SDMGA Comments on the Mayor's Updated Five Year Plan. Please attend the City Council's
Committee Golf Meeting on September 26.
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City Council Committee Golf Meeting Wednesday September 26, 2:00 pm
The Natural Resources and Culture (NR&C) Committee of the San Diego City Council will be meeting on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 2:00 on the 12th Floor of the City Administration Building, 202 C Street, SD 92101. In advance of the meeting, Golf Operations has issued a report which is posted on the SDMGA website . Also posted is a report of the City Council Independent Budget Analyst which asks some probing questions. On the positive side, revenues are up at Torrey Pines, expenses are down at Balboa, and there are plans for a new irrigation system at Balboa in 2009. We remain concerned about the following:
The dramatic decline in senior rounds at Torrey (5,200 rounds out of 17,000 on the North) due in part to the end of senior rates on Friday and to the rise in rates generally.
The lowering percentage of resident rounds at Torrey down to 65% overall and 56% on South.
The lower number of rounds at Balboa and the fact that needed attention to course condition has been diverted to U.S. Open preparations.
The impact of the U.S. Open on Torrey for FY 2008. The North will be closed for at least 5 months costing enormous revenue and the percentage of local rounds for 2008 and 2009 will lower dramatically because of new focus on South as home of Open and the closing of North.
The cart path only rule on the South is disadvantaging or preventing handicapped golfers and others from play who have difficulty walking.
The U.S. Open is a major minus for local golfers:
we are bearing the brunt of the inconvenience
- South renovation - cart path only rules punishes the handicapped
- closing of the North
- the cost of the Open oriented renovation
- revenues lost from closings
- no benefits to the City or citizen golfer
the benefits are going to the USGA, Friends of Torrey Pines, Hotel owners, not us.
- The looming threat of outsourcing golf management operations which could effectively mean the end of municipal golf at Torrey unless the City Council intervenes to assure required metrics in terms of resident access – physically and fiscally. (rumors have it that Bill Evans is trying to get the management contract.)
The NR&C would like input from municipal golfers. We plan to share the above concerns with them and ask the NR&C to support a plan to restore weekday rates on Friday.
We urge you to read the Golf Report and the Independent Budget Analyst’s Report. Please attend the NR&C meeting this Wednesday. If you have any comments or question please e-mail us.
John Beaver
Joe Burwell
Paul Spiegelman
Co-founders, SDMGA