Kenai Golf Report: Golf season winding down
The Labor Day weekend is over and it is just one of the signs that signal the coming of Winter. The Alaska State Fair is over, school has started, both duck and moose seasons have opened, the leaves are beginning to turn and fall, and the official golfing season has only a few more weeks to go.
Hopefully, all of you enjoyed your favorite pastime over the long weekend. And while we were able to enjoy many of our favorite activities, let's not forget the tragedy that Hurricane Katrina has brought to hundreds of thousands people. It will take years to undo what this terrible natural disaster has wrought, and we all can do our small part to help those in need.
I reported, inaccurately, last week that Dick and Shirley Morgan had provided the food for the KGA Donny Morgan Memorial Championship Tournament. I was only partially correct. The Morgans did provide the good food on Saturday. On Sunday, the delicious meal was provided by the Kenai Golf Association. Thank you for calling me about that correction. I also reported, again inaccurately, that Men's Night would be starting at 5:30 p.m. Men's Night continues to start at 6 p.m. on Thursdays. My apologies to those that showed up early (it was nice to chat with you, though).
The winners of the Kenai Cup Semi-Final round are the teams of Dave Ramsey/Ed Marsh (Sport 'N Woodies) and Chris Sonnichsen/Tom Bennett (OFG). These two teams will vie for the Championship and as of this printing, the winner will have been determined as they played on Tuesday. Today at 6 p.m., the team of Tom Reese/Greg Duggin (Mulligans) will play for third place against the team of Tom Allison/Noel Widmayer (A&W). The fun tournament for all Kenai Cup players and substitutes is also today, with tee times beginning at 5:30 p.m.
On Men's Night, Aug. 31, the first-place team of Barry Jackman, Dana Bassel and Tristan Anderson beat the second-place team of Ron Stafford, Cal Larson and Cliff Smith. Long drive honors went to Cliff Baker, while closest to the pin on No. 10 was won by Cal Larson. Gary Gabbett took closest to the pin on No. 14. The Men's Night gatherings are slated to run every Thursday evening through the end of September with tee times starting at 6 p.m.
Upcoming September events are the KGA Members Only Event and Annual Meeting on Saturday, and the Kenai Night Ball Tournament on Sept. 16 (be sure to wear your long johns for this one!).
As always, the Kenai Night Ball Tournament heralds the end of the official golfing season at the Kenai Golf Course. It won't be long before the greens are covered and temporaries are in place. As the season winds down, so goes this column — not as many golfing activities to report on and fewer people on the course braving the crisp autumn mornings. This season has gone by so quickly and I sure do regret the many missed opportunities to play. How many times did it seem that something else was more important than spending a few hours on the course with my better half and our golfing friends, or those chance meetings that the game of golf affords us when teeing it up? I am sure I will be even more regretful about those missed opportunities come about January!
So, let's get out there and enjoy ourselves on any of the wonderful courses we have available to us while we can. See you on the tee box ...