the CGCOA INSIDE this issue • Moore Minister
named media person of the year . . . . . . . . . . . 2 • 2010 CGCOa
Meeting schedule. . . . 2 • CGCoa board . . . . . . . . . 2
• grow the game
and grow it now . . . . . 4
• insight from jay miller. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 • sponsors. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 • golf industry show master schedule. . . . . 7 • ca golf & water symposium . . . . . . . . . . . 7 • sharp park update. . . 8 • industry hills: golf course of the year. . . 9
FEBRUARY 9 (5:30–7:00 pm)
CGCOA Chapter Reception FEBRUARY 10 (11:30–1:00 pm)
CGCOA Chapter Luncheon (See page 7 for details) CGCOA 30098 Red Barn Place Canyon Lake, CA 92581 www.golfcalifornia.org
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Insider
Vol. 4 Issue 1 • Winter 2010
CGCOA MEMBER PROFILE
Mr. William “Bill” Aragona 2010 NGCOA President
Company/Course: Boulder Creek Golf & Country Club How were you introduced to the game of golf? I was introduced to the game by my father who was an avid golfer. My first love was always baseball, until the time my dad took me to the San Francisco City Tournament. It was the first time I saw Golf Legend Ken Venturi tee it up and from that point forward, I thought golf was “cool” and it was all I wanted to do…play golf! What attracted you to the business of golf? I had a desire to follow my passion and be around the game on a day-to-day basis. I also had some customer service concepts that I thought could prove helpful to a golf operation, and wanted to put them to the test. How many years have you been working within the golf industry? I’ve had the pleasure of being in the golf business for package our product/service rather than simply going 30+ years, and all with Boulder Creek G&CC. to a discount format in an attempt to keep rounds up. What’s a typical workday like for you at Boulder Creek G&CC? Up until 18 months ago, it was nearly a seven-daya-week job, doing most anything that needed to be done on the operational side plus long-range planning too. Now, with the assistance of Touchstone Golf who manages the day to day operations, I serve in an advisor role providing background to the team. I also oversee any projects/permits that require interaction with governmental agencies at the local and/or state level. I also serve as a marketing and community liaison for our club working closely with other business professionals who share similar goals. What are the biggest challenges facing golf course owners/operators today? Building new customers during a tough economic climate is a challenge. Rounds are down at many facilities while costs continue to rise. It’s a tough time for course operators who want to provide a high-level of service yet have fewer resources to achieve this goal on a consistent basis. If you could share one bit of advice with a course owner, what would it be? In these difficult times, we should be open to new ideas yet not be too quick to toss practices from the past. It is important that we study various ways to
You are an active member and supporter of the CGCOA In what capacity have you served? Some years ago (with the encouragement of a former member, the late Paul Porter) I became a founding member of the organization. Today, I’m on the CGCOA board of directors and at one time served as president for the organization. What are your thoughts about the CGCOA as an organization? I am pleased with the progress we’ve made so far, but we still have plenty more to accomplish. It is critical that we stand united, with one voice, especially when it comes to fending off legislation that directly or indirectly impacts our business (i.e. unfair taxes, mandatory water rationing, environmental restrictions). As NGCOA’s incoming president, what’s your vision/what are your priorities? My goal as president is to help lead the organization in a positive and proactive way. To also make it “more inclusive” which means encouraging small singlecourse operators (similar to myself) to get involved and be heard. No question that we are facing challenging times, and it seems that no one is exempt. What better time than now to “unite” and “ignite” our association…to collaborate more, to be open to new ideas and to help (Continued on page 6)
California Golf Course Owners Association
Moore Minister Named Media Person of the Year
Congratulations to CGCOA’s Emmy Moore Minister recently named as Media Person of the Year by the California Golf Writers and Broadcasters Association. Moore Minister will receive this special distinction at the association’s annual banquet on February 9, 2010 at The Inn at Spanish Bay (Pebble Beach, CA) held in conjunction with the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Three hundred golf industry leaders and special guests are expected to attend the banquet and awards ceremony. Moore Minister receives this award for career excellence as a golf journalist and broadcaster and for her extraordinary dedication to promoting the game of golf. In addition to her communication work with the CGCOA, she chairs the communications committee for the California Alliance for Golf and is the media representative for the GCSA of Northern California. She is also co-host and producer of Voice of the Valley TV Show. An Honorary Member of the Northern California PGA, Moore Minister is a huge advocate for growing the game of golf evidenced by her involvement with Play Golf America and its player development initiatives including Take Your Daughter to the Course Week which was developed by the NGCOA. She is the founder of Doctor’s Orders: Play Golf, an innovative educational initiative which encourages better health and wellness through the game of golf. While the CGWBA’s Media Person of the Year Award has been given to a worthy recipient each year since 1980, Moore Minister is the first woman to receive this coveted distinction. She joins an impressive list of former honorees which include Jaime Diaz, Roger Maltbie, Bob Murphy, Mark Soltau, and Ken Venturi.
2010 CGCOA Meeting Schedule February 9, 2010 CGCOA GIS Chapter Reception February 10, 2010 CGCOA GIS Chapter Luncheon March 9, 2010
NORTH Hunter Ranch GC Paso Robles (tentative)
May 11, 2010 SOUTH Salt Creek GC Chula Vista
July 13, 2010
30098 Red Barn Place, Canyon Lake, CA 92587 tel: 951.246-2928 / fax: (951) 246-2929 www.golfcalifornia.org or www.californiagolf.org CGCOA Board Members President
Secretary
Owner/Operator Stevinson Ranch Golf Course
Owner/Operator Hidden Valley Golf Club
George Kelley
Jay Miller
Vice President
Immediate Past President
Owner Oak Quarry Golf Club
General Manager Santa Maria Golf & Country Club
Sam Koh
Joe Priddy
Treasurer
Scott Hoyt
General Manager Cinnabar Hills Golf Club
Administration Executive Director
Ted Horton
THC (Ted Horton Consulting)
Board of Directors John K. Abendroth Celtic Golf Management
Bill Aragona
President/General Manager Boulder Creek GCC & Resort
Kimberly Bauer
Shaw Kobre President In The Loop Golf
Chris Lynch
GM/PGA Project Coordinator Byron Hot Springs
General Manager/Regional Director Waterhouse, Inc. Creative Hospitality Services
Nicole McCleaf
Z. Gordon Davidson
General Manager, Western Operations ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance
IGM/Meadowbrook Golf Consultant Z. Gordon Davidson & Associates, Inc. Golf & Resort Properties
Dan Farrar General Manager
Tom Frost
President Synergy Golf Course Management, LLC Owner Salt Creek Golf Club
Kevin Heaney Executive Director SCGA
Bob Higgins
General Manager Saddle Creek Golf Club Castle & Cooke
Website Manager
Dan McIntyre
Emmy Moore-Minister Media/Public Relations GCSANC & CGCOA
Dave Nelson
Sales Manager, California Club Car, Inc.
Greg Pieschala
President Valley Crest Golf Course Maintenance
Steven J. Plummer, CGCS President Championship Golf Services, Inc. General Manager Tustin Ranch Golf Club
Angela Schmidt
NORTH TPC Stonebrae Oakland
Jerry Hollingsworth
Valley Crest Golf Course Maintenance
September 14, 2010
Ted Horton
CGCOA Executive Director THC, Ted Horton Consulting
President Tasmark Enterprises
SOUTH Los Serranos Golf & CC Chino
November 8-9, 2010 NORTH
Board Retreat
Saddle Creek GC Copperopolis (tentative)
Hollingsworth Enterprises
Eric Jacobsen
Vice President of Golf Properties Castle & Cooke California Inc.
Patrick Kemball Director of Golf The SCGA Golf Course
Terry A. Selk
William Sherman Owner William Sherman Golf
Ed Smilow Attorney at Law
Shawn Smith
Director of Golf Administration Pebble Beach Company
The Name of the Game for CGCOA is….Grow the Game and Grow it Now Growth of the Game Conference at Industry Hills was Inviting and Informative The CGCOA’s Growth of the Game Conference at Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms (City of Industry, CA) was an enormous success. Course owners and growth of the game advocates gathered to share their knowledge about player development programs that really work. Moderated by Ed Smilow, Esq., the first session focused on successful junior golf programs. Panelists included Kevin Gigax with SCGA’s Youth on Course, Steve Tanner and Robert Barretto with Total Golf Adventures (After School Programs) and Henry Sandles with The First Tee. Nikki Gatch provided insight on SCPGA’s Junior Tour & Tournaments while Tom Addis shared information about PGA National and Neighborhood programs. Jay Miller with the Get-a-Grip Foundation demonstrated how a non-profit community outreach organization can help youth both on-and-off the course. Second session focused on Organized Demographic Player Development Golf Programs and how they can assist in developing long-term business. Speakers included NCGOA Deputy CEO Mike Tinkey who addressed the importance of accessibility while Caroline Jones provided insight on Executive Women’s Golf
Association and the benefits of hosting women’s golf. Event co-chair Steve Plummer shared an array of player development programs that add to the success model at Tustin Ranch GC. Craig Kessler with the PLGA of So Cal spoke to the future of golf and the vital need for all sectors within the game (profit, non-profit, public, private) to work closely together. The last session focused on Fun Golf, Customer Relationship Development and Attracting the Next Generation of Golfers. Panelists included Frank Jordan with USGLL -Golf Little League, a new and growing program. Course operators George Kelley and Tom Frost shared proven concepts designed to make the game a more “fun” experience. Frost also addressed the importance of accommodating the next generation of golfers. Event Co-chair Jay Miller shared snippets from his ongoing research about golf consumerism. He encouraged attendees to look closely to the trends and to think outside-the-box when developing programs for new golfers. In an effort to help improve the industry’s “grow the game” model, Miller made a point to solicit information about player retention from peers who were present. The conference was a success due to the work
Ed Smilow
of many individuals: Event Co-chairs Steve Plummer and Jay Miller, CGCOA Executive Director Ted Horton, CGCOA Member Dawn Prebula, Director of Golf Dave Youpa, and Hee Won Lim, Director of Operations at Pacific Palms Hotel & Golf. Special thanks to Ed Smilow, Esq., who did an excellent job as conference moderator and knowledgeable contributor. Warm appreciation is also extended to NCGOA Deputy CEO Mike Tinkey, who continues to share his knowledge and insight with the CGCOA. Much gratitude is also extended to conference sponsors: Golf Insurance Services, ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance and the National Golf Course Owners Association. Through the professional assistance of CGCOA Member Sam Koh, the Growth of the Game Conference will be available on DVD, which will greatly assist the California Chapter in spreading the word on how to attract new customers/players while also retaining existing ones. Many of the programs highlighted fall under the umbrella of Play Golf America, the industry-wide initiative committed to growing the game of golf in a vibrant and inclusive way.
Sam Koh
Jay Miller
Steve Plummer
Insight from a Growth of the Game Guru: Jay Miller Jay’s 10 Compelling Thoughts about Growing the Game of Golf:
George Kelley
1. Allow/encourage the manufacturers to sell 7. Create informal rules for the player that non-conforming equipment that makes the wants to just have fun. I’ve interviewed hundreds of players throughout my career and game easier and more fun. 2. Utilize celebrities to help grow the game: discovered that they often play basically by the same rules: a mulligan on #1 and #10 tee entertainers, actors, athletes, etc. box, one roving mulligan from the fairway on 3. Promote the game on television program- the front and back nine, and don’t touch the ming that kids and young adults watch. Don’t ball in between, and putt everything out. just rely on commercials that air during PGA TOUR events. (Consider: YouTube, Facebook). 8. From the golfers I’ve interviewed, only 15% have an established handicap. Of the 4. Pricing is a huge factor as well as the amount 85% that don’t, they still keep score when of time it takes to play a round of golf. We all playing with their friends. know, golf must have a “fun factor” if we’re going to attract new players. Let’s make golf 9. Who is influencing new golfers today? Most courses easier to play, which translates into are introduced to the game by a friend or relative. more fun and less time to complete a round of 10. To grow the game we need to fund golf golf…which is helpful to most, in this “time- programs in school starting at the age of 10, and/or provide free “after school” programs. crunch” world we live in. 5. Attire seems to be a “hot button” when it Low-fee golf clinics are important too. For excomes to golf. From what I can tell folks are ample, at our course we have Saturday clinics split…half claim that an appropriate wardrobe for $10 including balls (six players in a clinic is warranted (and it’s part of the tradition of with two teaching professionals). Each clinic is our game) while the other half are in support 50 minutes, and we average approximately 30 of more casual and comfortable attire. The students per class. CGCOA Member Jay Miller is president and operator of Hidden Valley Golf Club (Norco, CA). He is also the Founder of Get a Grip Foundation, an Orange County-based 501c-3 which was established in 2000. The objective of Get a Grip Foundation is to introduce all facets of the game of golf to children (ages 7-18) with a special emphasis 6. How about a new handicap system…where on academic improvement and life skills.To learn the amateur doesn’t need to play the game of more about this organization visit: www.getagripfoundation.org/main/index.html his/her life to shoot par net. best comment I’ve ever heard on this topic was from a local realtor that lives in a beautiful home on our course. He shared, “When I play basketball in my league, I play in clothes that are comfortable and loose. If golf is a so-called sport, then as long as I’m not naked I should be able to wear anything I want that is legal.”
THE CGCOA WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT: CGCOA
NGCOA
FOUNDATION SPONSOR
Premier Partners
Golf Insurance Services, LLC
Club Car Inc.
Rick Sigel (916) 635-1050 rsigel@gpins.com www.golfinsuranceservices.com
ANNUAL SPONSORS Club Satellite Network Ted Salata (650) 462-9700 csnlife.com
Cyber Golf Network Inc. Dan Murnan (425) 640-7170 dan@cybergolf.com www.cybergolf.com
Ed Smilow, Esq. Ed Smilow (714) 937-2095 edsmilow@golfcourselaw.com www.golfcourselaw.com
Golf Now Brad Axon (480) 232-5370 baxon@golfchannel.com www.golfnow.com
Greenway Golf George Kelley (209) 664-6400 gkelley@greenwaygolf.net www.greenwaygolf.net
Pellucid Corporation Jim Koppenhaver (847) 808-7651 jimk@pellucidcorp.com www.pellucidcorp.com
Pellucid Corporation Harvey Silverman harvinfc@pacbell.net
Professional Golfers Career College Edward Smilow edsmilow@golfcourselaw.com www.golfcollege.edu
Target Specialty Products Lon Records (562) 802-2238 trecs@target-specialty.com www.target-specialty.com
ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance Greg Pieschala (818) 737-3110 gpieschala@valleycrest.com www.valleycrest.com
VGM Club Dawn Prebula (866) 620-2774 dawn.prebula@vgm.com www.vgmclub.com
Dave Nelson (800) 564-6531 dave_nelson@clubcar.com
The Toro Company Doug Dahl (800) 585-8001 dougd@turfstar.com
Darren Redetzke
(800) 348-2424 dredetzke@toro.com
Entegra Procurement Services Jim Bailey (877) 922-0285 jbailey@intlclubsuppliers.com
Preferred Partners Clubsurance Joel Willis (843) 572-4567 www.clubsurance.com
Electronic Transaction Systems Corporation Hadi Akkad (800) 834-7790 www.etsms.com
Helena Chemical Christy Byrd (803) 822-8028 brydc@helenachemical.com
Pepsi Tracy Maphet (886) PEP-GOLF
Smart Buy Suppliers Gatorade Tracie Maphet (886) PEP-GOLF
Motorola Kelly Jadlot (800) 933-4262
Office Depot John Travers (301) 567-6704
Srixon Sports Hollie Vokal (678) 518-5121
Bill Aragona (Continued from front page) grow the game, which, if done successfully, means more rounds and more revenue. What other golf-related organizations do you hold membership, besides the CGCOA and the NGCOA? I am a member of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA), United States Golf Association (USGA) and a supporter of the California Alliance for Golf (CAG). I am also a member at Boulder Creek Golf & Country Club and Pasatiempo Golf Club. What golf-related community outreach programs do you support? I support my alma mater San Jose State, Spartan Men’s Golf Team. I’ve served on their fundraising committee, helping raise funds for collegiate golf programs. I am also a supporter of the Western Intercollegiate Golf Tournament hosted by SJSU Men’s Golf Team and contested annually at Pasatiempo Golf Club. I, along with Boulder Creek G&CC endorse Doctor’s Orders: Play Golf, an educational initiative committed to promoting better health and wellness through the game of golf. Any special recognition or honors you’d like to share with us? During my tenure at Boulder Creek G&CC we have been recognized as the San Lorenzo Valley Business of the Year as well as CGCOA Course of the Year. I’ve been honored as a founder and board member of the Santa Cruz Area Restaurant Association and for my ten years of service as a director with the Santa Cruz County Convention & Visitors Bureau. As for mentors, most folks have at least one. Throughout your career, who has influenced you the most? And how/why? First, it would be my dad, who taught me not to be afraid and just do your best. Next, would be John DeNault, a gentleman who taught me a great deal about the “business of business” and who was willing to become our personal banker, when no one would give us a shot. Third, Nick Lombardo, a successful owner/operator who took the time to share his wisdom and experience with me early in my career. Reflecting back, are there any golf-related experiences (on or off the course) which hold fond memories for you? Yes, there are several. First, the time spent with my colleagues in the business has always been important to me. Other fond memories include competitions in Ireland and England where I had the chance to tee it up as a member of the Pasatiempo MacKenzie Cup Team. Additionally, I will never forget those Monday golf outings with my dad and close friends. Recently, taking my grandson out for his first nine holes was also a memory maker. And finally, the friendships that have been fostered and the enjoyment provided to those who’ve played our course, will always remain special to me. What would be your favorite foursome? First, my dad, who was such a character and fun to be around, and who loved the game as much or more than me. Next, Frank Sinatra, a talented man who I always thought was a classy fellow and I know my dad would have also enjoyed being in his company. Finally, Golf Legend Ken Venturi, as he’s always been my special hero, since that fateful day when my dad brought me to Harding Park when I was just a youngster. (Amazing, how that initial introduction to the game left such a lasting impression and eventually, a very satisfying career in the golf business.)
Master Schedule Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010 7–9 am Distributor Preview 8–9 am General Session with Brian Little 9 am–5 pm Trade Show
Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 8–9 am General Session with Chris Gardner 9 am–6 pm Trade Show 4–6 pm Show Floor Happy Hour
Education Conferences GCSAA Education Conference, Feb.8–12 NGCOA Annual Conference, Feb. 8–12 CMAA World Conference on Club Management, Feb. 8–13
California Golf & Water Symposium is a Huge Success Water & Golf Industry Leaders Gather to Educate and Collaborate Palm Desert, CA— With access to adequate water increasingly uncertain, leaders from the golf industry, water agencies and government officials gathered at the University of California, Riverside’s Palm Desert Graduate Center for the 2nd Annual Golf & Water Symposium. Experts at the half-day conference shared knowledge and suggested methods to achieve water efficiency as it relates to the business and sport of golf. The Symposium was timely, given recent enactments by California lawmakers to overhaul the state’s water system with mandatory reductions in 2015 and 2020. The conference also provided an invaluable exchange of information for stakeholders: course owners, designers and landscape architects, course superintendents, water agency representatives and consultants, political leaders, industry experts, and citizens/golfers interested in the future of water and golf. Conference presenters confirmed that water is “a resource in crisis” and that the golf industry should keep the public informed about its ongoing and effective efforts to conserve water. Presenters agreed that golf and turf care industry representatives should participate more actively in the water allocation process, such as working with the new CII Task Force (commercial, industrial and institutional) to implement best water management practices for golf. “Water policies that used to be based on extraction are based now on sustainability,” stated Tim Quinn, Executive Director with the Association of California Water Agencies. Quinn sees state water policies as now pursuing two co-equal goals: allocating scarce water resources efficiently and preserving a sustainable Delta ecosystem. According to the CVWD, golf courses in the Coachella Valley have been using water at an average rate of 1,000-acre feet per year (AFY). In the past, this meant 130 golf courses in the Coachella Valley used roughly 130,000 AFY of potable ground water. Now, 43 of those courses have converted to recycled water, canal water or a blend, saving nearly 40,000 AFY of potable ground water. An additional 40 courses in the area are targeted for similar non-potable options in the near future. The lesson for golf courses statewide is to continue efforts to reduce use of potable water and to shift to reuse water wherever feasible. Symposium presenter Dr. Larry Stowell, manager of Pace Turf, reminded conference attendees that the golf industry depends upon a sustainable supply of reasonable quality and rationally priced water to remain successful in its efforts to maintain jobs and contribute favorably to the California economy. Conference presenters concurred that golf needs to be working more closely with local water agencies. “Golf must be in the room, talking with the decision makers, saying what we need and why we need it,” stated Bruce Williams, CGCS, with Valley Crest Landscape Companies. “The golf industry must be part of the solution and accept course conditions that may be less green.” Williams also noted that there are several opportunities for cooperation (e.g. subsidies, certification of
irrigators, recognition of best management practices, rate incentives and exemptions). Dave Luker, general manager with the Desert Water Agency had positive news to share. He believes that water agencies often see golf courses as “easy to work with” and very efficient irrigators. He also expressed that the golf industry has “a good story to tell” and should communicate its success in using recycled water while at the same time reducing use of power. Tim Jackson, principal with Jackson Kahn Design, sees the older “free hand” in course design as a thing of the past, due in great part to water resource limitations. Jackson reminded attendees that many products are available to help reduce water use, but designing a course with a reduced amount of turfgrass surface is a sure way to save water. The first candidates for turf reduction are out of play areas, but Jackson suggests consulting with experienced landscape experts to achieve optimum results. Landscape architect Ken Alperstein with Pinnacle Design has designed and remodeled the landscapes of over 75 golf courses. Many of his remodels have involved large areas of turfgrass reduction resulting in long-term water savings. Alperstein agrees with the premise that turf can be replaced by landscape in various ways. If you use drought tolerant plants requiring little water year-round, drip irrigation can be used effectively and will produce great water savings. In some cases, when turf areas are returned to native habitat, temporary spray irrigation is used for landscape grow-in and can be shut off once the plant material is established. Hydro-seeding with a mix of grasslands, shrubs and wildflowers seeds can be an effective way to cover vast areas of retired turf, saving money both initially during installation and later because it ultimately requires much less water than its turf counterpart. Alperstein visually demonstrated how plant material can hide roads and cart paths, achieve better framing, improve aesthetics, all while saving water and supporting the design strategy of the golf course architect. The list of symposium presenters included John Benoit, former state senator (37th District); Tim Quinn, executive director, Association of California Water Agencies; Dan Parks, assistant general manager, CVWD; Bryan Gerstel, president, California State Club Association; Dr. Larry Stowell, manager of Pace Turf, Bruce Williams, CGCS, director of business development, Valley Crest Landscape Companies; Dave Luker, general manager, Desert Water Agency; Jonas Conlon, president, Hi-Lo Chapter GCSA; Ken Kinsey, director of sales, Desert Springs Marriott; Mike Kelley, executive director, PGA West; Tim Jackson, principal, Jackson Kahn Design; Ken Alperstein, landscape architect, Pinnacle Design; Tim Barrier, golf course superintendent, Rancho Santa Fe; Rick Sall, golf course superintendent, Toscana Country Club. The symposium was hosted by the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) in collaboration with the California State Club Association (CSCA) and the California Alliance for Golf (CAG).
San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department Votes to Renovate and Restore Habitat at Historic Sharp Park Golf Courses Future prospects brightened for golfers, frogs, and snakes at the historic Sharp Park Golf Course, following the S.F. Recreation & Park Commission’s unanimous vote on December 17 to adopt Rec & Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg’s recommendation to proceed with a habitat recovery plan for the San Francisco Garter Snake and California Red-Legged Frog, while preserving the 77-year-old, 18-hole, Alister MacKenzie-designed golf course. The vote to approve the Sharp Park Conceptual Alternatives Report came at the conclusion of a five-month study and one-month public hearing and comment period, pursuant to an Ordinance (adopted May 12, 2009) by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. “This is a good day for golf, science, and common sense in San Francisco,” commented a relieved Richard Harris, a San Francisco attorney and co-founder of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, which has the golfers’ political opposition to a close-the-golf-course coalition led by the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity and the San Francisco parks activist group Neighborhood Parks Council. San Francisco golf legend and U.S. Open Champion Ken Venturi is honorary chairman of the Public Golf Alliance. “Saving the golf course is supported by a broad coalition of golfers local and from around the world, union labor, local businesses, high school and youth sports groups, senior organizations, historic preservationists, and San Francisco and San Mateo County residents and political leaders —including Congresswoman Jackie Speier who represents both counties,” Harris said. The Commission’s vote in favor of the golf course follows a similar 14-1 vote in favor by the San Francisco Park, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Committee at its December 1 meeting, and a ringing December 16 endorsement of the golf course by Laborer’s Local 261, the union representing the San Francisco public golf course gardeners.
Since the San Francisco Chronicle editorialized in favor of keeping the 18-hole golf course on September 3, 2009, the save-the-golf-course cause has been joined by Congresswoman Jackie Speier, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, and the California Alliance for Golf, which also includes the California Golf Course Owners Association (CGCOA). Longtime golf course supporters include the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, Pacifica Mayor Julie Lancelle and the Pacifica City Council, the Washington D.C.-based Cultural Landscape Foundation, the GCSAA of Northern California, World Golf Foundation, the Alister MacKenzie Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce. “We have contended all along that the golf course is the most environmentally-friendly use of that property. And the Rec & Park Department’s heavily-scientific Sharp Park Study confirms this. The endangered species exist at the golf course precisely because golf is a limited and extraordinarily well-controlled public activity, and golfers are sensitive to their environment,” Harris said. “Open-minded people can see that at many sites—and Sharp Park is one of them—golf can be the most environmentally-friendly use.” Coming in for high praise were the Sharp Park Golf Club and the Pacifica Community Coalition to Save Sharp Park Golf Course. “The men and women of the Public Golf Alliance, the Sharp Park Golf Club, and the Community Coalition members paraded, wore buttons, signed petitions, passed-out leaflets, showed up at meetings, and did all of the shoeleather tasks of political organizing, which is very unusual for golfers,” Harris said. Harris had high praise as well for Rec & Park Executive Director Phil Ginsburg and Department staff who directed the complex five-month study which culminated in the Department’s Sharp Park Report. “This is an extraordinarily beautiful site and a price-
less international public golf treasure,” Harris said.“But it is also one of the most complicated political, environmental, bureaucratic puzzles I have ever worked on,” he said, pointing to issues of frog and snake biology, wetlands hydrology, golf historical architecture, sea walls, and anticipated sea level rise; there are two cities and two counties, with their respective water agencies and rec departments, the U.S. Department of the Interior and National Park Service, the Corps of Engineers, and Fish & Wildlife Service; state agencies include the Department of Transportation, Department of Fish & Game, State Lands Commission, and Coastal Zone Commission. “To their credit, SF Rec & Park Executive Director Phil Ginsburg and Project Director Dawn Kamalanathan have not retreated, but have dived into these complexities and tried to make the problems intelligible,” Harris continued. “Now, Congresswoman Speier is taking the lead in working for a regional solution and cost-sharing agreement between the cities, counties, and state and federal entities. The golf community highly values Sharp Park, and the Public Golf Allinace wants to help to simultaneously restore the golf course and the natural habitat.” Having now obtained approval from the Rec & Park Department, the Sharp Park project will move into a design phase, in conjunction with an ongoing Environmental Impact Report process, for which an EIR is expected by November, 2010. If the restoration project remains on-track, Project Director Kamalanathan told the Rec & Park Commissioners, the city can anticipate obtaining permits for the envisioned renovation project sometime in the year 2012. This update is supplied courtesy of the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance.
NGCOA Names Industry Hills Golf Club Course of the Year CGCOA’s Executive Director Ted Horton & the California Alliance for Golf Earn Champion Award from National Golf Course Owners Association Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms, a course located on the site of a former Los Angeles landfill (which has since undergone a $60 million renovation) has been named the 2010 Golf Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association. This California-based facility and its leadership team will be duly recognized at the NGCOA’s member appreciation and awards event on February 11, 2010, during the association’s annual conference in San Diego. Industry Hills recently completed a comprehensive renovation of its two courses (Ike and Babe) and the adjoining hotel and spa. The $60 million investment makes the public facility east of Los Angeles one of Southern California’s finest resort destinations, according to co-owner John Semcken. “We’ve renovated every room in the hotel, every restaurant and every dining area. Every inch of fairway has been replaced, and every foot of irrigation has been replaced,” said Semcken, a real estate developer who along with partner and co-owner Ed Roski purchased Industry Hills in 2000. As part of the landscaping overhaul, a goat herder was brought in to help clean up underbrush that remained from the site’s days as a land-
fill. Subsequently, ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance was hired to ensure consistently superior course conditions. Course conditions and exceptional service, explain not only Industry Hills’ 1,400 members and 90,000plus annual rounds, but also a multitude of celebrity sightings that rival Riviera and Bel-Air country clubs. “We wanted Industry Hills to be of the same quality and provide the same type of experience that some of the finest private clubs in Southern California provide,” Semcken said. “We think the investment was worth it.” The NGCOA’s Champion Award, which recognizes work that improves opportunities for fellow course owners, will be bestowed upon outgoing NGCOA president Charlie Birney, managing director of a family-owned business that owns and operates three MidAtlantic area courses; Del Ratcliffe, president of the North Carolina Golf Course Owners Association and of Charlotte-based Ratcliffe Golf Services, who successfully rallied stakeholders to defeat a golf sales tax in his state; and CGCOA Executive Director Ted Horton and the California Alliance for Golf (CAG), who led a similar fight against taxation in California.
Horton serves as president of the California Alliance for Golf, an organization that serves as an educational resource for the industry which communicates to the public the economic benefits and environmental stewardship efforts provided by the game of golf. The alliance consists of prominent golf associations in Northern and Southern California representing more than 300,000 individual members; similar associations representing golf course superintendents, golf course owners and managers, golf professionals and public and private golf facilities; and various suppliers to the golf industry. The late Beryl Artz, a longtime executive with ClubCorp, president of the Somerset Golf Group and an NGCOA board member from 2006 to 2007, was named the winner of the Paul Porter Award (which is given in honor of the late CEO of Poppy Holding, Inc. and the Northern California Golf Association and a past president of the CGCOA). The First Tee will receive the NGCOA’s Award of Merit, which recognizes significant contributions to golf. Within the parameters of the California Chapter of the NGCOA there are 17 chapters of The First Tee.