Kingston Ontario

Garrison Golf and Curling Club

Well, today was awesome! The first round of the Military Ontario Regional Golf Championship is in the books. After a 2-hour rain delay, the sun shone bright and warmed up the players and the competition. With fears of 36 holes tomorrow due to the rain delay, all competitors were very happy to get the first 18 holes under their belts. The maintenance staff at the Garrison Golf and Curling Club are doing a fantastic job keeping the course open considering the conditions!

Currently, I am tied for 4th. After shooting a hard-fought 75. As a result of my score, I will be in the second group of men heading out at 0830 hours tomorrow morning. At this time, the leading scores are 71, 72, 73. There is another score at 75 and two guys at 76. This is the tightest regional competition I have been to in years. 8 Wing Trenton is second in the team competition, trailing by 2 strokes, behind to CFB Petawawa.

Torrential Rain at Garrison Golf and Curling Club

This yearly competition is three-tiered. During each leg, the competition is tougher and the players more experienced. A bonus of this competition is the chance to re-acquaint with old friends. I have competed against many of these players for years. It is always a great time as stories are swapped and tales are spun. Interestingly, the stories are getting more dramatic and the tales a bit longer each year. But, that is the fun of getting together with old friends.

Tomorrow will be a different game. Because of the crazy amount of rain today, the tournament officials modified the rules of play. We played Lift-Clean-Place through the green. This means that each player could mark their ball, clean it, and place it back in the same spot – but with a better lie. Also, the bunkers (or should I say swimming pools) were out of play because they were filled with water. Tomorrow, it will be play-the-ball where it lies. This will change the dynamics of the game and I expect some scores to be higher. Regardless, it is going to be fun and exciting all at the same time.

I want to thank the staff at the Garrison Golf and Curling Club and the PSP organizers for hosting this years competition. They are doing an outstanding job and their efforts are greatly appreciated!

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