Randpark Golf Course Bushwillow Review

By Jason S.

As a very long-standing (over three years) member of the Randpark Golf Club and a golfer of some renown, I can state unequivocally that the Bushwillow course at Randpark is the best golf course in the world. This is not because I have shot my career best score on this course (a mind-blowing 91).

Bushwillow is a relatively flat 18 in comparison to many competing courses in the Johannesburg area. It is found in the Ferndale/Randpark valley, touching the suburbs of Northcliff and Windsor, while the club’s signature course, Firethorn, rests above on the upper slopes of the valley.

The course layout is somewhat disjunctive, but generally flows well from one hole to another without much distance to walk between. This, combined with the short total length and limited changes in gradient, means that it is an easy course to walk. No long uphill par 5s to finish off here. (Observatory go f*ck yourself).

Bushwillow is well populated with trees and water, many holes featuring a combination of a bank of trees shrouding a ravine or dam. While the fairways are wide, if you are hitting wayward drives it can be very easy to lose balls. For the most part, greens are gentle-sloping and manageable, with well-maintained and forgiving bunkers. On the whole it is an easy-going and fun course to play, that will still challenge golfers of all skill-levels while not unnecessarily punishing any specific handicap.

Featured Holes:

In my experience people tend to have widely varying opinions on their favourite or significant holes, however the standouts for me would be the 1^st, 5^th, 10^th, 16^th and 17^th. As a side note, the 15^th, 16^th, and 17^th are known informally as “The Gauntlet”, a name marked on the scorecard for the course. These holes, a par 3, par 4 stroke one, and par 5 respectively, are amongst the toughest on the course, and as such if any Randpark member scores 10 or more points over the three, they are awarded with a commemorative plaque which is then embedded into a plinth at the teebox of the 15^th. I myself managed 8 points on the first two, only to blow out for a single point on the 17^th.

The Front 9:

1^st Hole:

The 1^st hole is an open fairway par 5, with plenty of room to bang a long uphill drive in between fairway bunkers and trees. A decent 1^st shot leaves you with an easy long iron into the green, which interestingly is tucked away down a steep slope and right-hand dogleg. For new players, the green position is a complete mystery, so course knowledge is a huge boon for this hole. A great stretch of grass to welcome any player to the course.

5^th Hole:

The 5^th is a driveable par 4, featuring a deceptively sloped fairway and green which pushes all wayward drives into a ravine on the right hand side. The temptation, even from the tips, is to get the big dog out for dinner, but be warned that many a player has hit the fairway in front of the green, only to find that their ball has bounced awkwardly down into the ravine off the slope. Safe play is a long iron or hybrid, which leaves you a simple 100m wedge for the green, although a large overhanging tree on the front-left edge can leave even these shots with a challenging approach.

Back 9:

10^th Hole:

The 10^th was the stroke one before the course was renovated some years ago; however it remains a deceptively difficult hole these days. A wide fairway invites big drives, but fairway bunkers and low trees on both sides can punish anyone who strays from the middle. This, combined with the length of the hole and an uphill slope, can make it tough to reach the green in two. Finally, the green itself is misleading, appearing to have a gentle slope from left-to-right, but in reality it is quite vicious. Any putts with a bit too much length will find themselves running a long way.

16^th Hole:

The 16^th is the stroke one, and is difficult for all the reasons you would expect. A tight fairway with high heavy trees on the right, and trees/ravine on the left. A close dog-leg means that a big drive can leave you in the dwang with too much wood between you and the green, but anything less than a great strike with a long iron will mean you are hitting it again to make the green. There is also a tall, overhanging bank of trees on the front-right of the green which narrows your approach even further.

17^th Hole:

The 17^th is a par 5, and a long one at that. The green has a sizeable dam covering the approach, running from the edge to about 90m out, and extending across 90% of the green’s entrance. A big drive will leave you tempted to try a hybrid or fairway wood to reach the green in two, but be warned that there is unpleasant and bushy rough immediately behind the green, so a bounce on and off the back could leave you worse off than a drop in the lake.

The 19^th is a fantastic pub, also renovated in recent years. The bar features a large covered veranda facing the 18^th hole on Firethorn, with gentle fans and mist-sprayers going in summer. A wide selection of beers, including many crafts such as Jack Black, entice the weary golfer to have too many and then drive into a tree on the way home. The food is fantastic, and the clay pizza-ovens offer a treat not often found after 18 holes. For members, there’s the added bonus of a sizeable discount to all food and beverage purchases made in the clubhouse.

Randpark is a magnificent club that blends modern and ancient design for an experience that leaves any golfer feeling at home, and the Bushwillow course ticks all the right boxes for both casual and serious golfers.

The Firethorn course has just finished being renovated, and we hope it exceeds the quality of golf it showcased before its refurbishment.

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