Entering your first Golf Competition

Entering your very first golf competitions can be a nerve-racking process whether you know others attending the day or not.

From arrival, to standing on the first tee, to mingling with strangers after the golf, all of this can be stressful. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.

Here’s a few tips in order for you to enjoy your day more…

1 – Arrive Early…
This will allow you to get familiar with club and course layout, ensures you are not putting on yourself under any undue pressure (we’ve all been late for tee time and it rarely converts to a good score!)

2 – Make yourself known to the organizer…
Firstly, this is good manners. However, by doing this you are giving yourself the opportunity of knowing more about the golf event’s time table and this in turn will allow you to plan your day.
Thus allowing for Putting Practice and introductions.
Most organizers, will be happy to introduce to other attendees, or at the very least your playing partners for the day.

3 – First tee nerves…
Much has been written about this over the years but the bottom line is don’t worry about it. We’ve all witnessed the Tour Pro’s hook their first drive into the long stuff or worse lose a ball off the tee, so don’t be embarrassed.
It’s how you finish, not how you start, and most of your players partners’ first response will be one of sympathy rather than ridicule.
We recently saw someone take 5 off the first tee and still finish with 38 pts.

4 – Playing with strangers…
There is nothing worse than playing golf with ‘a mute’. After all golf is a social game. Ask you playing partners where they live, what they do for a living, when they took up golf?
Rest assured, 99 people out of 100 will be happy to talk about themselves, it’s everyone’s favourite subject.
In addition, in our experience this not only breaks the ice but who knows, you may actually have something in common.
This can also deflect the spotlight from you, as you get to know your 4 ball.

5 – After Golf…
Assuming you have not broken any rules, offended your 4ball with inappropriate jokes or talked on their back-swing, its higher likely that you playing partners will expect to share a drink with you after the round.
In addition, most of the time it will be assumed you will also be sharing their table.
That’s said, manners cost nothing so if you do know anyone else, ask them if you can join their table.

If they are already seated when you get in, don’t be disturbed, just mention to the organizer that you know a limited a number of people and that you’d be grateful if he could find you another group.

Even if you are meeting these guys or gals for the first time, be aware that you already have ‘the course’ in common, so if you are stuck from conversation, its higher likely they will be more than happy to tell you about their round.

Finally, we do understand joining a golf event or charity day for the very first time can be daunting, but put your ego (that’s all it is!) to one side and make an effort.

Who knows, you new golfing partner might be waiting for you to make the introductions and if you make friends now, next time, you won’t be the stranger!

Which is the Oldest Golf Club in North America?

History tells us that wherever the Scottish emigrated to in the world, it is highly likely that soon after, golf being played in some form or another. In the mid 17th Century, when the first Pilgrims landed in America on the Mayflower in 1620, did one of the passengers have a stash of golf clubs on board?

We'd like to think so. However, the golfing history of the United States of America, is a little bit shrouded in mystery and the passage of time. There have been many clubs that have laid claim to being the first golf club in the region.

Douglas Field Chicago (1875), Oakhurst Golf Links West Virginia (1882), Douglas Field Golf Club Vermont (1886) and Foxburg Country Club Pennsylvania (1887) so we might never know just who is the rightful owner of the title.

Meanwhile, it was the British who first spread golf to Canada, in 1873 a small group of eight gentlemen sat in a dockside office and formed the Montreal Golf Club. Eleven years later, in 1884 permission was granted by Queen Victoria to use the “Royal” prefix.

The first course built here was a 9 hole layout on Fletchers Field which was part of Mount Royal Park where golfers in Red-Coats and civilians alike could be seen playing golf.

Much later in 1959, the club made its final move to Ile Bizard where 45 holes were designed & constructed by Dick Wilson. 'The Blue Course' updated by Rees Jones, continues to be ranked as one of the '100 Greatest Courses in the World'.

So there you have it.....The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in Canada & the North American Continent.