takes aim at hole #12.

In the process, two teams posted scores of 92 as both the Fat Shafts and KGB are tied for the team low gross.

It's also getting crowded in the race for individual low gross as Tim Donaldson shot even par 27 to move into a tie with Kyle Wilkinson and Rick Dean. Other low scores tonight included a 28 by Steve Westlake and 29's by both Jerry Powell and Denis Schick.

It was a night of sweeps in the matches as the Fivesome, Southpaws, KGB, Rolling Stones, Fat Shafts and Wedgers all took six points.

The Closest to the Pin winners were Jimmy Rodgers on hole #1 and Jim Turner on hole #10. Nick Defosse was the 50/50 winner this week.

Can't Complain About The Weather

Nobody can complain that we haven't had good weather on Wednesday nights this season. Tonight was another warm one but luckily there was some relief with a nice breeze.

Overall the rounds seemed to be a bit on the high side but Kyle Wilkinson still managed to turn in an even par round of 27 for low score of the night.

Four of the six matches were clean sweeps as the Rolling Stones, Hackers, CCCP and  Southpaws took all six points. The Fat Shafts and KGB each grabbed four points while two points went to the Dubbers and Bogies.

The Closest to the Pin winners were Peter Hughes on hole #5 and Paul Reid on hole #14. The 50/50 winner was Denis Schick.

Rough Night For Scoring

It's hard to say why the scores were so high tonight when it was such a perfect evening for golf but every team struggled to score well.

Dave Powell tees off on Hole #7.

I don't recall another night in my years in the league where no team scored under 100. The lowest team gross was turned in by the Southpaws with a 102.

As far as the nights match ups were concerned, only the Fat Shafts, Dubbers and Latecomers took all six points. The Rolling Stones took five points while the Hackers and Southpaws each grabbed four points.

Lyle Williams shows his form on the 2nd hole.

Earning two points were the Bogies and KGB while the Wedgers took a single point.

Not everyone struggled as the low score for the night was turned in by Kyle Wilkinson with a 28. The Closest to the Pin winners were Coady MacGillvary on hole #4 and Kyle Wilkinson on hole #13. The 50/50 winner was Peter Hughes.

Something In The Air

It might have been the cooler temperatures or the pauses between swings to swat bugs but whatever it was, it was one of those nights for many where it just felt right. Several players, myself included, came close to getting aces while others were just hitting the ball well, Whatever the reason, lets hope it continues and everyone plays well down the stretch.

On this evening, all but one match was a sweep. Taking all six points up for grabs were the Fat Shafts, Rolling Stones, Southpaws, KGB and Whizbangers. The Bogies earned four points while the Wedgers took two.

The Closest to the Pin winners were Ryan Cuculuzzi on hole #4 and Benny Brock on hole #13. The 50/50 winner this week was Peter Hughes.

Sorry no photos or videos again this week. I was in the zone and forgot.

Big Points Night

After three weeks of playing for 12 points, next week we'll return to the usual six point matches.

A passing shower left a nice rainbow behind tonight.

For some teams that will be a welcome sight as other teams took full advantage of the double point rounds.

All but one of the matches tonight were sweeps as the mosquitoes didn't hurt some games even if they did leave their mark on a lot of us.

Taking all 12 points up for grabs were the Southpaws, Wedgers, Bogies, Dubbers and Rolling Stones. The KGB earned 10 points while the Hackers grabbed two.

The Closest to the Pin winners this week were Paul Scobie on hole #2 and on hole # 11 it was Peter Hughes. This weeks 50/50 winner was Tom St. Denis.

Southpaws Remain Perfect

Four weeks into another season and the Southpaws remain the only team without a blemish to their record for the fourth straight week they took all six points in their match and have yet to give up a point to their opponents. The Rolling Stones are nearly perfect having lost only two points so far this season. On the opposite end of the standings, the Hackers are the lone team yet to register a point but there's lots of opportunity to change that yet to come.

It was a cool and breezy night which might have had some impact on the scores being a bit higher than normal for some but Tim Donaldson and Al Wilkinson still managed to turn in impressive rounds with each of them shooting a one over par 28. The low team gross for the night was the Southpaws with a 90.

It was another night of all or nothing for the matches as the Southpaws, Dubbers, Rolling Stones, Wedgers and Bogies all took six points. The CCCP grabbed four points while the Fivesome nabbed two.

The Closest to the Pin winners on the evening were Peter Hughes on hole #4 and Coady MacGillivary on hole #13. The 50/50 winner this week was Randy Conley.

Three Weeks To Go

It hardly feels like summer has even started, yet after tonight's round we only have three weeks of regular season play remaining before the playoffs begin on August 27th.

Colin MacDonald tees off on hole #1.

So with time running short, teams need to make a move if they hope to improve their spot in the standings and spots in the playoff divisions.

On this night, four teams dominated their matches as the Southpaws, Wedgers, CCCP and KGB took all six points up for grabs. The Dubbers came close earning five points. The Rolling Stones grabbed four more points from the Latecomers who took two and the Fat Shafts earned a single point on the night.

Andy Koetstra drains his putt on #1.

Despite the nice evening conditions there weren't many impressive rounds to be had as the low scores for the night went to father and son duo Al and Kyle Wilkinson who both shot one over par 28.

The Closest to the Pin prizes went to Don Muldoon with his shot on #4 while Paul Scobie took the honours on the back nine on hole #13. The 50/50 winner this week was Peter Hughes.

See you next Wednesday night!

How About Those Mosquitoes?

I don't think anyone is surprised, after the long snowy Winter and the wet Spring, by the over abundance of mosquitoes and black flies we're seeing this year. Some say this will be one of the worst years ever. Hopefully you guys had your bug spray tonight as they were plentiful.

One thing that wasn't plentiful was sub-30 rounds of golf. Nobody was able to break into the 20's as Tom St.Denis and David Schwartz both shot 30 to share the low scores of the evening.

Schwartz was also lucky enough to have his name drawn to win the 50/50 prize.

Andy Koetstra tees off on the ninth hole.

The Closest to the Pin winners tonight were Peter Hughes on hole #4 while Mark Adams took the honours on the back nine on hole #13.

In the team play, sixes were wild once again as five teams swept their matches. The CCCP, Dubbers, Hackers, Southpaws and Wedgers all grabbed six points. The Latecomers took four while the Fivesome earned two points.

Just a reminder that to be eligible to take part in the year end playoff day and party you have to play at least one round in each half of the season. See you guys next week.

2013 Playoffs - Final Round

I don't know what weather radar the Weather Network uses or who posts the forecasts on their website but they might want to rethink their methods because they're useless. Although rain was called for earlier, a quick check of the local radar showed no rain in the area or expected for our final round of playoffs today. As we quickly found out, that wasn't the case as light rain fell for most of the last 18 holes of another Men's League final.

Andy Koetstra tees off on Hole #11

Despite the soggy conditions it did remain relatively warm at least which made golfing a bit less uncomfortable and some teams and golfers were able to post some impressive scores.

Before I run down the final standings I want to congratulate all of the winners of each division, the Closest to the Pins cash and the prize winners following the round. Also you'll find more photos by scrolling down.

Thanks to Steve Powell for his continued hard work each season to keep the league and final day running smoothly for all members to enjoy. It's safe to say that the work by Steve behind the scenes may not be noticed by many but it certainly is appreciated by all.

Dave Walker prepares to hit his tee shot on Hole #17.

We should also thank Tom and Alida St.Denis for another great year at the course. The course was in great shape all season long even when Mother Nature wasn't providing much help. Also thanks to Alida, Debbie Stewart and Lynn McPhee for their efforts today in tallying the results and organizing the meal. I hear that dessert was even located by some guys.

And last but not least, thanks to Kim Defosse and Peter Hughes for looking after the organization and running of the annual putting competition. Peter did a fine job filling in for Steve Westlake who I understand is now home and resting comfortably. We hope to see Steve back on the course soon.

In the "A" Division the Rolling Stones turned in an impressive effort today posting nine hole scores of 83 and 85 and turned their slim one stroke lead from Wednesday into a 26 stroke margin of victory with a total of 351. The Southpaws finished in second place posting a 377 total.

Over in the "B" Division the Whizbangers were unable to close the gap enough on the KGB who grabbed the title by just two strokes. The KGB finished with a 368 while the Whizbangers posted a 370 total.

In the "C" Division the Bogies lead wire to wire and kept the pedal to the metal today by shooting rounds of 96 and 99 which allowed them to cruise to a 21 stroke victory over the second place CCCP.

Even Leafs & Habs fans get along on the final day.

To all of our league members, thanks for another great summer of golf and good times. Hopefully we're back out for another season before we know it. Have a safe Autumn and Winter and we look forward to seeing you again next Spring.

And on a personal note, thanks again to those of you who checked in on the blog each week. Each year I think a few more guys find out about it and I hope you enjoyed the updates all season long.

Here are the final standings for the 2013 Playoffs:

"A" Division

1. Rolling Stones - 351

2. Southpaws - 377

3. Wedgers - 392

4. Dubbers - 401

"B" Division

1. KGB - 368

2. Whizbangers - 370

3. Fat Shafts - 403

4. Latecomers - 430

"C" Division

1. Bogies - 392

2. CCCP - 413

3. Fivesome - 451

4. Hackers - 464

Click on photos to see them larger

18 Holes - Week One

One thing about playing these few weeks of 18 holes, we all get to enjoy the setting sun. Of course, that also means the last few holes of play can test our eyesight in following the balls flight to the green. But it's nice to have these long days upon us again so lets enjoy it while it lasts.

With 12 total points up for grabs tonight there was plenty of opportunity for teams to start making moves as the first half of the season is nearly over.

Only one team took all 12 points in their match as the Southpaws swept the KGB and moved back into first place. The Fat Shafts leapfrogged the CCCP to move up in the standings taking 10 points in their head-to-head match. The Hackers and Rolling Stones each earned 8 points. The Dubbers, Whizbangers, Latecomers and Fivesome split their matches for 6 points each. The Wedgers and Bogies each had 4 points while the CCCP had 2 points.

Peter Hughes had an excellent nine hole round of 26, one stroke shy of tying Norm Toyne for the Individual Low Gross. However, Peter's score helped his Dubbers team to a total of 88 for one nine and a share of the Team Low Gross.

The Closest to the Pin awards went to Coady McGillvary on Hole #8 and Kyle Wilkinson on Hole #17. Art Cross was the nights 50/50 Winner.

See you next week for another 18 holes.

A Strange Night

After giving a quick glance at the scores and team totals for the evening, it would appear that almost everyone had an off night on the course. I think only two teams shot in the 90's and the rest were over 100 which doesn't happen all that often. At least we were all in good company.

The Southpaws, who were in first place heading into the round, had a rare off night and managed only one point against the Whizbangers which dropped them to third place in the Standings (provided my totals are correct). Both the Dubbers and the Rolling Stones edged ahead of them.

Points won tonight were as follows... The CCCP and KGB were the only two teams to earn all six points up for grabs. The Whizbangers and Rolling Stones each took five points. The Dubbers and Wedgers managed four points in their matches and the Fat Shafts and Hackers took two points each. The Southpaws and Latecomers each earned single points.

There was only one Closest to the Pin winner tonight on Hole #16 as Peter Hughes dropped his shot tight and made the easy birdie putt. The front nine Closest to the Pin was not won by anyone due to an error. It was decided that the prize money would be donated by the league towards the fundraising efforts for the bench to be placed on the course in memory of Don Kovanen. The 50/50 Winner this week was Eric Korver. That's Eric's second win in three weeks.

A reminder that starting next Wednesday night (June 12) we play three weeks of 18 hole rounds from the White Tees. See you then!

Wilkinson Starts With A Bang

Kyle Wilkinson stepped up to the tee on hole #17, his starting hole for the night, and promptly fired a dart and sank his third career hole-in-one. This makes three weeks in a row that someone has walked away with an ace. Kyle used his 56 degree wedge on the 134 yard hole. Congratulations Kyle!

Kyle Wilkinson all smiles after his hole-in-one.

With only one week remaining before the start of playoffs there's still plenty of room for some changes to take place in the standings. With only one point separating the Dubbers and Fat Shafts for fourth place, the last spot in the "A" division is still in question. The Wedgers are six points back of the Dubbers for fourth and could still be a factor depending on the tie-breaker.

The "C" flight teams are already decided however the seeding there is yet to be determined.

The only thing for certain is that the Southpaws will be the regular season champs with 114 points and a 15 point cushion over the Rolling Stones heading to the final week of play.

The Southpaws missed a chance to add to their impressive total tonight as the Fat Shafts narrowly took all six points up for grabs in their match. Other teams taking six points this evening were the Latecomers, Whizbangers and Rolling Stones. The KGB took five points, the Fivesome earned four, the Dubbers took two while a single point went to the Hackers.

The Closest to the Pin winners were Rick Dean on hole #9 and Peter Hughes on #18. The 50/50 winner was Nick Vangemeren.

Hughes Aces Eighteen

I had my doubts as to whether the weather would hold out for us as the sky was threatening for most of our first 18 hole night but aside from a few light showers all went well.

That was good news for Peter Hughes as he took full advantage of the round to sink a hole-in-one on hole #18. Hughes used an 8-iron on the 143 yard hole. It was also the Closest to the Pin hole for the back nine so he picked up some extra cash to help pay his bar tab for the night. Nick VanGemeren grabbed the other closest to the pin prize on hole #9. The 50/50 winner this week was John Renault.

Two teams turned in impressive scores tonight to take over the Team Low Gross lead. Both the Southpaws and Rolling Stones shot an impressive 86 to share the honour.

A total of 12 points per match was up for grabs this evening. Not surprisingly, the Rolling Stones and Southpaws both swept their matches. The Fat Shafts earned 10 points. The KGB and Bogies grabbed eight points each while the Whizbangers took seven. The CCCP grabbed five points, the Dubbers and Wedgers took four each while the Latecomers managed two points.

A reminder that we play another 18 hole round again next week.

No Rain But Lots Of Heat

I promise I won't complain about the rain anymore because tonight I would have welcomed a nice cold soaking instead of the high humidity we had to endure. With temperatures feeling like 39 Celsius or 102 Fahrenheit at the time we teed off, it was by far the hottest night we've had this season.

The weather wasn't he only thing hot tonight as Andy Koetstra of the Fat Shafts shot a 26 which moved him into a tie for Individual Low Gross. Koetstra had a bit of luck on his side as he was also the evening's 50/50 winner.

The Closest to the Pin winners were Peter Hughes on #5 and Rick Dean on #14.

Taking all six points in their matches were the CCCP, Hackers and KGB. Southpaws and Rolling Stones each took 5, Dubbers 4, Fat Shafts 2 and earning single points were the Whizbangers and Latecomers.

We also had good news that Harry Morris' surgery went well last week and he is feeling much better. We hope to see him out again in the near future.

No Bugs and Lots of Birdies

I don't think anyone could complain about the conditions that greeted us for week number two of league play. Mainly clear skies, no bugs and some excellent scores.

Drew Donovan led the way by posting a 29 on his first night in the league which was also good enough to take over the Individual Low Gross lead. The KGB had a strong night as a team shooting 93 which allowed them to claim the low score for Team Low Gross.

Four teams swept all of the points in their respective matches as the CCCP, KGB, Fat Shafts and Wedgers took all six points up for grabs.

Tim Donaldson won the Closest to the Pin on hole #2 while Kevin Wadsworth took the back nine honours with a close shot on #11. Peter Hughes was this weeks 50/50 winner.

Returning To Normal

After four straight weeks of playing 18-hole rounds, the league returned to the usual nine hole match tonight which meant a quicker finish and return to the clubhouse for social time.

The skies were threatening to begin the round but the sun returned and made for a muggy evening of golf.

Five of the six matches were clean sweeps as the Bogies, Wedgers, Southpaws, KGB and Rolling Stones each took six points.

Now into the second half of the season, points become even more important as teams battle for playoff positions.

Paul Scobie's tee shot on hole number four was accurate enough to win the Closest to the Pin prize on the front nine while Peter Hughes shot on hole 13 did the trick on the back nine. Mark Kennedy was the 50/50 winner this week.

Rare Wash-Out

Despite the fact the fair-weather only golfers decided to stay away, there were still enough members to start our weekly round in the light rain tonight.

Unfortunately the light rain eventually turned into extremely heavy downpours and the hearty souls who gave it an honest effort were forced to call it quits. A few members did manage to finish their rounds despite the standing water and pelting rain.

As it turned out the round was canceled and no points were awarded for the night.

Winning the 50/50 prize was Dave Walker while Coady McGillvary (#7) and Peter Hughes (#16) won the closest to the pin awards.