The Minnewasta Golf and Country Club men’s league champions, Kevin Pauls and Tyler Peers, capped off a special run at a wonderful course filled with locals who love the game of golf.
“Great athletes find a way,” Pauls jokes with a big smile and laugh.
Dream team
“I actually teamed up with a new partner this year, Tyler Piers, and talk about a fantastic fella,” Kevin Pauls says with his trademark big bearded grin. “You know, he’s used to a lot of competition being the captain for the Morden Bombers. So he’s used to a high degree of pressure, I guess, at least on the ice surface. Golf course is a different place, but, you know, there’s a lot of good competition that we faced all throughout the playoffs. We kind of kept each other level throughout, and it was nice to make some shots and to be able to compete against what was, like I said, really tough competition throughout.”
Local course for local people
Being on the course throughout the summer, Pauls says it’s been amazing connecting with so many local people. “Well, for me, golf is a vehicle, and that’s just it, getting out to go and hang out with different guys every night. You play a new team throughout the course of the regular season and playoffs, and that’s the fun part. You get to connect with people you see around the community but maybe don’t get to spend a lot of time with, as well as hanging out with your partner at least once a week and being able to have some laughs, and be able to share some competition. It brings out the best in you. You have to have good self-positive talk and work your way through some jitters because we all know what it’s like standing over a short one and a half two footer, and hoping you don’t blow it for the match. It’s really fun getting out there with the different guys, and I think that’s the special thing about men’s night is having those opportunities.”
Making news
Pauls says he was a little overwhelmed by the outpouring of support after posting a victory photo on social media, but he appreciates all the congratulations and jokes that have come his way. “Everybody hears about it,” he says with a chuckle. “Being in a small community like Morden and Winkler, everybody kind of keeps an eye on who’s still going in the playoffs. You go out for coffee at Tim’s, and you get a, you know, go get it, or a thumbs up. When we were golfing, it came down to the last hole, and there were a lot of carts parked around the 18th green, and there was a full restaurant in Santa Lucia up against the window, watching. There were some claps, cheers, and high fives. It’s really cool to see the outpourings of support both around the green and then into the parking lot and then afterwards to go inside for a beverage. It’s really neat to just see everybody kind of coming together and giving you a thumbs up for a job well done.”
The course
Overall, Pauls says the Minnewasta course has been top-notch, and he considers himself lucky to golf there. “The course is in amazing shape, thanks to our superintendent, Zane Sheldon, from the Pro Shop, Greg Hesom (Head Pro) and Matt Loewen (Asst. Pro), and their staff have done a great job. It’s been a great place to play all year, and you see a lot of green fears. Obviously, it’s a very busy golf course, especially now that the new clubhouse is up and running. That parking lot is always full, so there’s a lot of work, both with the business Santa Lucia and the golf course combined. It’s really cool, and it’s really awesome to see the course in such fantastic shape at this time of year, too. I think the greens are some of the best in the province, and everything’s lush and green and very playable lots of fun to be had at Minnewasta.”
Great for golfers
As a sport, golf has continued to grow throughout Manitoba, and especially within the Pembina Valley, and Pauls says leagues are a great way of connecting with people, being competitive, and having lots of fun. “It gives you something to look forward to. My favourite part of the week is looking forward to hanging out with my partner, Tyler Peers, getting some good shots, maybe also some bad shots, judging from my handicap right now. But I think it’s a great opportunity. You don’t have to be a very proficient golfer to go out and have fun. Just keep your expectations realistic and open yourself up to the moment, and my favourite part is getting in the cart with my buddy and just going out enjoying a nice night on the course where we’re not working or doing chores.”