With the end of October signalling the end of the summer golf season, the Nico Wynd Men’s Golf Club recently held their annual wind-up banquet, which featured multiple trophies and plaques for the season’s big winners and prizes for everyone.
Tuesday (Seniors) Club captain Peter Taylor made the presentations in various categories, noted men's club media relations director Ross Ruddick in an email, with the season’s biggest winner being Brian Paetkau, who captured the Club Championship and the Ace of the Year (both in the gross category), along with winning the multi-week two-man match play with partner, Andre L’Esperance.
L’Esperance also took home the Most Improved award with a year-over-year handicap drop of seven strokes. Other Tuesday winners were Ed Helman for single-match play, Rick Davis, the net Club Champion, and Gunther Mielke, as the net Ace of the Year, Ruddick said.
The loudest and longest applause was reserved for 94-year-old Don Mill, who won both the gross and net trophy for Playing your Age.
Week after week, this longtime member posts scores at or under his age, Ruddick noted.
The net category was a season-long close race between Mill and another 94-year-old member, Murray Fraser, with Mill surging ahead in the final weeks.
Another longtime member, John Wyatt, quipped that he "...will shoot his age provided he lives to be 120 years old," Ruddick added.
Saturday (+19) Club captain Graham Roberts also presented hardware to some familiar names, along with several first-time winners.
Blair Smith claimed the gross Club Championship once again and, with partner Wayne Beck, took the spring two-man match play. Frequent winner Jamie Mills captured the Memorial Tournament and the Ace of the Year in the gross category.
First-time and other winners included Moe Larter for Singles Match Play, Peter Hickli for Club Champion Net, Brian Martin for net score in the Memorial Tournament and Jack Last for Ace of the Year net.
Ruddick, who was also master of ceremonies at the banquet, also relayed those convened paused for a moment of silence to recognize four members who passed away since last season, before the two club captains were presented with tokens of appreciation from men's club members to recognize their extraordinary efforts.
All is not lost for the die-hard golfers, as the winter season kicks off in November and runs until March, Ruddick added.
For more information about this active golf club visit nwmgc.ca
