the CGCOA
Insider
volume 7 • issue 1 • winter 2013
INSIDE this issue • Los Serranos Country Club Named CGCOA Course of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 • Letter From the Executive Director. . . . . . . . 4 • Fred Brattain Receives 2012 For the Good of the Game Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 • Stevinson Ranch Receives CGCOA Environmental Excellence Award. . . . . . . . . 6
It’s Showtime!
The Golf Industry Show in San Diego, CA, is slated February 3-8 …and we want YOU there!
• Yoga For Golfers. . . . . . . . . . 8 • Growth of the Game Starts With YOU. . . . . . . . . . 9 • CGCOA’s Spectacular Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . 10 • Sharp Park Update: Dismissal and Appeal. . . . 14
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It kicks off on Sunday, February 3 with a Super Bowl Party and Opening Reception followed by the New Member Reception. Throughout the week there are plenty of education offerings and inspirational speakers. Mark your calendar now for the hosted Western States Reception on Tuesday, February 5 from 6-8 pm, where CGCOA members will honor their award winners. It’s also a perfect time to catch up with
colleagues and chapter sponsors you haven’t seen for awhile, and it’s an ideal time to help us welcome the newest members of our chapter. RSVP is required, so please send your email response today to: ed@golfcalifornia.org. For late registration, show schedule and other details, visit this link today: http://www.ngcoa.org/ac2013/. We’ll see you in San Diego!
Los Serranos Country Club Named The CGCOA is pleased to announce Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills, CA, has earned the association’s Golf Course of the Year Award. This special distinction is presented to a California golf facility that has contributed to the game and community of golf in a significant way. The award criteria also includes: course quality, player development programs and commitment to customer service. CGCOA Member David Kramer, who serves as Sr. Vice President at Los Serranos CC, will accept the top honor while joined by his brothers/business partners along with others on their management team. The CGCOA awards ceremony is slated for Tuesday, February 5, 2013, at the Western State Reception at the Omni Hotel in San Diego, CA, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show. For over 80 years, The Los Serranos CC has been a pillar for the game of golf in the Los Angeles basin. Under the guidance of the Kramer Family and its management team, the Los Serranos facility has contributed greatly to the local community—providing every facet and value the game, and the business of golf, has to offer. “I have great respect for CGCOA Member David Kramer and his operating philosophy at Los Serranos coupled with his immense passion for staying true to the roots of the game,” said CGCOA President Steve Plummer, CGCS. “Los Serranos exemplifies the true values of our game and industry. It’s a great pleasure to present Los Serranos Country Club with our chapter’s highest honor, the Golf Course of the Year Award.” This award-winning facility is nestled amongst 300 acres on the historic Don Lugo Spanish Land Grant in San Bernardino County. With 36 holes of spectacular public golf, Los Serranos CC is designed to meet the enjoyment needs of golfers spanning various playing abilities. The North course was built in 1925 and the South course in 1963. And just 6 years ago, the Kids’ Golf Park was created where kids play free, exemplifying the Kramer Family’s commitment to growing the game of golf. 2
In addition to its golf offerings, Los Serranos CC has a full practice center with an array of player development programs (golf schools, clinics and lessons), a clubhouse that features the elegant Montebello Ballroom, a restaurant & lounge in the Racquet Room, plus locker room amenities and a fully stocked golf shop. From the minute you enter the facility, the staff at Los Serranos
Country Club is committed to providing an enjoyable golf and dining experience for the entire family. Speaking of family, today Los Serranos CC is owned by the Kramer Family (brothers John, David, Bob, Michael and Ron). And while the Kramer Family is known for their strong ties to tennis through their legendary father, the late, Jack Kramer, they have transcended into a family with a major commitment to a second sport: golf.
Course History
The story of Los Serranos Golf Club begins some 200 years ago, when bands of Indians roamed the fertile valley and hunted an ample supply of game. In the early 1800s the land became part of the vast San Gabriel Mission, and was used to graze horses and cattle. In 1810, a young Spaniard named Don Antonio Maria Lugo began to accumulate land that stretched from the San Bernardino Mountains to the site of present-day San Pedro. In 1841 he was granted rights to what was to become the 47,000-acre Rancho Del Chino De Santa Ana. Don Lugo sold the rancho to his son-in-law, Issac Williams, who lived on this land until 1864. His rancho
CGCOA Course of the Year It’s a Busy Facility
Between the North and South course there are more than 800 corporate and/or group tournaments held annually. According to the records, for 23 consecutive years Los Serranos was a qualifying site for the California State Amateur. It also serves as the site for the Los Angeles Open qualifying. Since 1996, sectional qualifying for the United States Amateur Public Links Championship has been contested on both courses. Los Serranos CC was also host of The California State Open (1983) and the Southern California Open (1999).
Giving Back
A treasured photo of the Kramer Family
Giving back to community is what it’s all about at Los Serranos CC. Throughout the year they provide support to youth recreation and education programs. They are regular supporters of the Chino Hills Community Foundation, the Chino Valley YMCA and the Rancho Del Chino Rotary Club, among others. Los Serranos CC serves as the home course for three boys and girls high school David Kramer golf teams from Ayala, Chino Hills, and Don Lugo high schools. The giving does not stop there, for David Kramer has been an active member of the California Golf Course Owners Association, and makes a point to attend Chapter meetings and educational sessions whenever he can. At the 2012 fall CGCOA Annual Meeting and Strategic Planning Session Kramer was named to the chapter’s board of directors. Additionally, Kramer has been a supporter of the California Alliance for Golf, a statewide trade organization that is committed to protecting and promoting the golf industry. In closing, warmest congratulations are extended to the entire Kramer Family and their dedicated staff at Los Serranos Country Club.
became a haven for travelers, particularly miners on their way from Yuma to the Sacramento gold fields. In 1881, Richard Gird (who helped start the City of Chino) bought the rancho from the heirs of Issac Williams. Eventually, the ranch house would later become the first clubhouse for the golf course in 1925. In 1948, the golf course became part of the Rolling Ridge Ranch, owned and developed by the Jack Greening Family. In 1953, Los Angeles businessman Bill Cranston, Montebello Golf Professional Zell Eaton and Professional Tennis Champion, Jack Kramer, acquired the lease, reopened and commenced major improvements at the club. Jack Kramer became sole owner in 1961 and appointed Kevin Sullivan, former Australian diplomat and tennis promoter, as general manager from then until 1997. Today, in addition to the Kramer Family, Los Ser- (Special thanks to Los Serranos CC for supplying the ranos has the support of several specially-trained PGA detailed history for this article.) and LPGA professionals, a personable clubhouse staff and a quality golf course maintenance team. 3
Letter From the Executive Director It was a great pleasure meeting with the members of the CGCOA as well as the golf community in California this past year. My travels took me to the NGCOA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, the NGCOA Multicourse Owners retreat in Monterey, the CGCOA Semi-Annual Educational Conference in San Bernardino, the CGCOA SemiAnnual Conference in South San Francisco, the NGCOA Executive Directors Retreat in Charleston, the California Alliance for Golf Summit Meeting in Sacramento, and our Annual Meeting and Retreat at Half Moon Bay. Each stop along the way, I had the chance to meet and talk with CGCOA members to discuss local concerns and work at developing strategies for future success. If I missed you last year, I will make it my commitment to see you this year.
All smiles at Half Moon Bay GL gathering are Robert Trent Jones II and CGCOA’s Ed Smilow. The CGCOA remains committed to improving the lives of those people who invest ttime and fortune in the great game of golf. To do so, I have learned that we must work together, not apart, to grow the game of golf, minimize governmental impact and come together to control costs. In 2012, the CGCOA presented educational programs and forums designed to do just that with presentations on increasing participation 4
by women, lowering taxes and controlling the expense of insurance. Leading experts kept members abreast of the latest in employment and labor law issues, the availability and implementation of new technologies, plus gave an historical perspective on the game of golf. 2013 promises to be another challenging year for golf in California as the economy in California experiences slow growth. However, the CGCOA is more committed than ever to influence the number one need which is to increase revenue. Our educational programs this year will be designed to get more productivity out of employees and utilize our cooperative spirit to stop price gauging and third party predators. We will continue to focus our efforts on increasing play by all segments of society as the industry wrestles with new ADA standards and controlling the impact of Health Care Reform. To accomplish our 2013 agenda, the support of all golf owners and operators throughout California will be needed. Participation by current CGCOA members to take a leadership role in their community will become an integral part of this success. Local meetings to address local concerns will be set and will need member participation and promotion for success. New members need to be invited to join as it is in their interest to do so because CGCOA members are more successful than non-members. With input from all members of the golf community throughout the State of California, the CGCOA can speak as one powerful voice for owners and operators throughout the State. All in all, the CGCOA looks forward to leading the resurgence of golf in California. As Executive Director, I ask for your continued support in this endeavor. Fairways and greens, Ed Smilow
Fred Brattain Receives 2012 For the Good of the Game Award The CGCOA’s For the Good of the Game Award is presented to an individual who has worked tirelessly as an advocate for a program, initiative or cause that will help shape the future of golf in a positive way. The CGCOA is pleased to announce its 2012 recipient of this coveted honor is Fred Brattain, Founder of the Disabled Golfers Learning Foundation. Fred Brattain is a disabled Vietnam Vet and has been playing the game of golf since 1958. He has lived all over the U.S. and moved to Southern California in 2004 to attend the Professional Golfers Career College (PGCC) with the intention of forming The Disabled Golfers Learning Foundation. In 2008, Brattain’s dream came true and the foundation was formed as non-profit (501 c-3) with the objective of helping those with disabilities lead a more full and active life through the game of golf. The foundation’s primary focus is helping veterans with disabilities, although the organization has served folks spanning ages 8 to 78. Brattain is an instructor (USGTF Level II) and frequently lectures on disabled golf, course accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Brattain has taught and lectured at courses primarily in the Southern California Region and in 2012 started branching out into the Northern California Region. With the help of his dedicated wife, Joni, (who is treasurer of the foundation) Brattain has industrious plans to expand the foundation’s reach throughout the U.S. “Since the very first time I met Fred he has had a keen interest in the good of the game,” said SCPGA CEO and California Alliance for Golf President Tom Addis. “Now, through the Disabled Golfers Learning Foundation his passion to create awareness not only for individuals with disabilities, but for all of us, makes the game even better, and, of course, makes this CGCOA award so well-deserved.”
Honors are nothing new for Brattain. He is the previous recipient of the Elk’s Club Veterans Service Award and also the Olde Tom Morris Award for golf history from his alma mater PGCC. Brattain, joined by his wife, Joni, will accept the award at the CGCOA & Western States Evening Reception, Tues. February 5, 2013, at the Omni Hotel, San Diego, CA, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show. To learn more about The Disabled Golfers Learning Foundation please visit: http://www.disabilitygolfer.com/. 5
Stevinson Ranch Receives CGCOA Environmental Excellence Award The California Golf Course Owners Association is pleased to announce that Stevinson Ranch Golf Club (SRGC) in Stevinson, CA, has been named the 2012 recipient of the CGCOA Environmental Excellence Award. Accepting the award on behalf of Stevinson Ranch for their commitment to environmental excellence will be course owner and CGCOA Past President George Kelley. Stevinson Ranch, a public resort facility in the San Joaquin Valley is one of the first golf courses in the U.S. to utilize solar power as an alternate source of energy. According to Kelley, it’s not only wise from an environmental perspective, but over time it will also provide a significant cost savings for the club.
At Stevinson Ranch there are two photovoltaic systems on site. In the parking area you’ll find an 82 (kW) carport solar system (above) which provides power for the clubhouse and a full fleet of Club Car vehicles, while also providing protective cover for vehicles. There is also a 118 (kW) ground mount system located adjacent to the 17th green and it provides clean power for the pump station. The overall system was designed and constructed by Cenergy Power with a goal of generating 300,000 kilowatt hours of clean solar panel annually. 6
“We have been committed to environmental sustainability since the inception of Stevinson Ranch,” said Course Owner George Kelley, who is also co-founder of Greenway Golf, a golf course maintenance and management company. “We continue to look for ways to improve our environmental footprint.” Kelley’s commitment to high environmental standards at Stevinson Ranch is also evidenced through its recognition as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program Signature Course. According to Kelley, Stevinson Ranch was the first golf course west of the Mississippi to receive this distinction. The course has also received Golf World’s Readers Choice Award for America’s Best Conditioned Public Golf Course and ranked #5 Overall Public Facility. To learn more about Stevinson Ranch visit http:// www.stevinsonranch.com/, and for more insight about Greenway Golf, visit http:// www.greenwaygolf.com/. Join us at the Omni Hotel in San Diego on Tues. Feb 5 at 6:00p.m. when George Kelley and his management team members from Stevinson Ranch GC and Greenway Golf accept this well-deserved award.
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Yoga For Golfers—Improves Health and Game Performance In the United States, yoga is the fastest growing form of exercise. More than 16 million Americans practice yoga on a daily basis and it has become a respected form of training for golf and other professional sports. If you have not yet integrated Yoga into your player development offerings at your club you may want to consider doing so. In the meantime, below are three direct benefits of Yoga which you will find helpful, both on-and-off the course. Breathing awareness is the key element in the practice of Yoga. Breathing is a critical component in mind/ body development for golf, one that separates it from all other golf conditioning programs. It has often been stated that golf is 90% mental and 10% psychological. How does a golfer begin to learn to quiet the mind and visualize shots? The quality of breath has a direct relationship to the quality of the pose and the ability to quiet the mind. Deep, slow Katherine Roberts, breathing enhances founder of Yoga For Golfers the ability to hold poses and increases endurance. Certain Yoga postures will coordinate breathing and movement (as in dynamic stretching) or long slow breaths while you hold the pose (as in a static or power yoga poses).
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Flexibility increases your range of motion in the golf swing, reduces swing faults caused by short, tight muscles and produces more club head speed. Some poses are practiced in a dynamic or fluid sequence of movements, perfect for a pre-round warm-up as we prepare the body for the explosive nature of the golf swing. Strength is achieved in Yoga by flexing or engaging the muscles. We use the force of gravity and body weight to build strength. Described as the oldest form of “isometric strength training,” certain standing yoga postures are weight bearing, increasing muscular strength and endurance. Long, lean muscles are developed, increasing strength without restricting the fluid motion of the golf swing. For those interested, Yoga For Golfers has a comprehensive Teacher Certification Program, and currently has cer tified instructors in more than 20 countries. For more information about Yoga For Golfers visit: http: http://yogaforgolfers.com/.
About Katherine Roberts, Founder of Yoga For Golfers
Contributing Columnist Katherine Roberts, is Founder and President of Yoga For Golfers and KR’s FlexFit Method. A world-renown fitness instructor and lecturer, Roberts is on the Nike Swoosh Elite Staff. She is author of two best-selling golf fitness books (Swing Flaws and Fitness Fixes and Yoga For Golfers) plus a series of just-released instant downloadable workouts. Roberts is a supporter of Play Golf America and Golf 2.0. In addition to her work in golf, she is also the yoga expert for the LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Oakland A’s.
Growth of the Game Starts with YOU— Start Tracking the Holes YOU Play In an effort to encourage CGCOA members to “play more golf” a few chapter members are asking fellow CGCOAers to “dust off their clubs” and tee it up at least once a week, and it need not be for 18 holes. It might be just nine holes, six holes, or maybe only three. “ T he ac t ual number doesn’t matter, but what does matter is getting owners out on the course to play, if only for a few holes,” shared Emmy Moore Minister, CGCOA Communications Chair and Founder of Doctors Orders: Play Golf. “Not only is it good for growing the game, it illuminates to others that golf is important to you and it’s part of your corporate culture, too. It’s also good for your health.” It was a CGCOA conference call in late 2012 (amongst chapter board members) that brought the lack of owner play to light. And from that discussion came a suggestion that playing “less than 18” was okay for owners, especially with the time-crunched schedules held by most course operators today. “It’s amazing how we, as golf course owners and operators find ourselves complaining at times about the lack of play at our facilities,” shared CGCOA Past President George Kelley, “yet, what are we doing on a personal level to encourage play, and what kind of message are we sending, if we, as owners, don’t take time to play? It’s time for us to set the example for others, and play more golf.”
a point to keep track of the number of holes you play each time you’re on the course. You can log it on your iPhone or Droid, or simply keep a running tally in a small notebook you keep tucked inside your golf bag. On July 1, we will ask you to submit your total number of “holes played” from Feb through June. We will also track the number of holes played July-Dec, 31, 2013. For this growth of the game project, we are not focusing in your score but the number of holes you were able to play collectively. The goal of this hole-tracking program is to encourage more owner participation in the game of golf…a sport that most owners love and enjoy, that is, when they block the time to do so. So, start blocking, and start playing golf again!
Good News
The CGCOA member or affiliate/sponsor that logs the “most holes played in 2013” will be Start Tracking rewarded with an attractive package, filled Between February 1 and June 30, 2013 make with golf certificates, of course! 9
CGCOA’s Spectacular Annual Meeting at Half Moon Bay On Tuesday November 30, 2012 the Annual Meeting of the CGCOA was held at the Half Moon Bay Golf Links, (Half Moon Bay, CA) located south of San Francisco. The magnificent Ritz Carlton Hotel and links style golf course served as a perfect venue to wrap up the years events and plan for the future. Besides the members in attendance, the event was graced with renowned golf course designer Robert Trent Jones II and Richard Harris, Esq., co-founder of the SF Public Golf Alliance and leading advocate for “Saving Sharp Park” Golf Course. Also stopping by to greet CGCOA members was S.F. Investment Banker Andrew Venturi, grandson of Golf Great Ken Venturi.
President Steve Plummer, CGCS, welcomed the membership and encouraged their involvement in the CGCOA and also the California Alliance for Golf. The tone for the meeting was thoughtfully set by Director David Kramer of Los Serranos Country Club with a recitation of “The Spirit of Golf” by Bo Links from his recent publication of Golf Poems reminding us that all who play the game must take ownership of it and that those who are lucky enough to own and operate golf courses in California are blessed to do so because…“If Scotland be the home of Golf, then California must surely be the West Coast of Scotland,” shared Kramer. CGCOA Past President George Kelley of Stevinson Ranch Golf Club also addressed the membership and challenged all of us to become leaders by example and encouraged us to make a commitment to play more golf this year if we are serious about wanting to grow the game. Head Golf Course Superintendent Dan Miller, who oversees course maintenance for the 36 holes of resort golf at Half Moon Bay GL, provided insight on both golf courses and highlighted improvements that have been made to enhance the golf experience for guests. Dr. Bradley Klein of Golfweek magazine gave a riveting keynote address on the state of the industry. His statistical presentation of golf’s success and failure of the years was punctuated by anecdotes spanning his many years in the game as a Tour caddie, golfer, researcher, and award-winning golf writer. As architecture editor and director for Golfweek’s course rating program, Brad, (as he prefers to be called), reminded us where/how the game and business of golf emerged, where we are now as a business/ CGCOA Member Bruce Lewis takes time out for a photo with industry, and what we may expect in the future. Andrew Venturi, Grandson of Golf Great Ken Venturi. Based on Klein’s historical analysis, it 10
Friends unite at the Chapters Fall Annual Meeting at Half Moon Bay. became clear that golf needs to “get back to the basics” to be successful. Golf cannot be all things to all people. Every golf course has its own identity which should be promoted and not discounted with multiple pricing schemes. Employees must be trained to provide attentive service to build customer loyalty. The course should be made friendly with multiple tees, allow walking, have a good practice facility and encourage participation by women and children. The 1990s mentality of “build it and they will come” is long past. The courses which will survive in this century will be those that meet the demands of today’s market not tied to outdated traditions. Brad’s highly informative presentation served as a reality check for many of us and also sent some of us home with a “to do” list with ways to improve and enhance the experience for customers on our courses and in our clubhouses. Inspired by the opportunities for success, CGCOA President Steve Plummer, CGCS, the members then enjoyed a remarkable day visits with CGCOA Board Member Dave Kramer. of golf along the coast renewing friendships 11
Friends connect at Annual Meeting (L to R) PGA Career Consultant Carol Pence, CGCOA Board Member Lyn Nelson and CGCOA Past President George Kelley. and establishing new ones with fellow CGCOA members and sponsors. Special thanks are extended to CGCOA Member and HMBGL’s General Manager Bill Troyanoski and his superior staff for providing a premier setting for the chapter’s annual meeting and strategic planning session. Thanks are also extended to the management team and staff at the Ritz Carlton Hotel for a spectacular lodging experience. The Board of Directors met the day prior to discuss CGCOA’s efforts to better represent the interests of all our members with the focus this year on the business of golf. Towards this end, the Board determined to place our resources behind making golf operations more profitable. Two educational programs, one in the North and one in the South, will be designed to help our member courses better hire, train and motivate their workforce to increase profitability and minimize costs. We will also focus our efforts on how to better sell the products and services courses offer. Experts from the golf industry will continue to educate members on the new challenges facing golf course operators such as the 12
implementation of the Healthcare Reform Act and new ADA Regulations. The CGCOA will continue to provide its member’s access to the leading experts in California as well as reliable information to better conduct their business. All members can look forward to an organization that is resourceful and of which they can be proud to be a member.
CGCOA Annual Meeting Host Bill Troyanoski with Golfweek Architecture Editor Dr. Bradley Klein.
CGCOA Board Members and Special Guests Gather at Half Moon Bay GL. Per the unanimous vote of the members, the following persons compose the
Board of Directors of the CGCOA for 2013 Steve Plummer, CGCS
Bill Aragona
Lyn Nelson
Eric Jacobsen
Sam Koh
Jeff Kiewel
D. Scott Hoyt
David Kramer
George Kelley
Tustin Ranch Golf Club TPC Stonebrae
Pasatiempo Golf Club
Boulder Creek Golf Club Oak Quarry Golf Course Los Serranos Country Club
Poppy Hills Golf Course Valley Crest Golf Management Stevinson Ranch Golf Club
2013 CGCOA Advisory Board Members Z. Gordon Davidson
Dawn Prebula
John Abendroth
David Nelson
Emmy Moore Minister
Kevin Heaney
Gary Sigel
Terry Selk
Z. Gordon Davidson & Associates Club Car
VGM Club
Tom Addis
Golf Industry Communications Consultant
Harvey Silverman
Golf Insurance Services
PGA of Southern California Pellucid Corporation
Celtic Golf Management Southern California Golf Association Tasmark Enterprises.
Shaw Kobre
In the Loop Golf
Edward L. Smilow, Esq., of Golf Course Law is serving the CGCOA as acting executive director with Erinn Hoyt of Torrey Pines Golf Course serving as Administrative Assistant.
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Report on the Ongoing Legal Fight at Alister MacKenzie’s Sharp Park: Dismissal and Appeal On December 6, 2012, Judge Susan Illston dismissed a lawsuit brought by a handful of environmental activist groups in the Federal District Court for Northern California. The suit sought closure of Sharp Park Golf Course, a San Francisco-owned public course built by Alister MacKenzie in 1932 and located in the beachside suburb of Pacifica, CA. Plaintiffs included the Sierra Club and the Tucsonbased Center for Biological Diversity.
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DESIGN BY SKONA.COM
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A Notice of Appeal was filed January 7, 2013 by some of the plaintiffs. Notably missing from the list of appellants was the Sierra Club. The Court’s decision—and appeal—are the most recent developments in an intense, four-year political and legal struggle over golf at Sharp Park, between the activist groups on one side and golfers, historic preservationists, and the San Francisco Rec and Park Department on the other. Long known as “the poor man’s Pebble Beach,” Sharp Park is the historic home 14
of a middle-class, largely ethnic minority golfing clientele. In 1955, the golf course hosted the inaugural tournament of the Western States Golf Association, one of the country’s oldest and largest AfricanAmerican golfing societies. In December, 2011, Mayor Ed Lee vetoed an ordinance, narrowly passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, aimed at converting the property to a nature sanctuary for endangered frogs and snakes. In her Order of Dismissal, Judge Illston ruled that the lawsuit was mooted by an October, 2012 Biological Opinion and Incidental Take Statement from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which found that golf operations are “not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the California redlegged frog or San Francisco garter snake,” and approving golf at Sharp Park, subject to a list of restrictions on golf carts, pesticides, water pumping, and other course maintenance practices. “Dismissal is a common sense result,” said Chris Carr, of Morrison and Foerster, lawyers for co-defendant San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, which has led the fight to keep the golf course open, and which brought the motion to dismiss. “And it should lead to a period of cooperation in which San Francisco and San Mateo County can work together to restore habitat for the species, while preserving historic and popular public recreation.” The Court’s Order of Dismissal occasioned a thorough review by journalist Tony Dear, published January 4, 2013, at Cybergolf: http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/ is_the_battle_over_sharp_park_finally_over For more information, see the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance website, http:// www.sfpublicgolf.com/News.html, or contact the Alliance, at info@sfpublicgolf.com.