Winds were strong but the sun was shining on the Roads End Golf Club's annual tournament July 31 to Aug. 1.
Playing three rounds of six holes in between the only thunderstorm this season, a total of 26 golfers formed teams of two in two divisions. In the end, Elton Ruben, who had shot his first hole-in-one just two weeks before, joined up with Chris Gruben to take the championship with 70 strokes, but everyone left with a prize.
"Weather was actually fantastic," said club association interim president Steve Krug. "We had great weather Friday night and an exceptional day Saturday. The wind actually helped keep the bugs away, so that was a bonus.
"We had some great golf shots and some not so great golf shots, but everybody that was involved had a good time."
While normally host to up to four tournaments a year, Krug said the links have had a tight year with Covid-19 in 2020. Whereas last year the course was host to two weddings, this year there has been nothing but a sole corporate rental.
However, it hasn't been all bad for the course — Roads End has benefited from being among the few active sports in town. Krug said the club submitted its Covid-19 plans right away and only missed a few days of the season.
"We've lost revenue due to people not renting, but we are making money this year," he said. "Membership sales are through the roof. Our men's night has been pretty successful; unfortunately our ladies' night has been rained out for the last three weeks.
"So we're looking to host a ladies-only tournament. People can stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates."
In spite of sightings of a wounded bear in the area throughout the week, the golfers were left alone by the local wildlife. Krug noted it's been a quiet year for bear calls, compared to approximately 30 calls last year.
He added golfers have been getting a lot of practice in over the summer in comparison to other years.
"I bet you some of the guys are playing 50 rounds a month," he said. "By the end of the season, some guys will have played well over 100 rounds of golf."
Krug thanked the club's membership for supporting the club through the pandemic.