Practice golf regularly to improve… Yes, but how?

Golf, like all sports, requires lots of training and long hours of practice. It requires effort, rigor and willpower in order to see progress.

Despite this great season, is it that you can't seem to get your score down and you're losing enjoyment of the game? Here are some tips to quickly improve your golf game, acquire good technique and become comfortable on the course.

Train regularly to play better

Do you want to be more accurate and efficient on the course? To become a good golfer, you will need to practice consistently and seriously. You should alternate between playing on the course and practicing effectively. To perform, you must groove your swing by hitting lots of balls in order to build a good swing, an automatic routine and consistency.

To achieve a perfect swing requires hours of work on your posture, your alignment, your body weight, the position of your hands and the pressure they exert on your club, learning to manage the speed of your club as well as its angle of attack on the ball.

Over time, increase the difficulty, practice using all the golf clubs in your bag, add different drills to your routine and perform all the shots you might have to play on a course such as low shots, high shots, full power, etc.

Work on your putting

It is impossible to play golf well without good putting! In fact, putting well is the best and fastest way to lower your score. To improve quickly, you must practice your putting assiduously so that you gain confidence in your stroke and can execute it without thought. Let it happen naturally. In an 18-hole round of golf, more than half the shots are putts and approaches!

Take golf lessons

To progress more quickly, no matter your level of skill, take lessons with a professional. Your mistakes can be corrected immediately and your posture revised before you fall into bad habits. A professional will advise you on how to adjust your shots and determine the right trajectory for your ball as well as how to read a green.

Investing in golf lessons, regularly practicing different exercises and working on your putting will undoubtedly help you improve.

At Summerlea Golf & Country Club

You will enjoy golfing and benefit from the advice of our associated professionals. To facilitate your play, we provide our members with excellent practice facilities, including several driving ranges and practice holes (unique in the area) and TWO practice greens for putting and chipping (where most clubs have only one).

We offer an enjoyable golf experience for players of all levels with two exceptional 18-hole courses from which to enjoy the incredible scenery.

Please contact us for more information on golf, lessons or membership options.

How to take advantage of your golf club's pro shop

The 2021 season marks the 100th anniversary of Summerlea Golf and Country Club. What better way to celebrate this exceptional event than to offer its members the pleasure of a complete renovation of their pro shop?

The well-being of golfers has always been at the heart of Summerlea’s operations, and they will continue building on this solid foundation with exceptional services and golf advice for members and guests, thanks to a rejuvenated boutique and a new Head Professional.

Come and meet our new Pro and his team for an unparalleled golfing experience.

Equipment and advice: the know-how of the Pro Shop

Clothing, shoes, accessories: Summerlea is abundantly qualified to equip you with quality products. With many brands to choose from, it's exciting to select the ones that will be your best allies during the season. What to wear? What are the differences in equipment? What about price, comfort and style?

Our staff is knowledgeable and ready to provide good advice and guidance. Summerlea's attention to detail is renowned and the clothing styles on display have details that can affect your play and your enjoyment! You will benefit from products that work for you and your golf game.

And don't worry: listening to your needs also means listening to your budget and your style. New products are regularly added, in different price ranges and models. You'll begin your season with equipment that offers unparalleled value for your dollar.

Personalized service: Summerlea's Pro Shop know-how

Actually trying a club on the range is the best way to find out if it’s right for you. And trying on shoes and clothing, rather than ordering blindly with online retailers, is the advantage that your local Pro Shop can offer.

The success of your day on the golf course can be greatly influenced by your equipment. Your clubs should fit your swing, not the other way around. Summerlea’s professionals offer club fitting expertise. Clubs that fit your unique swing will help you hit the ball straighter, farther and aid to consistently lower your score…with a little practice, of course! And if you take advantage of private lessons, you will gain even more in-depth knowledge of your own game and your own potential.

In addition to these professional advantages, we add the charm of a beautiful pro shop and a dedicated team offering to share their passion for golf, their enthusiasm for collaboration and their desire to build trusting relationships and club fellowship. This is what sets Summerlea apart.

Golf: the perfect family activity for this summer

With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic requiring us all to change our lifestyle and leisure habits, it can quickly become a challenge to find activities to do with family. Outdoor activities are especially helpful, to help them use up all that built-up energy! Like many, you are probably searching for ideas. Have you thought about playing golf with your family? It’s a fantastic idea for an outdoor activity.

Golf is not only a perfect sport to be in the great outdoors with the family in a large space (even better these days!), but it also helps to instill good lifestyle habits.

Why golf with your family?

Golf is already a sport enjoyed mostly with family or friends since it is usually played in small groups of 2 to 4 people.

Golf is a true benefit for your health

Have fun with the family hitting a few little white balls and spending some quality time outdoors in the heart of nature for a few hours. This is a great opportunity to talk, joke, laugh, have fun with your family, and create special moments, family stories and lasting memories.

Take the opportunity to walk the course, get some fresh air, change your mind and lower your stress level. In addition, an outdoor activity such as golf will allow young people to increase their level of concentration.

Regular golfing also has beneficial effects on your kids’ health because it allows, among other things, to reduce the risk of diabetes (which affects kids more and more these days) and promotes excellent physical development by strengthening muscles, including stabilizers, and improving the coordination of movements.

Golf contributes to the good development of young people

On top of it all, good golf practice allows children to develop fundamental values such as self-control (by learning to deal with good, bad shots and challenges throughout the game), resilience, hard work, honesty, concentration, respect for rules, for oneself and for others, etc.

How to introduce your child to golf?

Golf is competitive, demanding, but also fun and enjoyable.

Just start by giving him or her a few practice shots on a driving range, then he can have fun and get used to the swing. Then practice on 9-hole courses or par-3 courses that are shorter and often less demanding. And you can always have them start the hole at the 150-yard or 100-yard marker instead of on the normal tee area…keep in mind the goal is to make the game fun and help them build confidence.

It goes without saying, make sure they are properly dressed with well-fitting gear and clothing: this will encourage them to practice regularly.

You can also enroll them in golf lessons taught by professional golfers so that they can acquire good technique right out of the starting gate.

At Summerlea Golf Club, we offer an elite junior education and development program in a fun environment. In addition, we offer a family package so that you can share the golf experience with the youngest members of your family. And don’t forget our fabulous swimming pool to also enjoy with those in your family who aren’t golfers. Contact us for more details and to come and play family golf this summer on our excellent courses.

Playing golf: its benefits for both physical and mental health

Numerous studies have proven that playing golf regularly results in physical and mental health benefits for all players, regardless of their age or gender. However, the fitness benefits increase with the golfer's age.

One study in particular carried out in Sweden in 2008 compared the life expectancy of 300,000 golfers of all ages, sexes and various socio-economic backgrounds with the rest of the population (in equivalent proportions). Its result showed that, among regular golfers, their life expectancy was increased by 5 years.

Here are some of the benefits of regular golfing in more detail.

Playing golf: the benefits on your physical health

The benefits on physical condition are numerous:

• Maintain muscle strength in the lower and upper limbs and abdominals.
• Improved balance and control of movements: A golf swing uses 17 muscle groups in the shoulders, back, hips, abs and thighs, among others. This movement requires balance, strength, focus and coordination.
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease by walking: A person who walks during their entire game on an 18-hole golf course, will travel between 6 and 12 km, burning approximately 375 calories per hour. This exercise is great for oxygenating the body and controlling weight.
• A low risk of injury, considering a suitable warm-up is performed before each game.
• Promotes healthy lung function in older adults.

Playing golf: the benefits on your psychological health

The benefits regarding mental condition can vary from person to person:

Stress reduction: Practiced in a calm, pleasant and green space outdoors, golf allows you to take a break from the tensions of daily professional or family life and to take a short break to live the present moment in peace.

Improvement of cognitive functions by slowing down neurological aging while you concentrate, visualize the game and keep calm. Indeed, during a game of golf, the neurons of your brain are constantly called upon, because you must analyze certain elements to correctly perform your shots such as the right club to choose, the distance the ball must travel, the speed and the direction of the wind, the various holes, etc.

Improved self-esteem and self-confidence.

Reduced anxiety, the possibility of depression and dementia.

It helps us socialize. Indeed, during a game, golfers have many opportunities to talk together, whether with friends or with new people. It allows you to meet many individuals and encourage socialization.

At Summerlea, we offer you an engaging golf experience for players of all skill levels with two exceptional 18-hole courses from which you can enjoy incredible scenery. Have fun playing golf and thus increase your physical and mental condition.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.