Michael out to hit hot ‘home run’ on Firethorn in Joburg Open
GRIP-it-and-rip Anthony Michael will be carrying Randpark’s hopes in this week’s Joburg Open, and knows that a win would be “life-changing” for him.
In his 11-year stint as a tournament professional Michael has played well enough to earn R5,3-million in prize-money with his best finish in a European Tour event co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour being third place in the 2016 Tshwane Open …
The Masters Then and Now
THE Joburg Open starts right here at Randpark next week but in the meantime it’s the Masters this week in America with seven South Africans in the line-up. And – on the subject of the annual Augusta National showpiece – it was 42 years ago that, coincidentally, a 42-year-old Gary Player wowed the golf world by winning his third Green Jacket following an absolutely storming finish to the Championship.
‘Addictive, fun’ global-leading Inrange® comes to Randpark
RANDPARK’s newly-installed Inrange® facility, with its industry-leading ball-tracking system to create the ideal practice and entertainment environment for golfers of all levels, is only the second Inrange® facility in South Africa, and indeed the whole of Africa …
Erwee and Kim in the pink as Randpark’s 2020 Club Champions
Equity Trader Erwee Botha’s shares continue to go through the roof. But in this instance we’re not talking the JSE, you understand. Rather, it’s his fast growing stature as a golfer at Randpark.
The former Central Gauteng provincial golfer has won the men’s Club Championships for what is believed to be a record sixth time following a gross round of 73 at Firethorn on Sunday and a 71 at Bushwillow on Saturday. That gave him a level-par 36-hole 144 aggregate …
The US Open: A nine-putt green, and Els dodges a ‘klap’ from his old man
THE 120th edition of the US Open, switched from its usual spot in July to September because of the pandemic, begins this Thursday at Winged Foot’s West Course in the state of New York. There are six South Africans in the field – Louis Oosthuizen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Erik van Rooyen, Justin Harding, Shaun Norris and JC Ritchie, and hopefully one of them will create history by emerging as champion, and thereby emulating compatriots …
Randpark offers the very best for junior golfers thanks to Darren Witter and Stuart Blackie
BOTH men are driven by an intense passion in what they are doing, and their dedication is second to none. We’re talking about Randpark’s topline AAA PGA Coaching Professionals Darren Witter and Stuart Blackie who think nothing of working seven days a week in their mission to make a difference and grow the game and the industry …
Jeremy Campion – Randpark’s CHAMPION golf photographer and CHAMPION one-putter!
RENOWNED golf photographer Jeremy Campion, who sent back to South Africa brilliant images from the 27 straight British Open he attended as an accredited Press cameraman, is one of Randpark’s long-standing members who has a great love for the club.
And perhaps this super senior – who looks considerably younger than his 76 years – should now be renamed Jeremy CHAMPION! (This after a TATS competition on Thursday, August 20).
After starting his round by hitting his tee-shot into the river on Firethorn’s first hole, he – as he puts it – “duffed the next couple of shots” before finding himself just short of the green lying five …
Bullett drives: Whacking it like Wilco
WHEN Wilco Nienaber hits a golf ball, it stays hit. So, if you don’t follow professional golf too closely, who is Wilco Nienaber anyway? Well, he’s a tall, wiry 20-year-old South African from Bloemfontein who turned professional last year after winning the SA Amateur. In fact he won no less than 21 titles as an amateur. And now he’s beginning to make his presence felt in the pro ranks – not only for his par-busting antics, but because he hits the ball further, considerably further, than pretty much anyone else on the major world tours …
Positive advice from the great Gary Player to our boys in the PGA, and us Randpark members!
AFTER the disruptions to the international golf schedule because of the pandemic and the cancellation of last month’s British Open, this week sees the first Major of the year taking place – the US PGA Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco. Technically South Africa has six players in the line-up – Louis Oosthuizen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Erik van Rooyen, Charl Schwartzel, Dylan Frittelli and Shaun Norris. Branden Grace was also …
Ladies Captain Debbie Gillings is ‘giving back’
“I’m certainly not the shy, quiet type,” says Debbie Gillings. Which is just as well because anyone who holds down the position of club captain of a golf club needs to be a people’s person, able to communicate well verbally with fellow members in addition to being a hard-working, good organiser and administrator …
Down Golf’s Memory Lane – St Andrews, July 2000
This week, exactly 20 years ago at St Andrews, a 30-year-old Ernie Els was trying hard to fight back the tears after he had holed his final putt for a 69 and a 277 total in that year’s Open Championship. I was covering the event for Independent Newspapers and Ernie asked me to join him on the short ride back to the Old Course Hotel where he was staying …
Club Captain Derek McGowan: A ‘Phenomenal’ Guy
DEREK McGowan can’t hide his enthusiasm when talking about Randpark. “It’s a phenomenal club with two phenomenal golf courses,” he says. “There’s so much right about it – be it, in Francois, the best club manager in the country, be it the people in charge of the finances, be it the very special family atmosphere, be it management and the …
Get Active Randpark : It’s not only about golf at our “jewel” of a club
Talk about being happy and healthy, let us introduce you to Powerblast’s Warren McCann – if you don’t know this popular guy already – who runs the Health and Wellness gym which is based at the club. Warren in his day – and we’re talking 1988 to 1995 – was a Springbok sprinter …
“I was born in a bunker!”
“I WAS born in a bunker!” I’ve heard him say it before and I’m sure the Big Easy would have said it again – if only to himself – after the final hole of the Hoag Classic on the PGA Tour Champions on Sunday …
Praise for back nine champ Erwee Botha, and Firethorn’s par-3 17th hole!
When Branden Grace won the South African Open at Randpark in January his aggregate was 21-under-par 263 with both Bushwillow and Firethorn used for the tournament and both reduced from par-72s to par-71 …