On Friday August 1st, dozens of the finest Montreal Estonian golfers and their friends strode proudly and confidently through the rising morning mists to tee off at the ninth annual Montreal Estonian Society (MES) golf tournament. Elegant styles and powerful drives sent golf balls sailing two and three hundred yards down the fairway. Over trees and over ponds the golf balls flew gracefully toward expansively inviting greens. Gentle taps from putters soon sent the balls rolling toward the flag and hole. As birds and eagles soared in the skies above, birdies and eagles found their way on to scorecards below. Naturally among such refined golf enthusiasts, there were no harsh or inappropriate words to be heard, even on the rare occasion when a golf ball did not follow its preordained path. Only dignified congratulations were exchanged after each well-played hole, as the wind blew softly and whispered gentle encouragement to the golfers. As the golfers approached the 18th hole the crowd of fans grew larger and with proper decorum applauded the exploits of their heroes. Television cameras whirred quietly to record the event for posterity. At the end of the day, magnificent trophies and huge cash prizes were awarded to the best of the best. However, in keeping with elegance of the event, the humility of the golfers and the modesty of the organizers combined to maintain silence with regard to the value of the trophies and the amount of prize money.
Wait, Wait! This golf tournament was played at the Oasis Golf Club near Lachute. We know that an oasis is found in the desert along with other mirages. This particular oasis is near Lachute and as all good trilingual Estos know, la chute means the fall in French. At the end of the day, when the morning mists had long risen lightly into to the sky, our morning reveries had indeed fallen with a thud to the ground. As birds and eagles still soared high above, neither birdies nor eagles were to be found on the scorecards. Pleasant morning greetings had been replaced by cries and screams of anguish as golf balls flew, not over, but into the woods, splashed into ponds and slowly rolled off the tee after a mighty swing only nicked the ball. The only one watching us play was one lonely groundhog and the course marshal, pleading with us to play faster so he could get home before midnight. Anyone with a camera had stopped trying to take pictures. Despite the advances of modern photographic technology, convulsive laughter still does not permit a camera to be held steady. Still, at the end of the day there were some joys to share. We admired, with a twinge of jealousy, those few among us who played the game as it was meant to be. For the rest of us, there is no greater joy than recounting the one good shot we had on the front nine and another on the back. How can we brag about any one shot if they have all been good? We think, surely if we have hit the ball well once, we can do it again. We remain ever so grateful for the small mercies in golf, particularly if we have more than half our golf balls left at the end of the day. Then there is the one reality at the MES golf tournament that does not disappear with the morning mists and reveries. Enjoyed by all is the excellent meal, along with good company and prizes awarded to good golfers, honest golfers and lucky golfers alike. During the day, Elvi Kannelmäe Edwards, Kersti Leetmaa, Dawn Cady, and Anne & Peeter Altosaar were hard at work judging the accuracy and skill of the golfers to determine prize winners. Karl J. Raudsepp, President of the MES, hosted the evening meal and presented prizes with his usual aplomb and good humour. Finally, for its continuing generous support of the event, the MES wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Eesti Sihtkapital Kanadas (Estonian Foundation of Canada), along with Maurice Forget, KJR & Assoc. Inc., Le Festival de Lanaudière, Andres Pedriks, Blue Riband Uniforms Inc., Carole Desmarteau, Anu & David Sheridan, Rein Maasik, and many others whose contributions are too many to name. This year’s winners were: Best Overall Team - Aino Arik, Greg Halpin, Paul Lemay & Tõnu Onu Andres Pedriks Prize - Greg Halpin Most Accurate Drive (Female) - Raila Vendelin Frostell Most Accurate Drive (Male) - Vello Taal The Putting Prize - Mart Prost Most Fashionable Attire - Judy Tamm Website: www.mtlmes.ca
