Golfing in tournaments can be great fun, especially if you finish in the prizes. I mean why compete if you are not really trying to take home some hardware; right? The Sportspal 2-day golf tournament ended yesterday and our team finished 5th in the first flight. Blair and I played very well, but could not seem to show it on the score card. It was unfortunate, but overall we were very happy with our game. Unfortunately, we as a team, did not finish in the prizes, but that does not mean that one of us walked away empty handed.

Our flight played from the tips yesterday; this added dimension of distance challenged many of the top players. Blair and I decided to play aggressively before we teed it up on day two, however, the 30 kph (20 mph) constant wind changed our approach slightly. When down wind, we tried to hit the ball higher trying to take advantage of the help. Crosswinds were a challenge as we judged the affect the strong wind would have on our ball. Against the wind…..well some holes we just hung on for dear life.

We both hit the ball extremely well off the tee and our approach shots were spot on all day. We hit 16 of 18 greens and the two we missed were missed by inches. Unfortunately the longer approach shots left for some long putts that were considered difficult at best. We did have, in my opinion, 9 legit chances of birdie and converted three. We lipped out two and left another 3 within an inch of going in the cup. It just was not our day to roll the ball in the hole as we had hoped.

The best part about our play today is that each of us only chunked two shots. The rest of the time we made solid contact and hit the ball very well. Additionally, when one player was wayward, the other was spot on. It was the first time that we were in-sync during a scramble event in years. As our first hitter, Blair was solidly in play 14 of 18 holes off the tee; this was the same for me. For ten holes we had a selection of which ball to use for our approach shots….this was a rare thing for us and it really made a difference on how we played.

We shot the 10th best score of the day with a two under 69. With 66 teams, we felt very good about our result. Our good play was not good enough to get in the prizes, but I walked away with closest to the pin on the first day. It was a 175 yard shot and I hit my six iron to about 3 feet. It was a thrill to win and I walked away with this:

Yup it’s true, I won a kayak for one stellar golf shot. I was thrilled when I found out and I pick this baby up tomorrow!

Osprey Links Golf Course hosted another stellar event. The entire Osprey Links team demonstrated how fantastic customer service team can turn a great golf tournament into an extraordinary event. COVID has placed dampers on some the festivities related to golf tournaments, but Jeff’s (GM) team has found a way to enhance the golfing experience during these troubling times. A huge thanks to Jeff and his team for another fantastic weekend on the links.

Lastly, I want to express our gratitude to Carl and Dave Crewson from BW Marine Products for their ongoing support. It is their sponsorship that continues to make The Sportspal Golf Tournament a must play event in Northern Ontario.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!