4 Unique Gift Ideas for Golfers on Your Christmas List

If you’re a golfer, or there’s one in your life, you know that the game is always ‘front-of-mind’, even in the middle of winter. While that can be a problem if you’re chomping at the bit throughout the cold months, it’s a bonus if there’s someone like this on you gift list. You sure don’t have to think too long about what to get them for Christmas. Here are some Great Gift Ideas for Golfers!

Maybe you just need a stocking stuffer, like a new pair of gloves, or you’re really in love and you want to get that driver that he or she’s been hinting about, but too cheap to buy for themselves. In any case, a golf gift will always be a hole-in-one under the tree.

If you want to make a real impression this year, here are just a few ideas for the golfers on your list that are a little different than the usual club covers or shoes.

1. Their Own Golf Tournament

How cool is it when you get invited to a golf tournament? It’s a chance to play for some real bragging rights, meet new people and, well, yet another great excuse to enjoy a round of golf.

So why not give a golfer his or her own tournament? You can set one up for groups as small as 12. Invite close friends, or golf companions, or work colleagues, or have a family tournament, or any other circle of people you can think of.

Maybe your golfer is reaching a certain milestone in their personal lives or career that’s worth celebrating in a way like no other event can. If there’s a charity or cause that the golfer supports, then you can use that as the theme for the tourney and help to raise money and/or awareness.

2. Golf & Dine

On the other end of the spectrum, maybe you want a more intimate way to celebrate and enjoy the game with just you two, or a group of close friends. A golf and dine package makes for a perfect day of a great round of golf followed by a delicious meal.

If you reserve a golf and dine day here at Royal Ashburn, not only do you get to enjoy our meticulously maintained course and all its amenities, you can savour the cuisine of our Executive Chef, Brent Hockley, whose culinary creations use only the finest, freshest ingredients, locally-sourced whenever possible and perfectly prepared in our kitchens.

3. Golf Lessons

More than just perfecting your swing, great golf instruction involves a more holistic approach to improving your entire game and enjoyment of it. This means incorporating a variety of learning techniques like classroom instruction, golf-specific physical fitness routines and video swing analysis.

You can choose lessons that are specific to the golfer, including whether they are a beginner, novice or experienced; man, woman or junior; and/or just if they want to improve a particular part of their game, like chipping, pitching and bunker play.

4. A Golf Club Membership

Having a membership at a leading golf club raises the level of play and enjoyment of the game to new heights. Available for all skill levels and ages, memberships give the golfer the opportunity to enjoy the game in club events and leagues, in addition to reduced rates on their regular rounds.

Other member privileges include advanced tee-time bookings, reduced rates for family and friends and discounts in the pro shop. And with a wide variety of memberships available, from unlimited playing privileges any time, to reduced rates at certain times, there’s a membership package that’s right for every golfer and budget.

If you would like to get more gift ideas for the golfers in your life – or find one for yourself that you can start hinting about – get in touch with us here at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club, we’ve got lots of them!

6 Reasons Why Fall is a Great Time for Golf

It’s a familiar lament for golfers in the Greater Toronto Area: “Wouldn’t it be great if we could golf all year round like they do in Myrtle Beach?!”

There’s no denying that the golf season in Southern Ontario is shorter than places south. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have times of the year when you can enjoy a round of golf here that would be the envy of golfers around the world.

If you’ve ever suffered through a sweltering round of golf in the middle of July in places like Myrtle Beach, you’ll know what we mean. Which golfer wouldn’t appreciate playing on a course surrounded by the rich colours of a crisp and clear autumn day?

Of course, it would be nice to play right here at home in the middle of January, but the reality is that we can’t. Instead, we encourage all local golfers to embrace and celebrate those times when we can enjoy a round, and fall is as good a time as any.

In case the beautiful settings aren’t enough to get you on the course this fall,

Here are just a few more reasons why fall is a great time for golf.

1. It’s Less Crowded & More Relaxed

While there are fall days that can be nearly as warm and bright as a summer day, you won’t have to contend with as many packed foursomes ahead of and behind you. That means a little more time to enjoy your round at your pace and less chance of an anxious group behind you watching your every shot.

2. You’re Hot

If you’ve golfed regularly throughout the summer, your game is probably the best it’s been all year. By playing in the fall when you’re in top form, you can take your game to heights it hasn’t been to and have less downtime before you get on course again in the spring.

3. Reduced Rates

Many courses will reduce their rates after September 30th to encourage more people to play. You get great golf and keep more cash in your pocket.

4. Challenge Yourself

There’s no doubt that some fall conditions can present unique challenges to your game. In addition to cooler temperatures, winds can be stronger, and course conditions can be more damp, especially in the mornings. Instead of sitting at home watching the Golf Channel, get on the course and take up the challenge. You’ve brought your game to its best for the season by golfing through summer’s more ideal conditions. Imagine how much it will improve if you put it to the test in the fall.

5. Set-Up for Your Winter Golf

If you and your golf partners regularly take a golf vacation to keep your game in shape during the winter, golfing in the fall will bridge the gap. That way, you’ll be the one getting the free dinner and drinks when you win the round down south.

5. Courses are in Great Shape

Summer’s heat can stress even the best irrigation and course maintenance systems. But grass actually enjoys a rich growth spurt in the fall. In addition to the bright colours, now’s the time to enjoy a lush course that’s benefitted from a full season of grooming.

6. Great Time for a Lesson to Tune-Up Your Game

No matter how well you’re golfing, it’s always good to get regular lessons to make sure you keep your swing in shape. But that can be tough in the middle of summer. During the fall, golf pros are more likely to have the time for lessons, and maybe even devote a little more personalized time to help you improve your game.

We don’t like to boast, but the course here at Royal Ashburn is as beautiful as any in the autumn. If you’d like to extend your golf season in our beautiful surroundings this fall, just give us a call.

11 Tips for Planning a Successful Corporate Golf Tournament

Following our last post about the benefits of golf for business networking, we thought we’d highlight one of the best ways for your company to network and promote itself on the course, which is by hosting your own golf tournament.

While that might sound like a huge undertaking, especially if your company has never hosted a golfing event before, with the right planning and help, you can have a successful tournament and a great new way to promote your business.

How to Plan and Execute a Successful Corporate Golf Tournament

1. Set up a Committee

Planning and running a golf tournament can be a full-time job for even experienced tournament planners. It’s best to make someone the tournament director, and put together a team to help make it all happen. While the members and responsibilities of the planning committee will be up to your particular resources and requirements, think about putting someone in charge of some of the particular points below

2. Pick a Date

This is the date all of your other planning revolves around. Make sure it’s far enough in the future – at least six months – so those you invite have time to make arrangements to be there. It will also help if you pick and arrange for a rain date.

3. Find a Course

It’s important to find and contract a course as early as possible in your planning process. The best golf clubs for corporate tournaments will also be one of your best resources for help with many other parts of your planning. In addition to the course and other golf-related amenities, the club will usually also help with food and beverage services before, during and after the tournament; registrations, and organizing post-tournament awards ceremonies.

4. Choose a Theme

Having a theme helps set your tournament apart from all the others. You can choose a theme on a format, celebrity guest or corporate event, like a product launch. Think about supporting a favorite charity or local community organization and making that the theme for the tournament.

5. Set a Budget

Like everything else you do in business, setting and adhering to a budget will help guide your planning. In addition to any promotional budget you have, you may also have any fees you decide to charge for playing in the tournament, and any sponsorship funds. Costs can include everything from the basics, like greens fees and cart rentals, to whether you want to invest in the insurance to include high-profile, big-jackpot hole-in-one competitions. Most tournaments include a post-round meal in the clubhouse that includes drinks and food.

6. Get Some Sponsorship Help

The more companies and organizations you find to help sponsor the tournament, whether through donating services or products you need, or by supplying prizes, or by hosting side-competitions, the more appealing the tournament will be and the less costly it might be for your company.

7. Choose a Format

The golfing format you choose for the tournament will go a long way to determining how much your invitees will enjoy the outing. If you’ll have lots of experienced golfers, then a shotgun tournament, where your participants each start from a different hole on the course and play their rounds simultaneously, will ensure you have a maximum number of golfers playing in the shortest amount of time. If you’ll have participants of varying degrees of golfing ability, a popular choice is the Scramble, or Best Ball format, where all golfers tee off and take their subsequent shots from the point where the best previous shot landed.

8. Decide on Contests &/or Events

There are a number of contests and events, both on the course and off, that can make your tournament more fun and engaging for everyone. From ‘closest-to-the-hole’ competitions to selling mulligans and silent auctions to raise money for charities, there are lots of great ways to make things more interesting.

9. Set an Invitation List

The numbers of people you can include in your tournament might depend on the tournament format. A shotgun tournament where there is only one tee-off time means you can invite 72 golfers (one foursome on each of 18 holes).

10. Have a Marketing/Communications Plan

In addition to sending out invitations, you may want to keep in touch with attendees through email or regular mail. You can pump-up interest in the tournament by announcing new prizes, sponsorships, events, etc., as they happen.

11. Plan the Logistics for the Day

From registrations in the mornings to planning prize tables, featured speakers and awards ceremonies, later on, you will most likely need to make at least one person responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly on tournament day.

As we said, the course you choose can make a big difference in all the planning that needs to happen for your tournament to run smoothly and be enjoyable for your guests. We’ve been hosting corporate and charity golf tournaments for over 50 years here at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club. Just give us a call and let our professional tournament staff show you just how we can help you make your tournament the best it can be.

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