BREAKING NEWS!! BREAKING NEWS!! BREAKING NEWS!!
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Well I told you I was building up towards something big and it does not come much bigger and more exciting than this. I have been champing at the bit for some weeks now to tell you about the proposed changes to Windsor Park as endorsed by the general committee and directors of Randpark Club Ltd.
It was emphasized in last year’s Annual Report how important it is to invest money in our courses on an ongoing basis to ensure that these remain current and enjoyable but most important of all to sustain the club’s strategic and competitive advantage of having two quality courses.
In keeping with this principle and to coincide with Windsor’s 70th anniversary, it is proposed to give the course a birthday present it deserves; a face-lift.
The main components of this project involve the following:
- Retain the 12th as a par 5 but strengthen it by adjusting the green and reconstituting the hazard into a cascading creek with return pumps, thereby improving the risk/reward and shot value of this hole.
- Play the current 7th to current 8th green as the new Par 5 17th intended to become the feature hole on WP. The first pond to be replaced by a large land-form intended to shield the new 15th tee complex. The pond front left of current 8th will be re-configured and edges naturalized into grass embankments with suitable vegetation.
- Creation of a new par 3 (to replace the lost 8th) played from the vicinity of current 8th tee to current 15th green with removal of pond. This will become the new 15th hole.
- Current 15th green to move right and to the edge of the river in the existing compost facility and will become the 14th hole.
- Closure of the pond on current 13th and replacing with a large bunker. This hole will be lengthened somewhat and will become the 6th.
- Re-routing the holes by playing the current 13th after the current 5th and current 6th after the current 12th.
- Redoing ALL the bunkering involving reconstruction of some existing bunkers, closing others and construction of some new ones;
- Adjustment to a couple of greens to improve their balance and hole design with some made a little larger as many have become naturally smaller over the years.
- Reversing the nines
In addition to the strategic importance of this project, these changes are also motivated by the following:
- Returning the course to a Par 72 intended to change negative perceptions that it is inferior to RP. This also gives two additional scoring opportunities for the better players who currently favour RP.
- Improve the playability of the course e.g. some current fairway bunkers catch the shorter-hitters whilst not being in play for the better golfer. Further, the pond on the existing 13th hole is overly penal considering there is already water to the left and behind.
- Negating the excessively long walk from 5th to 6th which impacts negatively on its layout and ranking.
- Relating the greenside bunkers to their greens more appropriately.
- Removing the berm like edges of many bunkers caused by the bunker machines over time.
- Existing bunker drainage has long since collapsed and needs replacing.
- Current ponds are very contrived and unnatural and not in keeping with modern trends and environmental practices. Some are also very impractical and unfair in that they cannot be seen from the fairway e.g. one behind 7th green and the first section of the one on the 12th. The one on the 12th also has also developed a leak which is proving difficult to fix.
- NB: Improving the overall appeal and image of the course so that more golfers are ambivalent as to which of the two courses they are booked on including corporate days who mostly demand RP currently, thereby limiting booking opportunities on RP for members over consecutive weeks.
- The work can be done without the need to close the course.
- Swopping the nines around gives the course a far stronger finish.
Estimated construction time is three months commencing mid-September 2011. As the new greens especially, require a 3 month grow in period, this work will commence first. It is anticipated that only one temporary green will be required and that is for the 15th which will be larger but of the same quality as that used for the RP 2nd hole. The bunkers will be done hole by hole so you can expect to find workmen on one or two holes at a time and that completed bunkers on a few holes will be out of play for a couple of weeks whilst they settle down. As mush traffic will be directed to Randpark as possible especially on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday morning to give Golf Data as much freedom to work as possible. The course in its new form is expected to be ready early 2012 with a formal re-launch in March.
The budget for this project is R2.0m and will be funded solely from revenues derived from the World Cup.
It is also pleasing to report that that the WP greens will be cut with walk-behind mowers commencing Sep/Oct which will improve the putting surfaces markedly.
A diagram illustrating the changes and new routing can be found in the main foyer to the left as you walk into the bar and on the noticeboard at the players entrance.
The proposed renovation project to Windsor Park is the most exciting project since the clubhouse renovation. We thank the members in anticipation of their enthusiasm and embracement of this project and thank them in advance for their patience during the construction process.
This project again emphasizes the committee, board and senior management’s commitment to the club’s strategic plan. The fact that this work is being embarked upon at a time when many clubs are struggling is testament to sound financial discipline and underlines the commitment to the club’s strategic plan to provide facilities that all members can be proud.
NOTE: All members are encouraged to comment or direct any questions they may have to myself on ceo@randpark.co.za and I will respond directly or ascertain the necessary answers.
Installation of new IT system - Jonas
We are currently installing and undergoing training on a new IT system. Jonas is a fully integrated club software system with both back-end and front-end solutions and is the most widely used across America and Canada with many European and South African clubs following suit. Jonas has in fact bought out the club’s current software supplier, Astute. As such no further enhancement to the astute suite of modules was to be expected they could no longer be considered a long term strategic partner. Jonas also offers reporting functionality, management tools and functionality never previously enjoyed e.g. event management software and internet booking facility (the latter expected to be operational in two to three months’ time when the system has settled and the staff are comfortable with new software). Jonas is alos far more user-friendly than the current system and the 24/7back-up support is far superior.
Little inconvenience to members is expected, however we ask for your patience should we encounter any hiccups and whilst the staff are becoming accustomed with its operation.
Women’s Day – Tuesday, 9th August
In conjunction with Joburg Gems we are offering 16 ladies the opportunity of playing at Randpark on this day against 16 ladies booked at Parkview, RJK, Glendower & Bryanston. Times are available from 11h23 and the cost to members is R210 & visitors R275 including h/way house, competition & green fees, welcome drink and a gift bag which includes a complimentary Sunday lunch voucher for two plus lots of other goodies. A small prize-giving will be held on the patio afterwards. Prizes will be awarded on a better-ball stableford basis with an overall winner of a grand prize, sponsored by Joburg Gems, announced during the week.
The Goose at Randpark
The Goose Wine is Retief’s brand and he was here at Randpark on Monday, 6th December 2010 to play with clients and suppliers who support him. He wanted to be here as Randpark holds a special place in his heart after his 1995 South African Open victory. It fell to him to play the 17th hole with all the groups coming through, which after 4 rounds at the Nedbank Challenge probably suited him a bit better than walking the full 18 holes. He was most gracious about our course and Club, stood for any number of photos and signed autographs most willingly. Doug even got him to autograph our picture of him (Retief, not Doug) holding the 1995 SA Open Trophy.
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