For a golfer, life surely doesn’t get much better than this.
Three days of Caribbean-type weather, a golf course shining like a rare jewel, and a spirit of friendship as unfailing as the sun.
If you happen to play good golf too, then the world must seem the nearest thing to paradise. Thus it was for many who took part in the 2013 Barrhead Golf Club Men’s Open over the long weekend.
As ever, consistency and a cool head proved prerequisites for golfing success, and nobody embodied these qualities more than Tracy Pess last Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They helped him compile scores of 72, 71 and 71 – good enough to win the tournament in the championship flight for the second time and see off a formidable challenge from Edmonton’s John LeDrew.
LeDrew, a former assistant pro for 10 years, pushed Pess all the way, coming within touching distance after a magnificent birdie at the 16th on the final day. He finished with 217, after scores of 73, 72 and 72.
“It’s very exciting to win,” said Pess. “It’s been a long time. It’s nice to play well, instead of shooting a bad score and winning like that.”
As many as 136 golfers from all over the area, including Edmonton and Fort McMurray, took part, competing for a host of prizes. Ranging from scratch to 30 handicap golfers, they were split into four-man groups, according to skill levels.
To spice matters up, after the end of play on Saturday and Sunday there were “horseraces.” Sunday saw the top 10 golfers from day one compete, their progress keenly followed by those betting on them.
The mood was festive, the jokes were many, and the competition was intense.
It ended with an evening duel between Kurt Rawluk and LeDrew. Rawluk, who sank a string of monster putts, finally triumphed as the light began to falter.
The Men’s Open has been going for more than 20 years, attracting golfers aged 18 to 70, many of them repeat visitors, who consider it a must-attend event.
Each day started with a complimentary breakfast. On Monday, there was a steak supper followed by presentation of prizes.
Few would begrudge Pess his three-shot victory. So often he is a frontrunner, and so often he has had to settle for second place, including last year when he was runner-up to Cody Adolph.
Pess, manager and greens-keeper of the Paddle River Golf and Country Club, won his first Men’s Open about 20 years ago.
“I finished second the last four years in a row, maybe I was also third once,” he said.
Pess had been grouped with LeDrew, Joshua Wall and Kurt Rawluk on the final day.
Wall and Rawluk had been on fire on Saturday, shooting respective scores of 72 and 69. But neither was able to maintain momentum. Wall shot 80 on Monday to finish fourth on 229. Rawluk ended seventh on 235.
It soon became clear on Monday that Pess’s only competitor for the title was LeDrew.
“It became a bit of a dogfight in the closing stretch,” said Pess.
When he made par on 16 and LeDrew picked up a birdie, memories of so many near misses briefly haunted him.
“I was a little worried about coming second again,” he said. “I thought ‘oh no, only one ahead – it’s going to happen again.’ Someone’s going to come in and beat me.”
Seventeen, however, proved a decisive hole. While Pess birdied it, LeDrew stumbled to a bogey.
“It kind of gave me breathing room,” said Pess.
Pess praised LeDrew for the steadiness of his game.
“When somebody like that plays well it makes you play well too,” he said. “The level of competition goes up.
“I played pretty well today. The putting was good, the irons were good, everything worked pretty well. I was hitting the ball well.”
Like so many of the players, Pess hailed the state of the 6,650-yard course.
“It is in great shape,” he said. “The greens were running true and it was enjoyable to play on it. Three days is a lot of golf, but when the golf course is as good as this you don’t mind playing.”
LeDrew, who won the event in 2011, echoed Pess’s comments.
“I love it here,” he said. “The course is always in great shape. It’s a diamond in the rough. It’s also a really well run tournament.”
Edmonton’s Wall agreed and paid tribute to general manger and head pro Danny Grant.
“Danny is the most congenial and good-hearted pro you could meet,” he said.
Wall played the Men’s Open for the first time in 2010, when his performance was probably affected by too much socializing. This time his head was clear and his scores were much better. Perhaps off-course developments have also helped Wall’s game, giving him greater focus. In 2011, he got married and last year he had a baby boy. A fourth place finish last Monday was yet another cause for joy.
Gary Szymanski, from Edmonton, said he would not miss the Men’s Open for anything.
“It almost feels like you are at the US Open,” he said.
Szymanski said the course was immaculate – the greens were smooth and the fairways double cut.
On top of that there was a special atmosphere, which makes everyone feel at home, he said.
“The people here are top-notch,” he added.
The Men’s Open is the last major tournament of the year. The club’s wind-up on Sept. 21 will mark the end of the season.
