Crisis situation at Gleneagles GC (San Francisco)

[Kevin_Reilly]

I just received this email from Gleneagles:

Dear Gleneagles Golfer,
 
Our lease officially expired eight months ago and we have been on "month-to-month" status while negotiating with Recreation and Parks Department to develop new lease language whereby the City increases support for Gleneagles similar to how they support Harding, Sharp, Lincoln and Golden Gate Park golf courses.
 
Under the current lease, the City offers no assistance whatsoever.
 
Unfortunately, two weeks ago we received a letter from the SFPUC stating that "due to the drought they are increasing our water rate by 50% effective July 1, 2014."
 
Accordingly, we have given a 30-day notice to the Recreation and Parks Department ending our lease at Gleneagles GC on July 31, 2014.
 
As you can imagine, a 50% increase in the water rate is the WORST news we could receive and seriously impacts our efforts to maintain our community golf course.
 
Independent golf courses like Gleneagles have been hit with a series of body blows including declining rounds of golf and competing with ultra-discounted internet green fees. 
 
If you support Gleneagles and wish help us through this crisis, please contact the Recreation and Parks Department and Commissioners.
 
In the meantime come out and use the golf course. We recognize that you have many golf choices but we also know that there is nothing quite like Gleneagles GC.
 
For the past ten years we have replaced all the greens with country club preferred bentgrass. We have removed hazardous trees and limbs, restored Old Number One green, purchased new mowers, tractors and other vital equipment, maintained a declining irrigation system and endured as the price of water has more than doubled in the past nine years. We are also a designated satellite course of The First Tee of San Francisco, home to hundreds of young children and their families from our neighborhoods.
 
Finally and most importantly, our dedicated staff has provided a welcoming environment from the moment you walk through our doors until the time you leave the property.
 
As you all know, Gleneagles GC is a special place, unique in all the golf kingdom. Your loyalty and persistent support is appreciated in the next 30 days while we petition the City to keep this community golf course open with a fair lease that offers City support like other golf courses.
 
CONTACT:
 
Phil Ginsburg, General Manager -Recreation and Parks Department and cc: the Commissioners of the Recreation and Parks Department.
 
Mr. Ginsburg and the Commissioners can be emailed at:
 
phil.ginsburg@sfgov.org   (RPD General Manager)
Margaret.mcarthur@sfgov.org (Commission Liason)
 
Cc: gleneaglesinsf@gmail.com

 
For golf at Gleneagles,
Tom

Tom A. Hsieh
Gleneagles GC at McLaren Park
415-587-2425

[Tim Leahy]

Since the PGA is now coming to Harding maybe they would get involved. "Just Play 9" sounds like a good slogan for them to get behind and using a pretty nine like Gleneagles would look good in print. Also the course is located in a poor neighborhood and if getting ethnically diverse golfers to the sport is a priority this is a perfect place.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Coverage in the SF Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nevius/article/Gritty-Gleneagles-Golf-Course-s-biggest-hazard-5605444.php#photo-6565611

[Jim Nugent]

Coverage in the SF Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nevius/article/Gritty-Gleneagles-Golf-Course-s-biggest-hazard-5605444.php#photo-6565611

When I lived in SF, years ago, this was my favorite course.  (Didn't play the private courses.)  I doubt it's one of the state's toughest, yard for yard or otherwise, but a number of the holes were challenging when the wind kicked up, as it seemed to always do in the afternoon.  Always fun to play -- I bet even more so with the improved greens -- and here's hoping they resolve this water issue. 

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Gleaneagles is one of the chapters in To the Nines. I hope something can be done. The current management company has done a wonderful job improving the course.

[Brett Hochstein]

Gleneagles is a sporty little golf course.  I spent a little time there (not enough for what I wanted to accomplish) volunteering, mainly cleaning up bunkers.  The work that Tom T, George Waters, Thomas Bastis, Mark Logan, and everyone else pitching in their time for the greens accomplished there was really great.  They've got interest, variety, quality, and challenge.  It was actually frustrating to work there because all it would take is justtt a little more to get Gleneagles to great status.  Remove a few more trees, touch up the bunkers, firm up the turf, and you've got a 9 holer among the world's elite.  As it is now, it's still has a very worthy place in the Bay Area.

The place itself is really cool too with a clubhouse lost in time.  I loved having a Sierra after work up there and looking out over the Bay.  I will draft something up later for Parks and Rec if I can get time.

[Matt Schiffer]

Thanks for the heads up Kevin.  It's been on my list of to-visits for ages so I'm going to head out this week to give a few $ and show my support.

[Keith Doleshel]

I urge any Bay Area residents on here to please write to the San Francisco Recreation Department in support of a new lease agreement.  SF has spent millions on Harding Park while neglecting their other public golf facilities.  It's great that they might get some return on investment from the PGA Championship, World Match Play, and Presidents Cup, but the rest of the city's golf courses are in dire straits.  Gleneagles is a really neat golf course which promotes many of the things that GCA members in favor of: fast play, firm and fast conditions, and classic architecture.  The operators of Gleneagles need all the support they can get.  The place is on life support right now.