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I hope that this will be a great year for all of you, and that your golf at Randpark will be enjoyable.
Over the last month, I have been reporting back to members about our efforts to reinstate the greens on Firethorn that were so badly damaged just before the Joburg Open. It is now six weeks since that event, and our greenkeepers and their staff have worked really hard to repair the damage. We are making progress, but the greens at the seventh, twelfth and the thirteenth holes have proved to be the most recalcitrant. Large parts of the greens were replaced with sods taken from the chipping green, and we have used grass plugs from unaffected areas to replant the grass. To maintain as smooth a surface as possible, and to encourage the new grass to grow into the existing surface, the greenkeepers have sanded those areas, and will continue to do that over the following weeks.
We have received the laboratory analyses of the substrate of the affected areas, but that did not give us any definitive indication of what caused the damage. It was also not possible to find any indication of hydrocarbons, such as fuel, in the samples, because the laboratory is not able to do such tests. We did find traces of the fungicide that we sprayed before the damage, but that was expected in any case. We are preparing a full report for posterity, but at this stage, we are concluding that the damage was due to the abnormal heat and dry conditions in the weeks leading up to the Open, coupled with difficulties that we experienced in irrigating the greens. This created a layer of soil just below the surface of the greens that had a high sulphur content, which in turn propagated into patches of infertile soil, killing the grass in apparently random spots.
There is no indication that the damage was due to negligence or malicious intent by anyone.
We have, however, learnt valuable lessons in the process:
• Firstly, we will in future make sure that spraying equipment is sterilised before use, and not before being stored afterwards;
• All lids of containers will be sealed with tamper proof seals after chemicals have been prepared for spraying;
• We will reinstate the chipping green, but will in addition prepare a “nursery” of the bent grass for possible repairs in the future;
• As a result of the chemical analysis, we now have a profile of what a healthy green contains in trace elements, and we will be able to test against that if there seems to be some ailment of the grass on our greens in the future;
• Our ability to irrigate greens and other parts of our courses is crucial, and we will make sure that we are able to do that before critical maintenance is done.
We are well aware that this has been a difficult time for members, who have had to contend with the greens in their damaged state in playing on Firethorn. We appreciate your patience, and we hope that we will be able to present Firethorn soon in the best condition that we can. Grass grows as grass grows, and so we may have to work with the patches and the sanding for another couple of weeks. Thankfully, we have had good rain recently, and the repaired sections of the affected greens have responded well. The pin placements will be carefully chosen to favour the best parts of the greens, and the 15% discount in green fees will remain for the rest of January. We will review the situation at the end of the month.
Thank you again for your understanding.
Dr Gerrit Sandrock
Randpark Club President |
| 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 Acting General Manager, Albert Clack, at clubops@randpark.co.za or our Club Captain, Arthur Heinrich at captainslog@randpark.co.za. |
| | | Randpark's recycling efforts | | Integrated Waste Management | |
| As most of you know, Randpark has a recycling programme in place. Below are some interesting statistics pertaining to last year’s recycling. |
| | | Make the most out of your | | Membership with Adventour | |
| Specifically designed golf tours at very special rates, with you our members in mind. Four-day packages that stretch from Kruger in the north to Cape Town in the south. |
| | | Stay connected | | Join our WhatsApp Group | |
Receive Randpark news updates via WhatsApp in two easy steps:
1. Add Randpark as a contact on your phone: 082 052 4767.
2. WhatsApp us your first and last name. If you ever want to stop receiving event news, simply send us a WhatsApp with the message "STOP".
Please note that this WhatsApp number is operated from a computer and, unfortunately, is unable to receive any phone calls. Please contact the Club on 011 215 8600 for assistance. |
| | | Keeping up with our winners | | Golf Results | |
| Thank you to everyone who took part in our competitions this week and congratulations to our winners. Take a look at the latest results. |
| | | Who claimed the Ryder Cup victory? | | Way to GO Team SA | |
| Congratulations to the South Africa Randpark Ryder Cup Team, who won 21.5 vs 18.5 against Europe! The event was played over three days from the 27th to 29th of December. |
| | | Putting the spotlight on our | | Member Achievements | |
Johan Bredenkamp who came 2nd in the 2022 Nomads National Order of Merit Inland, with scores of 72, 69, 72.
Kajal Mistry who came 2nd in the Mexican Women’s Amateur, with scores of 75, 75, 74, 72. |
| Casey Twidale who finished in the Top 5 of the girls section at the 2022 Nomads SA U15 Championships, with scores of 83, 82, 84. |
| | Get in the Leagues & Knock-
Outs | |
We are already in the second week of the new year, and it’s been a busy start. As we mentioned the Leagues are only a few weeks away from starting, and if you haven’t added your name to the list, please do so at the reception with one of the ladies.
The Knock-Out entry forms are up on the notice-boards downstairs. All entries are now open and will be closing on Saturday, the 29th of January.
The following Knock-Outs will take place this year:
• Mixed (Man and Lady)
• Ladies Individual
• Ladies Betterball
• Men’s Individual
• Men’s Betterball
All members must add their names to the list. If a name is not on the list, the entry will not be valid. |
| | | Competition Schedule | | Plan Your Week Ahead | |
| View this week's Competition Schedule for both Bushwillow and Firethorn in the link below. |
| International PGA Academy |
Randpark Coaching Professionals through GETS Golf have officially launched their internationally-recognised PGA of South Africa accredited 3-year diploma.
Randpark Club is now home to an International PGA Academy, and only the second service provider in Gauteng.
Our Academy gives young players the best opportunity to explore a future as a playing professional. While at the same time studying towards a PGA of South Africa Membership.
The business of golf is so diverse:
• Tournament Professional
• Teaching Professional
• Director of Golf
• Greenkeeper
• Club Manager
• Custom Fitter
• Sports Management |
As you move through the years, you choose between a playing career or a career within the business of golf.
The PGA Diploma is a 3-year programme, and is registered with SAQA at NQF level 5. |
 | | | GETS Golf is accredited to present the programme by the PGA of South Africa and CATHSSETA. | |
Year 1
Sports Science
Finance
Coaching
Equipment Technology
General
Year 2
In addition to first-year subjects
Business Law 1
Event Management and Tournament Organisation
Year 3
In addition to first and second-year subjects
Business Law 2
Career and Personal Development
Our Academic year starts in February. For more information or to set up an interview please mail info@getsgolf.co.za. |
| | | January Specials | | Enjoy the Good Life With Us | |
| | | Your Inrange+ touchscreen experience | There's Something for
Everyone! | |
Have a great weekend
Stay Safe, Healthy & Happy!
The Randpark Team |
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