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The Future of Golf

GOLF, WHAT NOW?

What are golf courses and business owners thinking now? Well firstly, we are astonished that it took a pandemic to bring the opportunities and benefits of this amazing game to fruition. The overwhelming response to tee time bookings, membership enrolment, returning players, newcomers and lesson inquiries has been extraordinary. This is all considering it has been years, since many clubs have seen this type of action and engagement.


SO WORTH IT!

When the green light was given by government authorities that golf courses would open for the 2020 season, it was imperative that new policies and procedures be implemented in order to ensure a safe and positive experience for employees, golfers and guests. We’d like to take a moment to commend all industry staff on adhering to safety policies, while working tirelessly to constantly sanitize, disinfect, check-in guests, serve guests, perform their employee duties and provide the utmost outstanding customer service. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it! It was an honour to help give our communities an outlet to enjoy the game we all love so much and provide a safe way for people to come together during these unprecedented times.

 

FOR THE LOVE OF GOLF!

The pandemic has definitely played a major role in the resurrection of the golf industry. There’s no denying that 2020 was an amazing year for golf, but can we expect the same for 2021? Most golfers will tell you, once you’ve acquired a taste of an amazing golf experience, there’s really no removing yourself from this game. It becomes a lifestyle and part of who you are. It’s the only game where you can have a completely unsalvageable hole, but drop a massive 40 foot putt for a quadruple bogey and celebrate like you holed it from the tee deck.

With that being said, we are most definitely preparing ourselves for another year like 2020! We are gearing up to create more amazing memories for our golfers and we believe we are not alone in our thought process.

 

Royal Ashburn Golf Club designed unique memberships that give golfers the flexibility of pay as you play with the Royal Ashburn Member experience. There’s so much golf to be played, we want you to have the opportunity to experience it all!

(VIP MEMBERSHIP & ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP)

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SO WHAT NOW?

Where do we go from here? Now we continue to grow the game of golf like we’ve always planned. We welcome the newcomers, we stay grateful to our loyal and returning members, customers and guests and we find ways to improve our teachings so that those who love this game can continue to play it as long as possible.

At Royal Ashburn Golf Club, we are continuously discovering new ways for golfers to enjoy the game of golf. We are evolving with the game and designing new lesson programs that utilize the most innovative technology. Our goal is to continue to help golfers grow their game potential and provide a safe and comfortable environment for those interested in beginning their golf journey. We have no doubt that you will fall in love with the game of golf but at Royal Ashburn Golf Club, we want you to fall in love with the entire experience that golf brings with it. We are looking forward to an amazing 2021 and can’t wait to see you out on the course.

 

PHOTO CREDIT: PHOTOGRAPHS BY CLIVE BARBER

 

CONTACT US

 

More about Royal Ashburn Golf Club and our Golf Services can be found on our website. We’d be happy to answer any questions regarding this post or any questions or concerns you may have in regards to golf operations during the pandemic. Take care!

 

5 Reasons to Sign up for Golf Lessons for Kids!

Golf lessons for kids are about having fun while they learn and play what so many deem to be ‘the greatest game known to man’. Junior golf camps held at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club in the Durham Region hope to contribute to not only creating great golfers, but also well-rounded individuals. But, what does golf teach kids? Here are 5 reasons to sign kids up for golf lessons: 

1. Promote a Healthy and Active Lifestyle 

Encouraging kids to be active from a young age sets good habits early on, and it also develops the skills they need to stay active throughout their lives. It boosts their confidence, improves their posture and flexibility while building strong bones and muscles. 

2. Cultivate Integrity and Honesty

Because golf is a sport of honour, kids will learn to be honest and speak the truth. They will also learn that integrity is about making good choices, doing the right things for the right reason and being honest with yourself and others. 

3. Foster Patience 

Golf is about concentration and patience. Learning patience will teach kids to stay calm in stressful situations, something they will face their whole lives. They also learn to understand situations that require tolerance and to be more polite.  

4. Encourage Sportsmanship 

Kids will learn to win without gloating and to lose gracefully. Sportsmanship through golf will also teach them to respect their opponents, encourage their teammates and end the game on a positive note, with a handshake, win or lose. 

5. Teach Them a Game They Can Play Their Whole Lives

Golf is a social and enjoyable sport that provides a stimulating mental and physical challenge in pleasant surroundings. You can play it on your own or as part of a team. It is a sport that can be played at any age, and investing in golf lessons will teach them a game they can play their whole lives. 

All instructors at the Royal Ashburn Golf Academy are certified instructors and are PGA of Canada Golf Professionals. Contact us today to get your child started on the path to golf!

Valentine’s Day 2020: The Couple That Plays Together, Stays Together!

It’s Valentine’s month again! Have you decided yet what gift you’re going to give to your partner this year? What romantic date have you got planned? It gets hard, as the years go by, to come up with new ideas to make the 14th of February special. Well, if you find yourself unable to think of something, we may have just the thing: join the Royal Ashburn Golf Club Couples League!

Whether you’re both dedicated golfers, both newcomers or 50/50, the Couples League is a great way to improve your game, bond, have fun and get to know other couples in the neighbourhood. It’s more than just golf; played every other Saturday, it runs for ten weeks and each couple league night is a themed occasion with the opportunity to have a wonderful meal, dress up and socialize. 

How Does the Couples League Work?

Each member gets nine holes of golf every second Saturday, together with a power cart and a two-course dinner at Butler’s Pub & Grill. Tee-off is at 3:30 pm. Winning teams receive credits to use in the Pro Shop or at Butler’s. There are also closest-to-the-pin prizes. You will also accumulate participation points for year-end prizes. All you have to do is book 10 days in advance of every League Saturday by contacting the Pro Shop. You can either play against another couple of your choosing or let the Pro Shop pair you at random (a great way to make new friends).

You don’t need to worry about scoring – the staff will take care of this. So, all you need to do is play your game and enjoy. This is a Fun League that is not intended to be too competitive. 

So, give the gift of play this Valentine’s Day – because the couple that plays together stays together. You could also consider a Royal Ashburn Golf Club membership and/or one of our gift certificates. Contact us for more information on how to join the Couples Golf League. 

Everything You Need to Know About Ladies’ Golf Leagues at Royal Ashburn

Looking for a new way to get active, improve your golf game and socialize in 2020? Join a Royal Ashburn league! We host an excellent ladies’ golf league. Here’s all you need to know to get involved this year.

Who Can Play?

Our ladies’ golf league is open to all ladies who are members of the club, regardless of which membership package you choose. 

How Does Ladies League Work?

The league plays every Wednesday from 2 PM onward. It’s a 9-hole league, although you can choose to play 14 holes if 9 is too few and 18 is too many. All you have to do is pay your registration fee of $99.95 and then call the Pro Shop to book your tee time. You may book for a group or a single.

As a member, you’ll automatically get a Golf Canada Gold membership, which will track your handicap and give you incident protection on golf equipment and power carts.

This league is intended as a fun and social outing. You don’t need to worry too much about scoring. Simply fill in your numbers as you play and the Pro Shop will do the rest. Once you step off the course, a glass of wine and cheese plates will be waiting for you at the clubhouse.

The league works on a two-person blind best ball basis. Each player is randomly paired with another. The lowest net score on each hole makes up your team score. The random pairing makes the league a great social occasion that enables you to form and develop new friendships.

It isn’t mandatory to play every week. However, the more you participate, the more you will be in the running for our version of the Fed-Ex Cup point race. High participation could make you eligible for a prize at the year-end banquet.

Ask Us For More Info

Have we piqued your interest? We would love you to ioin our ladies’ golf league. Come meet new people, get the most out of your membership and improve your game. Contact us for more information.

6 Reasons to Get a Golf Membership As Your New Year’s Resolution

Happy New Year from everyone at Royal Ashburn Golf Club. Whatever your resolutions, we hope they last beyond the month! To help you tee the year off we present you with six reasons why getting a golf membership should be on your list of resolutions – if it isn’t already.

Maintain Healthy Living

The top resolution worldwide is to get healthy (or stay healthy) and playing golf regularly is right on track to doing so. It offers plenty of physical and mental health benefits. Swing into this year with one of our memberships to build muscle and strengthen your core, while also improving your handicap and learning to master a sport.

Socialize and Network

Both on the course and at one of our many celebrations and events you will be sure to interact with like-minded people. Whether you simply want to add more friends to your circle or widen your business network, the golf club is the perfect place to do either – both on the course and at the clubhouse. Joining one of our leagues is another way to bring lasting relationships and more fun into your year.

Learn New Skills

This is a pretty common item on that resolution list. And, what better skill to acquire than a game that not only improves conditioning and coordination, but that also adds years to your life? Our memberships help seasoned golfers improve their game by offering access to coaches and pros. It also enables newcomers to get started and fast-track their learning of this beautiful sport.

Relaxation

There is nothing more calming than being outdoors, and golf is a wonderful way to do that. The game itself is also highly conducive to a meditative experience: by focusing on the ball, hole-by-hole and stroke-by-stroke, you may put your mind at ease, and calm and centre yourself, making way for the answer to that problem you’re having at home or the office…

Get Access to Amenities

As a member of the club, you get priority access to our amenities – exclusive access in some cases. For instance, you have:

  • Unlimited access to practice facilities, 
  • Unlimited access to the Pro Shop, 
  • Priority tee times, 
  • A Golf Canada Gold Membership
  • Three guest passes, which allow your friends to play at VIP rates, and 
  • A variety of exclusive perks.

Save Money

Membership comes with a range of great savings, including the following: 

  • 20 % off all regular priced soft goods at the Pro Shop, 
  • 10 % discount on food and drink,
  • 10 % discount at Butlers Pub and Grill, and 
  • 10 % discount on the members’ playing rates.

This means you pay far less to play the game than you would as a visiting non-member.

A golf membership at Royal Ashburn is a worthwhile investment. Contact us today to find out more about our golf memberships and the value they offer.

Why Golf Lessons Are the Perfect Christmas Present for Mom and Dad

What to buy the people who have everything? Christmas is coming and you’re struggling to think of ideas for what to get Mom and Dad. Why not consider a gift certificate for golf lessons?

Whether your parents are already golf enthusiasts who would love to improve their game or have never swung a club in their lives, getting them involved in the golf scene and helping them to learn the game can be a gift that will keep on giving. 

Great for All Ages

Regardless of how age, golf is an excellent activity to get involved in. It has proven benefits for mental and physical health. It’s also a great social activity and can introduce them to new friends, not to mention being a great stress reliever. 

Unique & Fun Activity

Golf is relatively easy to learn but virtually impossible to master. You can acquire the basics in a few lessons, and then you can spend the rest of your life trying to master the game’s intricacies and challenges. That’s the fun of it! The constant improving and exploration, the revelations of your strengths and weaknesses. This may frustrate some people but if you just relax into it, it’s the source of the game’s true joy.

Already a Golf Enthusiast?

If your parents already dabble in the golf world, then a few golf lessons will help them focus and improve their game.  Lessons can bring major improvements in a relatively short time.

Golf is a fun and healthy sport. Lessons are an ideal a gift for your parents (for anyone, really!). So if you’re not sure what to get the person who’s got everything, consider golf lessons with Royal Ashburn Golf Club. Buy a gift certificate for them to start learning from one of our certified instructors. Your parents will definitely thank you for it.

How to Win a Golf Match

You’ve had your golf swing analyzed. You’ve taken lessons. You’ve invested in good golf clubs. You try to get out on the course regularly. But, no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to figure out how to win a golf match.

First, there’s a greater difference between match play competitions and regular stroke play than many golfers realize. But, fortunately or not, like everything else relating to golf, the differences are largely in your mental approach to the game and the strategies you use on each hole.

5 Tips for Winning a Golf Match

The following tips should help you make the adjustment to match play tournaments and improve your chances of actually winning them.

  1. Practice Properly – Match play is more about consistency and winning each hole. On the driving range, work on the accuracy of your drives. On the practice green, take mostly long or short putts, they are the ones that can make you lose, or gain, the most strokes. While conceded putts might be part of match play, always assume you’ll have to hole out on every green.
  2. Don’t Try to Impress on the First Hole – Even if you’re a low-handicap golfer, save the intimidation factor for later. The risk of going for the jugular off the first tee is that, if you at all misplay it, it could affect your game for many holes to come.
  3. Be Ready to Change Your Strategy Quickly – The more aggressively you play, the higher the chance of misplaying a shot. If your opponent is playing well, you’ll have to stay aggressive. But, even if you start a hole in aggressive mode, be ready switch gears if your opponent gets into trouble. Continuing to be aggressive when you don’t have to can backfire.
  4. Treat it Like It’s a Normal Round – While you play the course with your match-play strategies in mind, over-thinking it and getting too involved in the ‘match’ thing can destabilize your game.
  5. Get to Know the Golf Course – If you’ve never played the course on which your match will take place, try to get in a round before the match. And if you’re looking for an excellent Durham Region golf course to set up a match-play tournament, look no further than Royal Ashburn.

If you liked this post, check out our recent article on how to swing a golf club: the stance.

How to Hold a Golf Club

If the overall mission in golf is to get the ball into the hole using a club, then the only thing between you and that club are your hands on the grip. So learning more about how to hold a golf club is crucial, even for seasoned golfers.

The Basic Grip

There are a number of ways to grip the club, including the baseball grip and interlocking grip. But mastering the basic golf grip first gives you a ‘baseline’ from where you can learn other grips and determine which one helps your golf swing the most.

How to Do a Basic Club Grip

You can try this at home, but its best to be in a space where you can swing the club to get a better feel for the grip.

  1. Place the Club Head on the Ground in Front of You – The face of the head should be perpendicular to the path of the ball or a line to the target. Rest the club grip on your forward leg.
  2. Grab the Club Shaft with Your Non-Dominant Hand – That’s your left-hand if you are right-handed, and vice versa if your swing is left-handed. Raise up the shaft so that it is at a 45% angle to the ground. With your palm facing up, lay the top of the grip across your dominant hand along the joints between your palm and fingers. The top of the grip should extend a few centimetres past the knuckle on your little finger.
  3. Grip the Club – Curl your fingers around the club while simultaneously bringing your thumb across the top of the grip to the other side of the grip. In its final position, your thumb should not be over your index finger, and it should be pointing slightly behind the club.
  4. Grab the Grip With Your Dominant Hand – Place it just below the upper hand with the grip going across the joints between your palm and fingers. The padding on your palm below your thumb should fit in the space between your forefinger and thumb of your upper hand. Your little finger should lie in the space between the index and middle fingers of the upper hand.

Want to find a local Whitby golf club to try out your new grip? Get in touch with us here Royal Ashburn Golf Club. And if you liked this post, make sure to check out our last article on 5 steps to great bunker raking.

How to Swing a Golf Club: The Stance

One of the great pleasures of golf is that it isn’t easy. That can make it a challenge for beginners and experts alike. But the more you learn about the game, the better you will be able to meet that challenge, regardless of your level of play. The most basic skill of all? How to swing a golf club!

The Importance of Learning How to Swing a Golf Club

The basic challenge in golf is learning how to swing to hit the ball consistently well. Without a good swing, no other part of the game, from club selection to the equipment you choose, will really matter.

The Basic Stance

Every golfer develops their own stances as their experience and knowledge expand. The following cover some of the basic starting points for developing a stance that works for you.

  1. The Placement of Your Feet – Keep your feet a little more than shoulder width apart, with your front foot slightly ahead of the ball. The ball should be at or close to the mid-point between your feet.
  2. The positioning of the Club and Ball – Align the ball with the middle of the club head. For the club to be in the right position, arms should be straight out, but elbows shouldn’t be locked. Your upper body should be bent slightly forward at the waist.
  3. Knees Slightly Bent – For a better understanding of the importance of bending your knees, and how much they should be bent, try a swing with your knees straight. Keep your weight balanced somewhat towards the balls of your feet and evenly distributed between your feet.
  4. Alignment to the Target – Your feet and shoulders should be aligned with the target for your shot, whether that’s a point on the fairway or the hole. For proper alignment, an imaginary line between your shoulders, and the toes of your shoes should point to your target. That way you’ll achieve ultimate precision when swinging the club.

To learn more about how to swing a golf club from a professional instructor at a premier Whitby golf club, get in touch with us here at Royal Ashburn Golf Club. If you liked this post, check out our last blog post on improving your confidence on the golf course.

3 Ways Golf Lessons Can Improve Your Game

Whether you’re a beginner or you golf every week, when you have a difficult round, the thought of taking golf lessons can pop into your mind. But that’s usually all it does. Pop into your mind and right back out.

One of the reasons many golfers don’t take lessons, even if they’ve benefited from them before, is the idea that the lessons are all about improving your swing.

Of course, developing a great swing is one of the main benefits of golf lessons. But it is just one of many that golfers of all abilities can enjoy.

How Golf Lessons Can Help Every Golfer

Needless to say, lessons are especially helpful for beginners. That’s because they have more to learn. But every golfer can learn something by taking lessons from a golf pro.

1. Reveals The Nuances of the Game

To think that golf lessons are just about a better swing is really cheating yourself out of learning so much more about the game. And getting the added enjoyment that comes from it. From the different approaches to the long and short games, to learning how to get back on track after a bad swing, hole or round, all will help lower your scores.

2. Immerses You in a Golf Conversation

Yes, you can visit the driving range and practice green to work on your swing on your own. But when you take lessons from a professional instructor, you engage in a conversation about golf. One that’s centered on your game. And one that can reveal parts of your game you might never think about on your own.

3. Reinvigorates Your Love of the Golf

Regardless of if you’ve ever had a lesson or ever will, you love golf. But imagine what happens if, after just one lesson, you learn something new. Something that injects a new level of enthusiasm for your game. And imagine if that happened after every lesson. Just the boost to your activity in and enthusiasm for the sport and how you play it can improve your game immensely.

The Royal Ashburn Golf Club offers private and semi-private lessons from CPGA professionals Dave Castellan and Justin Hawe. Contact us today to find out more about how golf lessons can improve your game.  

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