And how did the golfers like the Encinitas Ranch course? Here are some direct quotes: "embarrassing," "appalling," "a goat patch." They were amazed at the high-end price for a ratty course experience.
The Encinitas Ranch Golf Course is run by ERGA, the ill-conceived joint venture between the City of Encinitas and Carltas, the Ecke family development company. Thanks to that famous "conservative" financial planning by the city, they budgeted 70,000+ rounds of golf annually, every year. How's that working out for them? In 2009, they got 64,000. In 2010, they got 58,000. In 2011, they got 53,000.
With revenues dropping and costs rising, ERGA can't afford to water and care for the grass very well... which makes the course unattractive and drives away golfers, depressing revenues further. It's a vicious circle of bad planning.
Over at golf course rating site greenskeeper.org, someone from Newport had a similar experience in January:
Took the trip down to Enci Ranch to meet some buddies for a Saturday Skins match. Never played this track before but was looking forward to it. I don't mind paying $100 for a round of golf every once and awhile but paying $100 for this track is a complete joke. If I were the head greens keeper here I would be ashamed! The whole course was in awful condition. From the overgrown tee boxes to the dead fairways this whole track was just hard on the eyes! The greens were somewhat decent and the ocean views were nice. The rest of the foursome all had the same opinions of this place but there always is one bright spot on every course and that is the 19th hole. Nothing really special about this place either. Service was great but (2) $17 pitchers of brew made me double think why I would spend $117 at this awful golf course!
Continuing losses at the golf course will mean higher Mello-Roos fees for Encinitas Ranch homeowners.
I agree. Not only is the course in terrible condition. It takes five hours to play a damn round with all the backed up play. No marshall is seen until closing time and they want you to leave. I never see the cart girl either.
ReplyDeleteThe city requires that the course be irrigated with reclaimed water.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how that causes it. There's not enough sewage any more? They had plenty of water back in the bubble years.
DeleteThere's plenty of reclaimed water. Much of it still get dumped into the ocean. ERGA doesn't get the water for free. It has to pay for it, even if it's at a rate subsidized by the city. There are pumping costs from the San Elijo Sewage Treatment Facility.
DeleteIt's a sign that the golf course is in big financial distress if the irrigation is being curtailed.
Disc golfers would love another course if it's not more than $10 a round. Or make it a public park. Such a shame to let prime real estate go to waste because its kept exclusive to unappreciative rich people.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this was part of the Great Plan. Rezone a money-losing course to residential (or worse). This has been done before in SD County (and elsewhere), so not so far-fetched.
ReplyDelete9:34 again....sorry have to backpedal on that last comment. It was only proposed to be done in San Diego County (Poway, I believe), but apparently never followed through. But other municipalities in the US have proposed this type of up-zoning.
ReplyDeleteSend comments and suggestions to the Encinitas City Manager, Gus Vina. He is on the ERGA board. Also copy the City Council since in the distance future ownership of the golf course may revert to the city. Taxpayers are still waiting for that loan repayment.
ReplyDelete