Meet the Team Heading to the RBC PGA Scramble National Finals

September 22, 2023 Marketing

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Congratulations to the Royal Ashburn Golf Club team on their recent GTA RBC PGA Scramble Regional Final victory!
We can’t wait to watch you compete as part of Canada’s top amateur golf talent.

ABOUT THE RBC PGA SCRAMBLE

The RBC PGA Scramble is a national series of team events that take place at more than 150 golf facilities in Canada. Each team is made up of four amateur golfers and one PGA of Canada professional. This exciting and fun series provides Canadian golfers a competitive but fun playing experience at the country’s top courses.

ROAD TO THE FINALS

The Local Qualifier was held at the Royal Ashburn on July 3rd, where four RAGC teams emerged victorious, qualifying for the Regional Finals. The Regionals were held at the Nest at Friday Harbour in Innisfil, ON, on August 3^rd. Royal Ashburn had two teams on the verge of qualifying for the National Championships. One team was led by Jon Blomme, RAGC’s Director of Instruction, and the other by Justin Hawe, RAGC’s Head Professional.

Justin’s team ended up tied for 1^st place in the Gross Division. Unfortunately, they ultimately lost in a tiebreak.
Jon’s team won the net version of the Regional Finals, securing them a spot in the National Finals this October.

THE TEAM

The team members representing the Royal Ashburn at the National Championship are:

Nicholas Blakney
Erica Merkle
Giorgio Mikos
Nate Porter
Jon Blomme

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Source: golf.com

The 2023 RBC PGA Scramble Championship Final takes place at Cabot Links in Cabot Cape Breton, NS, from October 8^th-10^th. This final round is an elimination scramble format. Golfers will play the 54-hole championship at this stunning world-famous course.

Please join us in wishing our RAGC team the best of luck in October. We are all so proud of you!

If you have a good luck message or well wishes you would like to send the team,

please leave a comment below!

via GIPHY

**It’s never too early to start dreaming about next year’s RBC PGA Scramble. Entry details are coming in Spring 2024 for your chance at entering a team and taking your shot at being the next Royal Ashburn finalists! Sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss out 😉**

Wilson Paterson Honoured by LOSSA Golf

September 20, 2023 Marketing

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Blog, Golf

LOSSA Renames Golf Championship in Honour of Wilson Paterson

Lake Ontario Secondary School Athletics (LOSSA) hosted its Annual General Meeting, announcing a proposition to pay tribute to the late Wilson Paterson by renaming the LOSSA Golf Championship in his honour. Now called the Wilson Paterson Championship, this tribute honours Wilson’s extraordinary contribution to growing the game of golf amongst young aspiring Junior golfers in Durham Region.

Wilson’s passion for the game included developing one of the top golf courses in Ontario and growing the game at both the professional and junior levels. Dating back to the early 70s when the Canadian Tour (now known as PGA Tour Canada) was in its infancy, Paterson supported the tour by offering the golf course for their spring and fall qualifying school, which saw aspiring international golfers compete to earn playing status. Later, only the fall “Q-School” continued, but this fall tradition occurred annually for 36 years. During this time, the club saw many tour pros that would compete on the PGA Tour, including notable players such as Kirk Triplett, Dave Barr, and Ian Leggatt.

Wilson also helped establish the LOSSA golf championship, which has provided thousands of High School golfers an opportunity to compete against local Durham schools. In the early 90s, in addition to the two-day LOSSA Championship, Wilson would canvas the local Golf Clubs to donate golf passes to create a fall Match Play championship amongst the LOSSA High Schools – an annual event that continues today.

The Paterson family of Royal Ashburn Golf Club – Scott and Dave – speak to their father’s impact and legacy on junior golf development in the Durham Region. “It is an honour to have our dad memorialized with LOSSA renaming the Championship. We both played on our high school golf team and can speak firsthand to how many kids have been introduced to golf. Dad loved introducing Juniors to the game. You’d often find him on the range talking to the Junior golfers, helping with their swing, and working on their game. The renaming of the LOSSA Championship really is an honour and one we are all very proud of.”

The inaugural Wilson Paterson Championship is set to take place at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club on Tuesday, October 3rd & Wednesday, October 4th, 2023.

RBC PGA Scramble Regional Finalists!

September 13, 2022 Marketing

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Blog

Did somebody say FINALISTS?!? WE DID!

A huge CONGRATULATIONS goes out to the Royal Ashburn Golf Club team on their recent GTA RBC PGA Scramble Regional Final victory! 👏

The RA team is proudly made up of Owen Steeves (volunteer scorer), Mackenzie Tout, Tommy Steeves, Dave Jannes, Mike Shook and our very own Head Professional Justin Hawe! (missing from the photos is Mike Shook).

The RBC PGA Scramble is a national series of team events taking place at more than 150 golf facilities in Canada. Each team is made up of four amateur golfers and one PGA of Canada professional. This exciting and fun series provides Canadian golfers with a competitive but fun playing experience at the country’s top courses.

gta rbc pga scramble winners

So now that they’ve won the regionals, where are they off to? The National Championship Finals! This final round is an elimination scramble format taking place at the world-famous Cabot Cape Breton. Golfers will play the 54-hole championship at Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs in Inverness, NS from October 2 through to the 4, 2022.

Best of luck to our Royal Ashburn Team in a few weeks time while they compete in Nova Scotia! 🏌️‍♂️

It’s never too early to start dreaming about next year’s RBC PGA Scramble. Details will be released in Spring 2023 for your chance at entering a team and taking your shot at being the next Royal Ashburn finalists! Sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss out 😉

gta rbc pga scramble winners

The Future of Golf

February 19, 2021 Marketing

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Golf, Golf - Play Your Best Golf Now!, Golf Equipment, Golf Lessons, Golf Tournaments, Tool Box

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!

Small but Spectacular Weddings!

April 24, 2020 Marketing

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Blog, Events - Tips, Ideas & Resources, Golf Weddings

Does a spectacular wedding have to be BIG to be amazing? Do you need to invite your Dads, brothers, cousins, nephews barber? During these uncertain times, we are staying positive and hopeful that things will be back to normal sooner than later. Unfortunately, there is always that voice in the back of our heads that tries to reason with the unknown. But that’s just it, we just don’t know. We can only prepare with the information we have in front of us right now. Our hope is that other venues continue to work with their couples, like we at Royal Ashburn Golf Club have been doing, to provide the best solutions without compromising our couples overall wedding vision.

READY-SET WEDDINGS

One of the most challenging and most debated items on the wedding to-do list is the dreaded guest list. “Well if we invite Aunt Jill we have to invite cousin Marge.” “But, if we invite Aunt Jill and cousin Marge then we have to invite Uncle Alex, Aunt Bess and their kids.” Sound familiar? We’ve heard these conversations and most of us have lived them. We’ve heard the concerns of our couples and we’ve been working towards alternative solutions to try and relieve some of the stresses that go along with wedding planning, let alone the stresses of wedding planning during a pandemic. If a big wedding isn’t for you, and analyzing every grand detail just isn’t your style, that’s ok! For couples looking for a more intimate, unique, economical and adventurous wedding experience, we are proud to introduce the Ready-Set Wedding Package, smaller guest count, but mighty beautiful.

PHOTO CREDIT: K. THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY

THE QUESTION?

To provide an answer to the posed question above, does a wedding have to be BIG to be spectacular? Definitely not. The trend in smaller sized weddings such as Pop-Up Weddings and Micro-Weddings isn’t something new. It means more in the budget for celebrating your wedding day with the people who are closest to you. Or maybe using some of those savings towards a new house, a snazzier honeymoon, extra savings for well, saving! The point is, you’ll be saving money and celebrating what truly matters, love united. More intimacy, less planning and more time to enjoy your wedding celebration. When the time is right and you have worked with your wedding venue to coordinate all the details that bring your vision to life, it will be, what it should be, the most beautiful day of your lives.

Furthermore, we’d love the opportunity to work with you on creating a wedding day that speaks directly to who you are as a couple. Whether that is a WED NOW, PARTY LATER package you are looking for or just a ceremony in our beautiful gardens we’d love to talk about your options. For more information on our Ready-Set Wedding Package, Ready-Set Married Ceremonies, or any of our wedding packages, please reach out to our events team here at Royal Ashburn Golf Club. It would be our pleasure to help you create a truly magical wedding day, that you and your guests will remember always.

CONTACT US

5 Reasons to Sign up for Golf Lessons for Kids!

April 14, 2020 The Digital Marketing People

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Blog, Golf Lessons

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!

The Ultimate Wedding Venue Checklist for Your Special Day

April 7, 2020 The Digital Marketing People

1 Comment

Blog, Golf Weddings

Congratulations! We are so happy to be joining you on your journey to find the perfect wedding venues in the Durham region. The most important aspect of a Royal Ashburn Golf Club wedding is that it is all about you. We want to help in our small way towards your ultimate wedding venue checklist, so you can view the venues with a standard list of questions and jot down the answers as you go.

Decisions to Make Before You Start Looking at Wedding Venues in the Durham Region

Some brides have always known the type of wedding they want, while others only have a vague idea. Making certain decisions before going on the ultimate venue search will make the process easier for everyone involved. Decide on the following:

Choose a couple of locations for your shortlist,
Set a budget,
Estimate a guest count,
Think about the date, and
Find your wedding style.

Wedding Venue Checklist Questions to Ask

When drawing up your ultimate venue checklist, remember to include the following questions:

1. Availability

What kind of venues do you have, what are their capacity, what is the availability on my chosen dates, what does your package include and do you have a coordinator?

2. Ceremony

Can we hold the ceremony here, are we allowed to use confetti and if the ceremony is held outside, what will happen if it rains?

3. Food and Wine

Do you have an in-house caterer, do you provide the alcohol, and/or must I make my own arrangements and do you have a list of preferred vendors?

4. Reception Decor and Styling

What crockery/linen/cutlery forms part of the package, what type of tables do you have and do we have to decorate the venue ourselves or do you offer the service?

5. Wedding Reception

What time do guests have to leave the venue, what is your noise policy, what are the details of your dance floor and do you have microphones for the speeches?

6. Accommodation

Is the bridal suite included in the price, what accommodation does the venue offer and is there accommodation for disabled guests?

7. Facilities

How many restrooms are there, is the venue child-friendly, is there an outdoor space for smoking, also is there enough parking and is it free?

8. Financial

What is the venue’s fee, what is the cancellation policy and are there any additional fees and/or charges I need to be aware of?

The Royal Ashburn Golf Club offers the most perfect wedding venues in Whitby, Ontario, with competitively priced and all-inclusive, customizable packages. Contact us today if you are looking for spectacular wedding venues in the Durham region.

5 Unusual Wedding Venues for a Truly Unique Event

March 17, 2020 The Digital Marketing People

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Blog, Golf Weddings

Congratulations on your recent engagement! Your fiancé proposed to you in a romantic setting and now you can’t wait to start planning the wedding of your dreams! You’re looking for the perfect setting to start this next exciting chapter in your lives in an unforgettable and spectacular manner!

The first important thing on your checklist as a bride-to-be is to find your ultimate wedding venue. Durham Region is the place to get married. With many unique and historical wedding venues, every bride is bound to find her perfect grand setting. Here are just 5 unusual wedding venues to choose from to ensure a truly unique event:

1. Royal Ashburn Golf Club

The Royal Ashburn Golf Club is a uniquely traditional venue that can play host to your ultimate fantasy. For over three generations, the venue has provided a magnificent backdrop to hundreds of golf course weddings. With tranquil and picturesque surroundings, you can say your “I do’s” in an intimate and breathtaking setting. Comfortably seating 240 guests, the expansive clubhouse is beautifully appointed from top to bottom.

2. The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

Situated on the ancestral and treaty lands of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, and the traditional territory of the Mississauga Nation, this vibrant and engaging art gallery will play the perfect host to suit any wedding style. If you and your fiancé are intrigued by art, this is the meeting place where art, artists, and community come together in conversation.

3. Trafalgar Castle School

Built in 1859, Trafalgar Castle School is a uniquely Canadian treasure that has borne witness to many luxurious weddings in Whitby. With fifteen towers and a 105 feet (32 meters) long hallway, the school grounds will make your wedding feel like something out of a royal fairy tale. The school has a chapel on site that can easily accommodate 175 guests.

4. Herongate Barn Theatre

If ‘country’ is your thing, the Herongate Barn Theatre plays host to one of the most beautiful and unique outdoor settings. With rustic charm, this venue features warm and cozy spaces indoors and out, spanning over ten acres. Couples can choose to say their vows on the spacious lawns or in the century-old barn with the capacity for 180 seated guests.

5. Parkwood Estate and Natural Historic Site

This venue showcases over a century of history and natural beauty. With lush gardens and architectural landscaping, couples have the option of choosing from several picturesque spaces (on the grounds or in the mansion) to exchange their vows. If you are a history buff, the magnificent grounds and heritage grounds would make the perfect backdrops for your wedding photos.

Now that you’ve found the venue to match the wedding of your dreams, sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful journey leading up to your big day!

Contact us today for more information.

7 Health Benefits of Playing Golf

March 10, 2020 The Digital Marketing People

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Blog, Tips

Golf has so many health benefits. Truly. Despite golf having been portrayed as a ‘luxury’ or ‘business’ sport – typically imagined as the scene of a CEO wining and dining business associates on one of the best golf courses in Durham Region on a warm Friday afternoon. Behind this exterior, golf has proven to be beneficial to a players health in many ways.

Read on for 7 reasons health benefits of why golf is good for both your body and mind:

1. Weight Loss

According to Fitbit, the recommended number of steps per day to aid weight loss is 10,000. An 18-hole round of golf can easily exceed this recommended number, especially if you walk the golf course during your golf lessons in Durham without making use of a golf cart.

2. Lower Chances of Injury

Golf is considered a low-impact sport. Because the game is played on soft and gently rolling surfaces, it doesn’t involve too many high-impact movements. More mature players find this sport attractive for these reasons as they can still burn calories.

3. Brain Stimulation

The game of golf not only challenges a player’s physical skills but also their ability to stay calm and focused. It’s a great way to boost brain power and to stimulate your brain, sharpening a player’s concentration.

4. Stress and Anxiety Reduction

General exercise is considered a natural stress reliever. A challenging game of golf can increase mental capability, creativity and the ability to solve problems, with the added benefit of doing so in the fresh outdoors.

5. Heart Health

Any form of exercise promotes the blood pumping into your heart. Combined with a healthy lifestyle, exercise not only reduces the risk of a stroke and diabetes, but it also has positive effects on reducing blood pressure and harmful cholesterol. Golf is no exception.

6. Improves Sleeping Patterns

With all the exercise involved on a golf course, golfers may fall asleep faster and more deeply, remaining in a deep sleep for longer periods of time due to the amount of energy released from a game of golf. Deeper sleep is a must for your body to regenerate cells and to repair your muscles and tissues.

7. Improves Vision

Golfers require good vision to concentrate on the ball that may be hundreds of yards away. A player learns to home in on the small target from long distances. Prior to the swing, golfers can evaluate the quality of their vision and improve their hand-eye coordination.

The Royal Ashburn Golf Club boasts championship-caliber golf club facilities. With the emphasis on continually improving our guests’ experience, our eighteen-hole world-class golf course has been ranked among Canada’s Top 50 public golf courses. Our first-class facility offers a 25,000 sq foot (2,323 sq meters) clubhouse, elegant wedding and banquet facilities, a Pro Shop and upscale casual dining at our Butler’s Pub & Grill.

If you are looking to enjoy a relaxing game of golf and improve your health at the same time, contact us today for more information.

5 Pro Tips for Lowering Your Golf Handicap

February 10, 2020 The Digital Marketing People

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Blog, Tips

If you made lowering your golf handicap a New Year’s resolution this year, you are hopefully already well on the way to achieving that goal. However, some people are not always sure where to start. So, here are five key tips you can use to make not only the most of your golf membership, but also lower that handicap.

Hone Your Short Game

Having a good long game is all very well. But, it’s a sharp short game that will keep you strokes ahead of your competition. While the short game does require a lot of technical proficiency, it also depends on you acquiring a good feel for it. Spend more time in the short game practice area and experiment with different shots. In particular (and you probably already know this but it bears repeating) you can never get enough putting practice!

Upgrade Your Equipment – Get Fitted if You Can

Take a look at your clubs, and splash out on fixing and tuning them up a little. Replace those worn grips and damaged shafts, and clean out the grooves. In fact, maybe it’s time for a golf club fitting. Getting the right set of clubs for your swing and body shape will help your game enormously.

Work on Your Stretching and Fitness

Many amateur golfers underestimate the importance of being fit and limber. Golf is a sport after all! So, start a good exercise program, and make sure you do a proper stretch before hitting the course. Focus on your core strength in particular – that’s where the power behind your swing comes from.

Play Alone

Playing the course alone helps you to focus on your own game without distractions. Play when there are few other people on the course and take note of your strengths and weaknesses. Observe your game and try to coach yourself.

Keep Track of the Numbers

Start tracking your game like a rabid sports fan. Take note of the number of fairways you hit, the number of greens you land on, the average number of putts you take on each green, as well as noting where you tend to miss shots on the fairway. Use one of the many apps available. As you keep track of your game, you will see that you start to get a very good grip on your strengths and weaknesses. As you focus on the areas where you need improvement, you will start to shave strokes off your game.

To fast track your improvement even more, sign up for some lessons at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club. Provided you have the will and energy to work on your game, we will get your handicap down in no time. Contact us for more information.