Picton Golf & Country Club

Established 1907

Welcome to the Picton Golf BLOG

Can You Speak 'Golf'? Find The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Golf Terminology Here

Picton Golf & Country Club provides new Picton Golf members with a complete beginners guide to golf terminology.

Can You Speak 'Golf'? Find The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Golf Terminology Here

You just bought your first set of golf clubs and are excited to join your friends on their favourite local golf course in Picton, Ontario! You lace up your golfing shoes, slip on your exceptionally grippy gloves and head out onto what your caddie labelled the “fairway”. 

You make your first swing and one of your buddies yells “fore!”. And, surprising yourself, hit the ball dead on! 

But it goes in the complete opposite direction of where you were planning. Everyone is chuckling, “should we give him a mulligan?”, and allow you to re-swing. 

This time with far better luck! 

Your friends are jokingly calling you “Ace” as you line up your next swing and the game continues until someone starts calling out, “Birdie, Birdie!”. 

The game seems to be going quite well, but you don’t recognize any of these strange words. In fact, you’re wondering what’s come over your friends and their strange choice of vocabulary. What on earth is everyone talking about? 

 

Your Complete Guide to Golf Terminology: For Beginners

Every sport comes with its own unique vocabulary - golf especially! And it only takes a few minutes on the fairway to notice this seemingly exclusive lingo. 

Whether you’re talking about the score, the playing field or the off-hand jargon that every professional seems to keep in their back pocket, golf terminology is its own language entirely. But to the beginner athlete, some of these golf terms probably sound quite strange. After all, is ‘mulligan’ even a word?

In the world of golf, absolutely! That and many others. 

But don’t worry. Everyone was once a beginner in this sport and these terms, although odd, are easy to learn. 

First, Let’s Get The Lay Of The Land

Understanding the different parts of a golf course is extremely important. Only then will you understand where you should be aiming and why! 

First up, the fairway!

Fairway 

The fairway is where you should be aiming. This area of carefully trimmed grass lies between the tee box (the location of your tea) and the green. 

Ontario Golf courses keep this area of grass short, making it easy to: 

  • Find your ball. 
  • Make a clear swing. 
  • Aim.
  • Predict the outcome of your shot. 

Green

The green is exactly where you want to end up. This is the area where the hole and flag are. It’s located at the end of the fairway. 

Golf courses keep the green mowed even shorter than the fairway grass to make a putt-in easy and smooth. 

Rough

The rough is where you do not want to be. It’s the longer grass that surrounds the fairway and green. 

Pro Tip: If you’re hitting from the rough, best get your mightiest club! 

Hazard

A hazard is an area on a golf course marked with red or yellow stakes. These can include both natural hazards and manmade hazards.

Examples of natural hazards:

  • Lakes 
  • Ponds
  • Creeks
  • Rivers 
  • Trees 
  • Thick Vegetation 

If you can hit the ball out of the hazard, you won’t receive a penalty. But, if the ball cannot be found/removed from the hazard, you will have to take e a penalty stroke.

Bunker (AKA the Kitty-Litter!)

The bunker is essentially a sandbox, but not one you want to play in. This hallow is filled with sand and is designed to be an obstacle. If your ball gets stuck in the bunker, you’ll need to adjust your swing (making it a little ‘fat’) and ensure you have enough power in your follow-through to drive it out.   

Sandtraps are considered a manmade hazard. But with this specific hazard, you are permitted to hit the ball out of the sand without taking a penalty. 

Second, Let’s Learn How To Keep Score

Now that you know your way around the golf course, we can begin learning how to keep score of your points. 

Did you know: In a game of golf, you should be aiming for the LEAST amount of points as possible, rather than the MOST. A lower number of points means it took you fewer swings to sink the ball!

Par

Par is the most important scoring term to understand in golf. Why? Because everything is based on it!

Par is the average number of shots a golfer SHOULD make to complete a hole. If a hole is given a higher difficulty level, it will have a higher par. If it’s a rather easy hole. It will have a lower par.

The closer you are to par, the better! 

Birdie

If you scored a birdie, you took one less shot than par to sink the ball. 

For example, if you were playing a par-5 hole and it only took you 4 strokes to sink the ball, then you scored a birdie! 

Bogey 

A bogey is one more than par.

For example, if you were playing that same par-5 hole and it took you 6 strokes to sink your ball, you’ve scored a bogey. 

     Double Bogey 

     A double bogey is two shots above par. 

     Triple Bogey 

     A triple bogey is three shots above par. 

Eagle

An eagle is 2 shots below par. This means that on a par-5 hole, you only needed 3 swings to sink your ball. 

    Double Eagle (Albatross)

     A double eagle is 3 shots below par. 

Hole in One (Ace)

This is the best score you can get! 

If you scored a hole-in-one, it took you one single stroke to sink your ball into the hole from the tee.

Funny and Useful Golf Terms For Your Back Pocket

Now that we’ve levelled the playing field and understand how to keep score, it’s time for the fun part! 

Below are some common golf jargon that golfers use frequently while playing. It’s easy to pick up on the go, but we’ll give you a bit of a head start with some of the more common terms.

Mulligan 

A mulligan is your best friend. This unofficial re-swing is usually given to beginners, as it gives them a second chance at their shot. 

Gimme Putt 

The common “gimme putt” phrase is actually a request given to fellow golfers. If you putt the ball extremely close to the hole, but it fails to sink, someone might ask that it simply be considered completed. 

Chunk 

A chunk swing (or fat stroke) is when you hit just behind the ball. It usually creates a large divot in the ground. 

Thin 

A thin stroke (or skinny stroke)  is the opposite of a fat stroke. It occurs when your clubhead hits the ball too high. 

Shank (‘the S word’)

A shank is a stroke that hits the ball with the neck or heel of the club. Careful, it’s said to be contagious!

Yips (‘the Y word’)

Yips are usually brought on by sudden nerves. The yips can be either, 

  1. A muscle spasm, or 
  2. A mental block. 

Both of which prevent a golfer from making a successful swing. 

Fried Egg 

A fried egg is when your golf ball ends up partially buried in the sandtrap. 

 

Are You a Beginner Golfer? Become a Picton Golf & Country Club Member Today!

Picton Golf & Country Club is so excited to be welcoming new members in 2022! 

If you haven’t had had a chance to register, now is the time! 

We offer: 

  • Men’s Leagues
  • Women’s Leagues, and 
  • Mixed Leagues!

Become a Member Here

 

Picton Golf & Country Club: Member Highlight

Congratulations Casey Ward!

Another past Club Champion, Casey Ward continues her very successful career as Director of Instruction at the Credit Valley Golf & Country Club. Casey crowned her season off this year as the recipient of the 2021 George Knudson PGA of Ontario Teacher of the Year. 

Well done, Casey! We are very proud of you and look forward to following you in 2022.

Comments
Login to post comments.

Excited For Ontario Golf Courses To Open? Boost Your Golf Game Now With At-Home Exercises

Picton Golf & Country Club offers fitness tips and healthy habits to help golfers get back int mid-season form.

Excited For Ontario Golf Courses To Open? Boost Your Golf Game Now With At-Home Exercises

January has finally come to a close, but winter isn’t going anywhere quite yet. Unfortunately, the cold is here to stay for another month or two.

This means your dreams of visiting local Ontario Golf courses is still quite a ways off!

But just because you're stuck inside doesn’t mean you can’t start preparing for the golf season ahead. With summertime activities around the corner, you only have a few months to get back into mid-season shape.

In fact, when you look at it that way, time is running out!

If you were planning on improving your golf game before getting back on the greens, today is the day! And our Picton golfing experts are here to help!

It’s time to get your head (and physique) back in the game. Keep reading for fitness tips and healthy habits to help get you back into mid-season form.

 

Strength Training For A More Powerful Golf Swing

Staying in shape during the winter months is a common suggestion for all athletes. In fact, strength and flexibility training is as important for golfers, as it is for any other sport! This is especially important here in Eastern Ontario with the long winter break from the game. As a golfer, staying in shape all winter long can hugely impact that first-day-back performance. 

Strength training can improve your swing like no other exercise, giving you a more powerful stroke, improving your balance and enhancing your form. It can also help you to avoid pain, ward off over-exertion and prevent the risk of injury.

When you, as a golfer, focus on training specific muscle groups, the performance results are unmatched (just like you’ll be on your first day back!).

DID YOU KNOW that as you swing your golf club, you're actually engaging more than your arm muscles? Some of the main muscles you’re utilizing include your shoulders, back, quads and abdominal muscles.

That’s why we recommend focusing on strengthening your upper body, lower body and core as a whole. If you don't, you could lose power in your swing, your balance and your stabilization. Giving you an unhealthy form, leading to potential muscle strain and causing poor performance.

Below are some practical exercises to help strengthen these muscle groups:

Upper Body Exercises

Strengthening your upper body is vital when preparing for a strong, balanced swing. This will allow you to have greater control over the club and increase the power behind your stroke.

Looking for arm and shoulder exercises you can incorporate within your home workout? Try push-ups and pull-ups!

Or, if you have access to weights and/or barbells at home, deadlifts are also a great option! They can help you target and strengthen your lower back muscles.

DID YOU KNOW: It is common for your lower back to experience strain and injury during a swing. That's why it is crucial that you focus on strengthening it during the off-season. Not only will you help prevent potential injury, but you will also put more power behind your drive.

Lower Body Exercises

Strengthening your lower body muscles is also important especially your quadriceps!  These muscles support the balance and stability of your backswing and downswing.

Lower body exercises you can add to your home workout routine include squats and lunges. 

  • Squats target the quadriceps, buttocks, hamstrings, groin, hip flexors and calves. 
  • Lunges target the abdominals, back muscles, buttocks, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.

Core Exercises

Your core is also a key muscle group to strengthen during the off-season. As you strengthen your core, you are developing rotational strength. This, if done correctly, can give you more impactful torque in your backswing.

Some of the at-home core exercises you can practice include:

a) Russian twists,

b) Planks and

c) Sit-ups.

NOTE: While strengthening your core is important, focusing on the flexibility of your core is also crucial. Especially in developing an effective swing. 

This leads us into our next fitness tip - flexibility training!

 

Flexibility Training For A Wider Range Of Motion

Strength is practically useless without flexibility. That’s why strength training and flexibility training go hand-in-hand. 

With improved mobility, you’ll have a wider range of motion. Allowing you to fully use the strength you’ve gained!

Improving your flexibility can also help you:

a) Warm-up before a round,

b) Reduce pain during a swing and

c) Prevent the risk of injury.

Here are a few at-home stretches that can help improve your flexibility and golfing performance:

  1. Kneeling Hip Stretches

A kneeling hip stretch can help increase the flexibility within the front of your hips. Making it easier to complete your swing.

  1. Calf Stretches

Calf stretches can help increase the range of motion in your ankle. This can then improve your balance and prevent strain/injury.

  1. Standing Quad Stretches

We’ve already mentioned how important it is to strengthen your quad muscles. But it’s equally as important to regularly stretch them as well. This can help increase your balance and stability as you swing.

  1. Wrist Stretches

Wrist stretches can help increase the range of motion in your wrists, giving you a smoother and steadier swing. After all, isn't it “all in the wrist”? 

  1. Shoulder Stretches

Shoulder stretches are great for increasing the range of motion in your shoulder joints. This prevents too much restriction in your swing.

  1. Torso Twist (Against Wall)

Torso twists also help increase your torso’s range of motion. This allows for increased mobility in both the wind-up and completion of your swing.

 

Healthy Habits To Get You Back Into Mid-Season Form

Nutrition

Fueling your body with the proper nutrients is always a good idea! Golf is a sport that involves focus, strength and energy, all things that can improve with a healthy diet.

Eating the proper nutrients will help you stay energized and focused. It can also promote muscle growth and prevent low blood sugar.

Sleep

Having consistent and adequate sleep is extremely important for everyone. Whether you are an athlete or not! This rest is essential in helping our bodies regulate their day-to-day functions. Keeping our bodies healthy, alert and energized.

Without sleep, we can become inattentive, irritable and anxious. Our performance declines and our energy levels plummet!

Are you getting enough sleep?

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, as an 18 to 65-year-old, you should be getting between 7-9 hours of sleep. And if you are 65+, you should be getting 7-8 hours.

Hydration

Hydration is also a key aspect of keeping your body alert, energized and functioning at its best.

Benefits Of Properly Hydrating Yourself:

  • Improved Brain Function

  • Regulated Body Temperature

  • Healthier Skin and Joints

 

Get Your 2022 Picton Golf Membership Today!

It’s time to do more than just dream about the upcoming golf season. You can start by focusing on your health and incorporating targeted fitness habits into your at-home workouts. You'll enter the 2022 golf season in no time, with confidence and finesse!

As you’re preparing for the season ahead, don’t forget to pick up your 2022 Picton Golf Membership!

New to the sport and looking for fun things to do this summer in Picton? At Picton Golf & Country Club, we offer Men’s, Women’s and Mixed leagues!

Our club is one of the most beautiful attractions in the Picton region. A fact we see every day in the rolling hills, beautiful landscape and luscious greens. We are so proud to offer local, summertime activities that the whole family can enjoy right here!

Whether you’re new to the game or have been a member at Picton Golf for years, we’re excited to welcome you back to the course very soon. It’s shaping up to be a great season!

 

Picton Golf & Country Club: Member Highlight

Congratulations Cameron Pero!

We would like to remember the warmer days of summer and once again extend congratulations to one of our own Picton Golf & Country Club members, Cameron Pero! 

Cameron is the 2021 champion of the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, Boys Division. Back on Sunday, September 19th, 2021 in Timmins, Ontario, Cameron finished the 3-day tournament at +1 posting rounds of 70, 72 and 72 to win by 3 strokes. 

Cameron said “My irons left me a lot of easy putts which really helped… the course was super tough.”. 

This win qualified Cameron for entry into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, Ont., from Aug. 8-11. We look forward to practising with you at Picton Golf & Country Club and then cheering you on as your exciting career develops.

Your friends at Picton Golf & Country Club could not be happier for you! We are so proud of both your dedication to this sport and your incredible three-stroke victory. Can’t wait to see you on the course again this spring, Cameron!

Comments
Login to post comments.

Winterizing Your Golf Equipment - It’s More Important Than You Think!

When you think of “winterizing equipment”, you wouldn’t normally picture golf clubs. However, as an avid golfer, that’s exactly what you should be picturing.

We are all aware of the importance of winterizing our car tires, the cottage, the boat and our gardens, but nobody ever talks about the importance of winterizing your golf equipment - BIG MISTAKE!

Your golf equipment is built for warm summers spent on the greens, not frigid temperatures spent squished in your car’s trunk.

 

Do Harsh Canadian Winters Affect Your Golf Clubs?

In short, yes! Canadian winters, as we are all well aware, are quite treacherous. With unpredictable weather changes and harsh temperatures, it’s no wonder we all hunker down inside for most of the winter.

But, as you’re enjoying the warmth indoors, your clubs are usually left to suffer the cold on their own - possibly in the garage or, worse, the trunk of your car!

Although the cold weather won’t necessarily harm the shaft or club heads, it can damage the epoxy that holds these elements together. As temperatures drop, the epoxy can actually dry out, causing the two parts to become disconnected.

The cold temperatures can also cause the grips on your clubs to dry out completely, leaving them hardened and cracked.

In order to prevent this damage and extend the life of your golf clubs, we always recommend that they are stored in a dry, temperature-and-humidity-controlled environment.

 

Where Should You Store Your Golf Clubs Throughout The Winter?

So, we’ve made it clear where you should not be storing your golf clubs (being anywhere that is cold), but where then should they be put for their long-term hibernation season?

As we mentioned above, anywhere that is both temperature and humidity controlled is normally a good bet.

If your garage is not a part of your home’s heating system, or if it is normally quite damp or even quite dry, this is not a good place to store your golf equipment.

For best results, we recommend bringing your equipment inside with you for the duration of the winter season.
 

But Wait! Before You Pack Your Equipment Away, Don’t Forget To:

1. Clean Your Equipment.

Unless you want to open your golf bag up in the spring to find rusty shafts, smelly gloves, mouldy pockets and caked-on mud all over your club heads, we recommend giving everything a thorough cleaning.

  • Fill a bucket with warm, soapy water (use a soap that won’t cause surface rust over time - ie. dish soap).
  • Place irons in water and let them soak (about 5-10 minutes to loosen the grime).
  • Scrub the club heads with a soft-bristled brush - don’t forget to get right into those grooves!
  • Rinse with clean (non-soapy) water- be sure to rinse away all the soap suds.
  • Using an old towel, dry off the clubheads first and then drag the towel up the shaft of the club.

If you are cleaning wood/hybrid golf clubs, see Step 6 on our recent blog post.

Did You Know: Dirty golf clubs can actually affect your golf game! The caked-on mud and grass from the year before can hugely impact how your club is going to strike the ball.

2. Check For Damages.

Your golf equipment is, unfortunately, not immortal. There are some pieces that need to be replaced on a yearly basis even, depending on your usage habits, the quality of the equipment and the upkeep of it.

One of the main damages to watch for on your golf clubs are signs of rust. Driver, hybrid, iron or carbon steel equipment all need thorough inspection and care.

To Remove/Prevent Rust On Your Clubs:

  • Use a towel to dry the clubs properly.
  • In severe cases use WD-40 lubricant to remove rust and protect your wedges and clubs that are made from iron. Don’t use on bag, grips or shiny driver surfaces.

3. Give Your Equipment a Tune–Up.

Other damages you should be watching out for are bent steel shafts, any rattles in your clubs and torn or worn out grips. Instead of sending your equipment to the shop for repairs during prime golfing season, consider having these repairs taken care of during the winter months! This way, you won’t have to miss a single day on the greens!


Winterize Your Clubs, Not Your Passion For The Sport!

Now that your clubs are properly winterized and packed away in a dry, safe place, does that mean that your passion for the sport also has to be packed away?

Absolutely not!

In fact, winter is the perfect time to start investing your time and energy into improving your skill!

Here Are 4 Ways To Improve Your Golf Game This Winter:

  1. Work on your grip with golf grip models to enhance your swing.
  2. Find a local, indoor driving range. Kingston might be the closest for this.
  3. Improve your “short game” by putting at home.
  4. Pick up a couple golf books or youtube videos and learn from the pros!

Become A 2022 Member Of Picton Golf & Country Club

Are you eager to get back out on the grounds for another great golfing season? We are too!

By becoming a 2022 Picton Golf Member, you receive:

  • Special Membership Promotions
  • League and Competition Participation
  • 7-Day Booking Advance
  • Guest Fee Discounts
  • Pro Shop Membership Discounts
  • The View Membership Discounts

Become A Member HERE or contact our team for more information at (613) 476-2222.

 

Comments
Login to post comments.

Support Local And Gift A Golfing Membership This Christmas Season!

Purchase A Golf Membership from Picton Golf and Country Club Here

We all love the season of giving. And nothing beats that feeling of giving the perfect gift to your loved one - the “gift of the season!”. But where does one find this “perfect gift”?

That question looms over each and every Christmas shopper as they rush into malls, line-up outside random shops and hope for that rare find. But as Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch taught us long ago, “Maybe Christmas...doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more…”.

This past year has come with many unexpected twists and turns, causing all of us to pivot our plans, adapt to the new culture of health and safety outside of our doors and pick up a new hobby (or two!).

Did you know that the sport of golf experienced a massive rise in popularity in the year 2020? An estimated 15,000 Canadians played more than 100 rounds of golf!

This initial surge in fame was due to the fact that the majority of sports during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic were closed. In fact, some leagues are still awaiting their resurgence! Golf quickly became one of very few activities that could be played safely.

But the interesting thing to note is that golf held its ground in 2021 as well! There are seemingly more people golfing now than ever before!

Needless to say, if you’re contemplating what to get someone for Christmas - something trendy and unique - a golfing membership might just be the true “gift of the season”!

 

The Best Gift For The Golf Enthusiast In Your Life

Whether they’re an avid golfer or have just recently booked their first tee time in order to learn the sport, what better way to keep their enthusiasm strong in 2022 than funding their every golfing whim!

Golf Memberships For All Ages

Golfing is for everyone - even kids under the age of 10!

At Picton Golf, we believe that golfing is truly a sport that everyone can enjoy. That’s why we ensure that our golf course and membership opportunities are good for all ages - tailored specifically to each level of expertise on the spectrum!

Picton Golf Membership Opportunities

Adult Full Unrestricted
Adult - 9 Hole Daily max of 9 holes
Adult - Afternoon Unrestricted after 1PM
Couples Full Unrestricted
Intermediate Age 26-40
Young Adult Age 19-25
Junior Age 11-18
Junior Learner 10 and under

*All Rates Subject to HST

What Does A 2022 Picton Golf Membership Contain?

  • Special Membership Promotions
  • League and Competition Participation
  • 7-Day Booking Advance
  • Guest Fee Discounts
  • Pro Shop Membership Discounts
  • The View Membership Discounts


5 Reasons To Join Your Local Golf Club

If you live in or near the beautiful Quinte region, becoming a member at Picton Golf and County Club is a great way to support your local community, make new relationships and reach your health goals!

1. Invest In And Expand Your Social Circle

Golfing is an incredible way to make new connections. It has long been proven that golf brings people together and creates the perfect environment for conversation, healthy competition and rapport. By networking your way across the greens, you have the opportunity to meet new friends, business partners and even potential clients.


2.Get Outside And Enjoy The Outdoors

Getting out of the office (even the home office) and escaping that daily grind is easy at the golf course!

Golf is one of the only sports that is played solely outdoors. While our Picton Golf course is currently closed for the winter season, we are already gearing up for the spring, summer and fall seasons ahead!

Getting outside in the fresh air is a great way to boost your mood and your natural vitamin D intake!

3. Stay Fit And Reach Your Health Goals

Speaking of health, there are incredible health benefits to our wonderful sport of golf as well!

  • Health Benefits Of Golfing:
  • Improved Muscle Tone
  • Enhanced Endurance
  • Weight Loss
  • Improved Heart Rate
  • Lowered Risk Of Cardiovascular Issues

4. Improve Your Mental Health

Besides the many physical health benefits associated with golfing, there are also a number of mental health benefits of playing the sport as well, including:

  • Reduced Stress
  • Improved Self Confidence
  • Increased Self Esteem
  • Decreased Anxiety Levels

5. Cultivate Camaraderie With Your Family

Lastly, golf is an incredible family activity that’s fun for everyone! Not only is this sport accessible to all age groups, but it also provides an equal playing field. Regardless of age, experience or skill level, golfing gives families the opportunity to cultivate camaraderie and bond over a shared interest. WIth a healthy dose of friendly competition and ample room for conversation, golfing might be one of the most family friendly sports in existence!

2022 Picton Golf Memberships Are Available Online And At The Club

As one of the oldest, continuously operating golf clubs in Ontario, Picton Golf is more than just a country club - it’s a team of dedicated, like-minded individuals who share similar passions, interests and even lifestyles!

Whether you have been an avid golfer for years, or have just begun to appreciate the sport, Picton Golf & Country Club offers a membership option that fits you.

Become A Member HERE or contact our team for more information at (613) 476-2222.

Comments
Login to post comments.

Spring - A great time to Clean your Clubs!

Clean Your Golf ClubsWe hope you've been practising some of your skills over the winter from our last blog post.

It's time to get ready to golf! Here are some ways you can prepare and clean your clubs for next month's season opening.

Step 1: Warm bucket of Suds

Take a plastic cleaning bucket that you probably have around your home to a sink or bathtub. Squirt a little dishwashing liquid into the bottom, then add warm water to create suds. Do NOT make the water too hot, very hot water can loosen the plastic ferrule on your golf clubs. Keep the water a nice warm temperature.
 
Fill the bucket about 10cm (4 inches). You only need enough water in the bucket to cover the heads of your irons.

Step 2: Place Irons in the Bucket

For Woods/hybrids, leave them out for now, we will discuss those in Step 6.
Take the bucket, with its water and suds, outside to your garage, balcony, desk or a place you can safely work and make a mess without concern.
Set the bucket down, then place your irons in the bucket with the clubheads submerged. A good amount of water should have your clubs' ferrules just below the level of the water and suds.
Allow the irons to soak in the warm water for five minutes or so. This will help loosen any dirt in the grooves of the clubface and allow the suds to begin working on grease and oils that may be on the clubheads.

Step 3: Clean the Grooves

After 5 minutes of soaking time, take a club out one a time and use a soft plastic bristled brush to clean out the grooves on the clubface. This is the key step in cleaning your clubs, take your time and be sure to remove all dirt and debris from the grooves.
Be sure to also scrub the sole of the iron and over the back of the clubhead, removing dirt, grass and other debris.
Normally a soft-bristled brush should work fine but if your clubs are particularly dirty and dirt has built up in the grooves and hardened over the winter, you may need to allow more soaking time and then step it up a little using a stiff-bristled brush. Never use a wire-bristled brush during cleaning.

Step 4: Rinse

Use your garden hose or a tap or a second bucket of fresh water to rinse off the clubhead. When the suds are washed away, take a look at the club to make sure all dirt is removed from the grooves. If it's not, repeat steps 2 - 4.
 

Step 5: Dry the Clubhead and Shaft

Use your old towel to dry off the clubhead. Also drag the towel up the shaft of the club. This will remove any loose debris from the shaft and also ensure that the shaft doesn't go back into your bag wet.

Step 6: Cleaning Woods/hybrids

It's a good idea not to submerge metal woods or especially the classic persimmon woods in water. Metal woods can be hollow, often they have a nice, glossy finish and should not be smashing around in the bucket with your irons.
 
Instead, quickly dip metal woods/hybrids into the sudsy water, rub with a moist cloth, then dry with a dry cloth. Use a moist cloth to clean off persimmon clubheads, then dry immediately.
 
Use a soft-bristled brush, if necessary, to clean out the grooves on woods/hybrids.

Comments
Login to post comments.

Missing Golf? It's time to Clean your Golf Balls

Isn't the design of a golf ball pretty amazing?! Did you ever consider the effort the scientists put in to testing golf balls for maximize distance, direction and to reduce friction and drag. The placement of each dimple is just perfectly positioned to ensure the perfect shot.  Well, perfect in their lab at least. 😄
 
The Truth: Having a bag full of dirty golf balls can drastically affect performance during your game. Yes, it's true you can always blame the equipment but cleaning your golf balls is an important part of ensuring that every piece of your equipment is performing at an optimal level during each and every round of golf that you play.
 
Golf balls experience a lot during an 18-hole round; they take a beating from clubfaces.  They collide with the odd tree, visit the beach getting covered in sand and generally just seem to have a knack for finding dirt even with the beautiful course conditions found at Picton Golf & Country Club. It doesn't take long for golf balls to accumulate enough grime and dirt to need a good cleaning.

How to Clean Your Golf Balls

Despite all this information, many golfers still don't take cleaning their golf balls seriously. They believe that just a quick swipe with a towel or rub on the leg of their pants is enough to knock off the worst, and that's all that matters. BUT could it also be true that these are the same players that are baffled by the way their golf balls occasionally react strangely after a perfect stroke?


Here's some of the best ways to clean a golf ball, so when you pull a ball from your golf bag at our gorgeous #1 tee overlooking Picton Bay, it's a clean one. Let's examine and gather some tools.  We suggest:
 
1.       Cleaner - A mild dish soap will suffice for most basic washes. If your golf balls are in need of a deep cleaning, then use a diluted bleach or vinegar to cut that grease and grim. Do not mix any chemicals together as this can harm the coating on your golf balls.
2.       Cleaning bucket - Add plenty of warm water to a cleaning bucket. Fill it up about halfway and remember to account for the displacement the balls will add before adding cleaning solution. Once you've mixed up the cleaner with warm water, place your golf balls into the bucket and let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes. This will save on scrubbing time later.
3.       Scrubbing tools - Depending on how dirty your golf balls are, there are a variety of different scrubbing tools that can help you get the job done right. Cleaner-looking golf balls can always benefit from a soapy towel or sponge to clean the outer surface. Dirtier golf balls may need something gentler but more abrasive. An old toothbrush is a great option for scrubbing. A long bristle scrub brush found in most dollar stores for cleaning dishes is another perfect cleaning tool to clean your golf balls.
4.       Dish Washing Machine - Hopefully everyone in your family golfs so they can appreciate the importance and relationship that a golfer has with their golf balls. If you've got a dishwasher and you're concerned with all the effort involved in all that we've described above, then you may want to try loading your golf balls into the top rack and cleaning them the easy way! Golf balls will not harm your dishwasher.  More importantly your dishwasher will not harm your golf balls. We didn't list this option first because with this one, you won't even have to get your hands wet. Results will vary using this method especially for golf balls that could probably benefit from a little elbow grease.
5.       Drying/polishing Towel - With the hard work behind you, it's time to take your golf balls and give them a final dry with a towel before putting them back in your 'clean' bag. Make sure your bag is clean (we may do another blog post on that!). Now is also a good opportunity to inspect each golf ball, looking closely at the dimples and making sure that no debris remains.
 
It's not just about the perfect, clean golf ball. Practicing how to clean golf balls the right way and taking this extra time to prepare will give you confidence in your equipment during your next round. Clean golf balls are better. They feel better to hit, they fly longer, they fly straighter and provide the consistency and accuracy that they were designed to provide golfers with from the start. Whether you’re a Leafs fan or a Habs fan. We hope this BLOG post provides you with some golf ball cleaning ideas will eliminate the excuse for any golfer to play with a dirty golf ball.


 
Check back with us often and be sure to read our Blog at https://pictongolf.ca/blog

 

Comments
Login to post comments.

Put your clubs away but not your Putter!

Are you already missing golf? The snow has been slow to arrive this year and as I drive by Picton Golf & Country Club and look at the green grass still trying to hang on, I think about teeing off on #2 and finally hitting that elusive green.
 
So your golf game was likely better in September than it was last May. Playing more often improves our game and after a long winter of not touching the clubs, we often find ourselves starting over each spring trying to get our game back. Did you ever think about why? Did you ever think that if you could start in May where you left off in September you'd soon go pro?!
 
Soon there will be snow on the ground in Picton and the thermometer on my car showed -8 degrees this morning so we've got a long way to go before golf opens again in the spring at Picton Golf Club. So how can you prevent being rusty next spring (no offence to Mr. Gilchrist)?
 
The answer is fairly simple: Build a winter golf training program. Over the next couple of months we're going to suggest to you some different ways that you can help lessen the impact that the idle winter months can have on your golf game.
 
Our first suggestion is: KEEP YOUR PUTTER OUT!
•    Leave your remote control golf caddy in the garage and trade it in for an electric auto-return putting cup. Set up a putting green on a carpet in any room of your home to practice because it’s all about maintaining that muscle memory for your swing or putt.
•    If space allows at your place, you can also chip practice balls into a net from a turf mat. These are available online for a minimal cost.
•    Putt down a straight line (perhaps a piece of masking tape).
•    Place the ball on a coin when putting. Keep your eye on the coin long enough to determine whether it's heads or tails before looking at the ball path.
•    Place 2 tees upside down balanced on their heads about 6 inches apart. Place the golf ball centered between the 2 tees and practice putting without knocking over the tees. This will greatly help ensure you are practicing for more consistent center hits which ultimately will result in better speed control and direction.
•    Practice putting with 2 golf balls at the same time. For short straight putts, being able to roll 2 balls together at the same time will help develop a square face at impact.
 
We hope these activities motivate you to practice, over and over again this winter. Check back with us often and be sure to read our Blog at https://pictongolf.ca/blog

 

Comments
Login to post comments.

LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO IN PICTON? GIVE PICTON GOLF A TRY! 

Picton Golf 2021 Memberships Are Now Open

Looking For Things To Do In Picton? Give Picton Golf a Try! 

It is safe to say that nothing about 2020 - the first year of a fresh new decade - has felt normal. 

We've spent most of this year enduring an unprecedented global quarantine - hiding out from a virus that no one understands and health officials cannot predict nor control.

However, through it all, there has been one constant we have turned to time and again for comfort - NATURE. Fresh air. Sunshine. Getting outside. And, surprisingly - GOLF!

Golf has emerged as an oasis of reassuring normalcy this ear. Rounds played are up more than 25% nationwide! The game is also attracting more youth, women and novice players than ever before!

Golf courses have responded to the scare of COVID-19 with calm reassurance. Ensuring that safe, sanitary play guidelines are in place to welcome both new and experienced golfers. 

Are you looking for fun things to do in Picton? Do you need to find a new recreational hobby to keep your mind busy and active this year? Keep reading to learn why people are falling in love with golf! 

Picton Golf & Country Club is already taking on new members for our 2021 golfing season in the county as well! Do you need some fun summer activities lined up for you and the kids? Our beautiful golf course is one of Picton’s best attractions and activities! Register for your 2021 golfing season today!
 


Flexible and Virtual Working Hours Allow For Increased Hobby Time!

With increasingly staggered work hours and a largely virtual workforce, both avid and occasional adult golfers are finding some more time in their daily schedules for long lost hobbies and activities. Whether considered to be a recreational or a competitive hobby, it’s always good to work on and improve your golf game! Whether it be for business events, an outing with your father in law or a weekend activity with your family - golf will always remain a staple activity!

For young golfers who are being homeschooled, enrolled in virtual learning or staggered with on-campus hours, golf is a great solution to their loss of sporting events and other extracurricular activities. Looking for something fun to do in Picton? Our Picton Golf & Country Club provides fun activities for all ages and skill levels! Whether a beginner or advanced golfer, our Championship Course combines elements of fun and education to provide our young golfers with a great overall experience!


With the perfect balance of fresh air, sunshine, physical exercise, socially distanced socializing and comforting normalcy that this crazy year has ordered, Picton Golf course is the place to be. Just a short drive from Belleville on the beautiful Prince Edward County, it’s also the easiest to get to!



Golf Truly Is a Safe Sport During Coronavirus 

As Golf News Now reported just this past month, a full 94% of golf courses polled stated they have had zero cases of coronavirus among staff or guests.

This information is backed up by "contact capture" measures that require one person per group (whether or not they are playing) to provide full contact information in the event that contact tracing compliance becomes necessary at a later date.

Numbers and measures like these indicate that everything about the golf model works to support the safety of social distancing when in public areas. 

From staggered tee times to restrictions on equipment use, increased sanitizing measures to enforced mask wearing, golf courses are taking the threat of COVID-19 very seriously.
 

At Picton Golf & Country Club, your safety is extremely important to us! Our safety protocols are in place to provide you with a safe and fun activity, without the unnecessary stress of health concerns! 

 


Golf Is Replacing Traditional Youth Sports During Back-to-School

It is an understatement to say that this year's fall school semester has gotten off to a rocky start. One of the hardest hit areas has been extracurricular activities for students - particularly sports.

Educational information consistently shows that participation in the arts and sports can enhance learning and retention. With so many activities still off limits, this handily explains the noticeable surge of youth athletes' interest in golf as a social and competitive sport.

In fact, more than half a million junior golfers throughout North American have tried their hand at golf for the first time ever in 2020 thus far. 

As Golf magazine recently reported, junior golf has provided worried parents with a welcome suite of fresh options when faced with their young athletes who are understandably upset that COVID-19 has put their favourite seasonal sports on hold.

 

Picton Golf & Country Club has had many young golfers register for memberships this past year! Are you looking for a fun summer activity for summer 2021? We’re open and taking members! 

 


Golf Is Now More Affordable Than Ever

If all this wasn't already providing enough incentive for people to take up golfing together, there is one more perk that has put golf back on the radar - LOW GOLF RATES AND FEES.

This year, golf has emerged as one of a handful of recreational and competitive sports that continue to run in Ontario, and Canadians report that they are the better for it! 

Golfing gives individuals a reason to get outside, go for a stroll, enjoy nature and challenge their abilities! 

Ready to give golf a try? Register for a golfing membership at Picton Golf & Country Club! Whether you are a beginner or an expert, competitive or recreational, Picton golf course is the perfect location for you! 



Get in Touch With Picton Golf & Country Club!

At Picton Golf & Country Club , we take the health and safety of all our guests very seriously and invite you to review our COVID-19 "safe play" guidelines prior to your tee time.

Give our Pro Shop a call at 613-476-2222 or visit us online if you have any questions that we can assist you with! 

Comments
Login to post comments.

TOUCHLESS GOLF PROVIDES COVID-19 SAFETY & IMPROVED PLAY EXPERIENCE

Touchless golf provides COVID-19 safety and improved play experience.

Touchless Golf Provides COVID-19 Safety & Improved Play Experience

"Touchless golf." On the surface, it doesn't sound all that enticing, but touchless golf is the newest trend sweeping through the worldwide golfing community - and it is taking off for more than just simple safety reasons.

Touchless golf definitely provides an extra layer of precautionary safety measures so that you can get all the benefits of golf without worrying about COVID-19.

It is also delivering surprising improvements in many other important aspects of player experience, for players of all ages and experience levels!

Curious to give touchless golf a try? Read on to learn how it works!

 

What Is Touchless Gof?

Touchless golf definitely first came about as courses sprang into action to implement COVID-19 safety measures.

Social distancing, mask-wearing, use of hand sanitizer and other now-common safety guidelines are on full display here at Picton Golf & Country Club.

In addition, we are making use of these special safety features:

  • Staggered tee times.
  • Dedicated play times for senior and junior players.
  • Occupancy limits for clubhouse, dining, pro shop and other special facilities.
  • Occupancy limits for golf carts.
  • Removal of high contact helps like ball washers and rakes.
  • Sanitization of all public use aids like ride-on carts, pull carts, gas carts, etc.
  • Modification of holes to make no-contact ball removal easy.

Each of these changes has created a fresh new experience of a timeless traditional sport in an unusual time period where both the novel and the familiar are much welcomed and needed.

 

Why Is Touchless Golf So Important?

The threat of contracting COVID-19 is universal, but how each person responds may look very different.

It is a very personal process - figuring out what feels safe and what doesn't feel safe right now in terms of recreation, social interaction, work space and many other daily life choices.

There is one thing nearly all health officials around the world appear to agree on: it can be beneficial for people to get outside, to be in nature and breathe fresh air and move, especially during such a stressful health crisis.

By the way, this handily explains why so many homes are sporting unusually lush-looking landscaping and garden beds this year. And it is why modern so-called "victory gardens" are cropping up on windowsills, balconies, rooftops and other unusual places all around Ontario.

Some media sources describe gardening as "almost therapeutic" in that working in the garden gets people outside into nature and offers an outlet in the midst of lockdown.

The same can be said of golf. As one of just a handful of sports open to athletes and enthusiasts of all ages, golf offers a unique combination of the very things most of us need most right now: fresh air, social contact, heart-healthy exercise and fun!

 

Why Golfers Are Loving Touchless Golf

Touchless golf is easy to love simply because it makes enjoying golf feel truly safe in a time when practically nothing feels safe.

You can get out into nature, enjoy Canada's all-too-brief warm season, challenge your mind and body and have some social connection with old and new friends.

But there is an extra added element that isn't apparent until you actually arrive at the course and experience touchless golf for yourself.

1. No Bunching At The Holes

With staggered tee times and additional staff on hand to provide guidance about safe social distancing practices, all the pressure is off to play throughout your scheduled tee time.

Each hole is your own since no bunching is permitted. While players who are brand new to the game of golf may lack the perspective to truly appreciate the difference, the feedback from experienced players has been all positive.

2. Squeaky Clean Golf Gear and Carts.

While there is no doubt the new safe play guidelines can make for more work for golf course staff and management, the players are getting all the benefits.

Golf gear and carts are squeaky clean and shiny. Washrooms and public use areas are similarly given the white glove treatment, which makes for a particularly posh play experience.

Patrons are also taking noticeably more care with the items they make use of during their golf outing so as to minimize extra work for the course staff.

3. Excited Golfers Who Are Thoroughly Enjoying Themselves

For many golfers, this is their first time experiencing golf - ever. This is true for new young golf members in particular who might otherwise be involved in their regular rotation of warm season group sports. 

Adults and seniors are also taking up golf like never before. For some, it has meant digging through a storage unit or closet to unearth clubs they had nearly forgotten they owned!

The positive energy, enthusiasm and gratitude that players exude on the course right now is palpable.

It is great to have a way to get outside safely. It is great to move, to exercise brain and body, to breathe fresh air, to smile and wave at other players, and to have something new and fun to discuss with loved ones over dinner each night.

 

Why Touchless Golf Is Good for You

If all this isn't enough, today's health science also proves that golfing is good for you!

You can read more about this in last month's blog post.

 

Take 20 Percent Off Your Picton Golf Membership

Become a Picton Golf & Country Club member and get 20 percent off during the month of July! Ready to join? The Pro Shop can get you all signed up!

 

Get in Touch With Picton Golf & Country Club

We are now open for play! Kids golf free through July 31, 2020.

We take the health and safety of all our guests very seriously. To learn more and what to expect when you arrive, please review our COVID-19 "safe play" guidelines.

Give us a call at 613-476-2222 (Pro Shop) or 613-476-8383 (The View). Or visit us online.

 

Comments
Login to post comments.

Going Stir Crazy with COVID-19? Golfing Is Your Sure Cure!

Picton Golf and Country Club

Going Stir Crazy with COVID-19? Golfing Is Your Sure Cure!

Have you been dreaming a bit too vividly lately of life before COVID-19? Are you missing your usual spring and summer cottage life routine? Does your Netflix queue roll its eyes at you when you tune in these days?

We have a solution - and it is one you may not have thought of - Golfing!

Golf courses received provisional permission to reopen in early May, well before most other businesses in our hard-hit province here in Ontario.

This is because golf courses are much better equipped to meet and even exceed the recommended social distancing and safety protocols than the majority of other public use recreational spaces.

Golf courses also give their patrons healthy doses of that one absolute essential - fresh outside air! 

In this post, learn about why golf is definitely having its moment in the sun this year and how you can join in the fun!

 

Golf Is Good for You Physically, Mentally and Socially

How often do you hear the words "fitness" and "fun" used together in a sentence?

If you answered "not often," we are happy to say that is about to change.

In fact, the esteemed British Journal of Medicine (BMJ) is enthusiastic about the many health benefits of golf - so enthusiastic it asks the question of why more people are not jumping on board to reap those benefits.

The Golf and Health Organization states that one of golf’s main health benefits is to strengthen the respiratory system - a key need that every single person alive today has right now.

On that note, if ever there was a season to take up golfing, it would be now, in the year of COVID-19. Golf is quite simply tailor-made to get you outside and into nature with friends and family in a safe and healthy way.

 

Specific Ways Golf Can Improve Your Health Right Away

Take a look at these recent findings about golf as a source of healthy, fun fitness:

  • Golf is known to reduce the risk of both heart attacks and strokes, by up to 40%.
  • Golf is also linked with reduction in risk for 40 other serious health conditions ranging from cancer and diabetes to Alzheimer's and dementia.
  • Golf is positively associated with decreased anxiety and depression, increased mental health and overall stress reduction.
  • Golfers report feeling an increased sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy - in part because of the mastery of a new skill and in part because of increased opportunities for positive social connections (especially when you decide to join a golf league).
  • Golf carries a lower risk of physical injury than many other sports while still providing moderate aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness opportunities, especially for golfers who choose to walk the course.
  • Golf is now positively correlated with longevity (longer life span) - on average, golfers live seven years longer than non-golfers.
  • Golf can also improve body composition, aid in weight loss, boost metabolism and increase muscle tone as well as reduce the risk of later-life bone density issues that can lead to fractures and breaks.

Perhaps most importantly, the player doesn't have to be "good at golf" to reap all of these benefits. They are available to every player right from day one on the course.

 

How Much Golf Should You Play to Get the Health Benefits?

As it turns out, golf hits high marks in a sufficiently large number of categories that BMJ has even issued "recommended weekly play" guidelines to help golfers of all ages and experience levels get the most benefit.

If golfing is your sole source of fitness.

If you plan to get most or all of your physical activity from golfing, then researchers recommend aiming for at least 150 minutes of play per week.

If you can and time permits, consider walking the course rather than using a power cart.

Always start with some basic warm-up stretches to get your major joints (shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles) ready to deliver your best stroke with every swing.

Be sure to use an appropriate ultraviolet blocking sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and protective clothing while you are out on the course.

If golfing is not your sole source of fitness.

With 150 minutes of total physical activity as your weekly goal, balance out what you don't get from playing golf with complementary strengthening or cardiovascular activity.

Follow the other three recommendations in the previous section here.

 

How to Get Started Learning to Play Golf

You may be reading this post because you played golf in the distant past, remember enjoying it and want to rekindle your golf skills.

Or perhaps this is the first time you will ever hold a golf club and you have questions ranging from what to wear to how to pilot one of those cool golf buggies.

It is true that instruction options are more limited right now due to COVID-19. But there is one easy, fun way to start learning right away - invite an experienced player to join you on the course!

Most golf lovers are happy to pass along their knowledge and love of the game to someone new. This way, you can experience some success and pick up some new skills right away and reap all the health benefits we just shared - right on your first day of golfing.

You don't have to purchase a membership or make a long-term commitment to get started, either. Just ask for Guest Rates Greens Fees to book your tee time.

 

Get in Touch

We are excited to announce we are now back open for play!

Please know that we take the health and safety of all our guests very seriously. To learn more and what to expect when you arrive, please review our COVID-19 "safe play" guidelines.

Give us a call at 613-476-2222 (Pro Shop) or 613-476-8383 (The View). Or visit us online. Picton Golf & Country Club in Prince Edward County is waiting for you!

 

Comments
Login to post comments.