Dear Member,

There is no doubt that winter has set in and the game we love changes during this period. Not only do we see changes on the courses, but this also means that we must change the way we play the courses. Winter golf is still great. It just requires a bit of savvy and some thoughtful preparation. I have added six tips to playing through the cold and icy winter.

Walk, don’t ride
If you really want to feel the wind-chill factor, hop onto a golf cart and whip around the course. If, on the other hand, you’d rather play 18 without contracting frostbite, it’s pretty simple: you ought to hoof it. It keeps the movement going, the blood flowing, and your body is warmed by the beating of your heart.

Layer up
Don’t make like a mummy or the Michelin Man. But do try to think in terms of light, warm layers; clothes that keep the chill off without restricting your silky swing. Have you heard of those golf jackets with battery-powered heaters? Yep. They make them.

Rain gloves and hand warmers
Of all the parts of your body you’ll want to keep warm, your hands are probably the most important. Lose the feeling in them, and you’ll never find your swing.

A proper lid
Remember how your parents used to tell you that half your body heat is lost through your head? Apparently, that’s bunk, at least according to a study by the British Medical Journal, which found that the heat-loss number is more like 7 to 10 percent. But why give away even that modest amount? Ditch the standard golf hat and wear a woollen beanie. It’s a smarter choice – 100 percent.

Keep your golf balls warm
That a warm golf ball flies further than a cold one is no urban legend. It’s fact. The rule of thumb is that for every five degrees by which the temperature drops, a golf ball will carry nine metres shorter. Clearly then, there’s a premium for keeping your golf balls as toasty as possible. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to keep it in your pocket from green to tee and whilst it has been marked.

Take advantage of winter
The ball runs further but the greens are firmer. You will have opportunities to hit bigger drives and have shorter approach shots or you can use the lay of the land to get you a little bit closer. It comes down to local knowledge. Attacking the pin this time of the year is never a good idea!

Happy golfing
Francois

We always encourage communication between our members and the Club. If you have any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to either contact our CEO, Francois Swart at ceo@randpark.co.za or our Club Captain, Derek McGowan at captainslog@randpark.co.za.

We are proud to have once again been nominated for SA’s Best Golf Course 2021 in the World Golf Awards! World Golf Awards™ serves to celebrate and reward excellence in golf tourism, world-class courses, and golf destinations. Please click here to vote for your Club.

The second round of the Caddie League took place on Monday at Kyalami Country Club. Our four players, Michael Mtheshi, Andile Nzelu, Walter Leroke, and Edward Ramatlhodi did us very proud. Two of the players were not able to make the fixture due to personal reasons, but Edward managed to have the two reserves ready on the day. They did not have the greatest of outings on Kyalami and finished with 42 points out of a possible 100. They really do love representing Randpark and we wish them the best of luck for the remaining two games of the season.

BYES	Musketeers		vs		Mixed Crabs	08:22 & 08:30
Legs	Future Dad Bods		vs		Ruff Ryders	12:10 & 12:18
Shags 1	The Divas		vs		Snakepit	11:54 & 12:02
	King Crabs		vs		Kwaggas	08:06 & 08:14
	SADS		vs		Kianga	12:42 & 12:50
	Swart Mambas		vs		Tiger Crabs	12:26 & 12:34
	LGA		vs		BAGS	07:18 & 07:26
	Ratpack		vs		Trojans	11:22 & 11:30
	Cheetahs		vs		Klein Vuisies	07:50 & 07:58
	Nags		vs		Shags 2	11:38 & 11:46

 

The Scratch League season will get underway this coming Sunday. With the assistants of our team managers, Kevin du Preez (A-side), Derek McGowan (B-Side), and Gere Coghlan (C-Side), the teams have been selected. It was probably the hardest and longest selection process as we do have a lot of great golfers to select from. As per the meeting, we had with our players on Friday each-and-every player will play their part in this year’s league.

Randpark A vs Eagle Canyon - Home game on Firethorn
Randpark B vs Modderfontein A - Away game
Randpark C vs C.M.B B - Home game on Bushwillow

Good luck to all our players!

We are delighted to announce that Darren Quirk will be joining the Randpark Golf Shop. Darren is currently studying Financial Accounting through Unisa. He was a sports coach for four years and has been playing amateur golf for three out of those four years. Playing golf for +-10 years has given him a deeper insight into the game. He is also the current Club Champion 2021 and looks forward to working with the Golf Shop team and Randpark members.

Have you visited the Randpark Golf Shop? Now would be a great opportunity to take advantage of the sale that ends on Sunday, 30th of May. Make your way down to the Randpark Golf Shop to see what specials we have!

The drainage project at the 5th hole on Bushwillow is now nearing completion. Stone and pipes are being installed and then the clean-up will begin. The area has already improved with the water draining into the open trenches. The amount of water running into the trenches is unbelievable and has shown no signs of slowing up. Progress has been slower than expected as the clay is very difficult to work with especially being so wet.

We have also had a small team cleaning out the natural “koppie” left of the 10th hole on Firethorn. We are removing invader plants like Chinese privets and other weeds that invade these areas. It is important to maintain these areas as they are assets to the course with some beautiful indigenous trees and shrubs, while also being a habitat for birds and mammals.

The 2021 Randpark Men's and Ladies Club Champions, Darren Quirk and Cara Ford. Taught by Darren Witter and Stuart Blackie - "Seeing our students reach their goals is rewarding and we look forward to future success."

Tonight’s CURRY specials to choose from:
• Lamb Rogan Josh, of the Kashmir origin with a variety of spices - R140
• Butter Chicken Curry marinated in plain yoghurt, red onions and Indian spices, with a tomato cream sauce - R90
• Mild & Spicy Cape Malay vegetable curry - R65
All curries are served with basmati rice, traditional sambals, and condiments including chutney, mango achar, and spiced tomato chutney.