[jeffwarne]

All money collected from SD golf courses goes into the golf fund and must be used for golf.


As many have noted here before the price of “fair wage labor” for City projects really ratcheted up the cost. The interesting question is: was Rees paid? In the original resign he did the d ensign Pro Bono, but used his construction Co. to carry out the work.

Two very interesting points there Pete.


In the first point you make, it's exactly thnking like that that leads to stupid decisions and over funding of some departments and underfunding of others.
It's like the corporate execs who mindlessly run around and use the last dollars in their budget in December under the mantra of "use it or lose it", in fear that if they don't next year their budget will be cut-leading to massive misallocation of funds and waste.
In some towns, golf can't get the funding they need due to ridiculous allocation the other way-rightfully choosing to fund non revenue creating open space, ball parks, etc. while forcing golf to support itself based on some committee's definition of cost allocation-completely fogetting the benefit of the golf as recreation  and open space for those same people.
Yet in San Diego, the money "has" to be used on golf, while presumably other programs go lacking or the taxpayers are being needlessly overtaxed to support over funded programs(in this case due to a US Open site).
i.e. a bit of common sense on how to distribute a windfall as well as planning for future shortfalls.


As far as the "pro bono" design work trick, I was sure that ship sailed with the great recession as well, but I guess suckers are continuing to be reborn.

[Kalen Braley]

Thanks for that Jeff, and that directly points to what i was trying to allude to in my prior post.

Assuming San Diego has the same problems that afflict every other major city in the US, at what point do candidates and voters start chiming in and demanding change to the "golf monies must be spent on golf" policy.  There is certainly no such policy in Salt Lake city and a few courses were even closed due to reallocation of funds.

Yes public golf here is relatively cheap and we certainly don't have a cash cow like the TP Complex.  But at some point you would think SD voters would take notice of what appears to be an egregious misuse of public money.

[Matt_Cohn]

Nothing to do with cost, but man they sure have taken out a lot of trees at Torrey Pines over the years. It looks barren, almost.

[Jeff Schley]

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2020/02/25/san-diego-spending-millions-renovations-municipal-torrey-pines/
More information about the work which will be 15m and include the North and South along with Balboa and Mission Bay. Some of the article below.


San Diego’s city council has allotted $15 million for upgrades and renovations to the city’s three municipally operated golf facilities including Torrey Pines’ South Course, site of the 2021 U.S. Open, according to a report Tuesday by the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The $15 million approved Monday by the city council also will include contract work at San Diego’s other municipally operated golf facilities at Balboa Park and Mission Bay, the Union-Tribune reported. The courses will remain open during the jobs that include installing new irrigation systems and drainage, replacing and repairing cart paths, renovating bunkers and tree work.
The city agreed to a joint contract with four companies to do the work, with individual projects expected to cost from $250,000 to $2.5 million.
The Union-Tribune reported that Torrey Pines pulls in about $6 million in profit in a typical year, while Balboa and Mission Bay combine to cost the city about $2 million a year. Recent increases in the cost of water and labor have increased losses at Balboa and Mission Bay while reducing profits at Torrey Pines.
Those figures don’t include lease payments for the three courses. The city gets about $1.6 million in lease revenue from Torrey Pines and about $800,000 from Mission Bay and Balboa Park. The city also owns seven other courses it doesn’t operate but that do provide lease revenue.

[John Emerson]

All money collected from SD golf courses goes into the golf fund and must be used for golf. Balboa Park is in the best shape it’s been in for many years. It also has an irrigation System that can control each head individually; actually a byproduct of money collected from the USGA during the 2008 US Open. The only obvious place to spend the cash is the executive course Mission Bay, which does need a lot of work and a new clubhouse. But the futures of this site is in doubt since the DeAnza trailer park closed and the City looks to redevelop this prime section of Mission Bay. Thankfully plans for an $8M new clubhouse at Balboa Park have been shelved.


As many have noted here before the price of “fair wage labor” for City projects really ratcheted up the cost. The interesting question is: was Rees paid? In the original resign he did the d ensign Pro Bono, but used his construction Co. to carry out the work.

Controlling individual heads isn’t some new ground breaking idea that costs ungodly amounts of money.  This is the industry standard that’s been around for a couple decades.  While irrigation is typically expensive either way, it’s way over blown and “fluffed up” to make it sound like they are installing something new and great that nobody else has....news flash...just about every course has this.  This whole fiasco sounds like a big racket targeting the tax payers.

[Pete Lavallee]

John,


Just how are we burdening the tax payers when Torrey makes $6MM per year and the other 2 courses loose $2MM; the City golf fund gains $4MM every year! Golfers supporting golf, what’s not to like?

[John Emerson]

John,


Just how are we burdening the tax payers when Torrey makes $6MM per year and the other 2 courses loose $2MM; the City golf fund gains $4MM every year! Golfers supporting golf, what’s not to like?

Not saying what you’re implying.  The number they’re saying it will cost is asinine.  This is my point.

[R_Paulis]

Christmas Day 1992 I recall. Just moved to SD and I reveled in the insanely cheap TP resident green fees. Joined a local couple who were insulted when I suggested the green fees could easily x5 for a legendary course which was lackluster in its conditions. Clearly TP was not yet being considered for The US Open.

Don't know what locals pay these days, but walking down 17 that Christmas Day when I was joined by a bobcat who strolled nary 10 feet from me nearly the entire length of the fairway was priceless.

[John Emerson]

Christmas Day 1992 I recall. Just moved to SD and I reveled in the insanely cheap TP resident green fees. Joined a local couple who were insulted when I suggested the green fees could easily x5 for a legendary course which was lackluster in its conditions. Clearly TP was not yet being considered for The US Open.

Don't know what locals pay these days, but walking down 17 that Christmas Day when I was joined by a bobcat who strolled nary 10 feet from me nearly the entire length of the fairway was priceless.

I was there about a year ago and I think locals pay around 35-$40 if I remember correctly

[Pete Lavallee]

For TP South, City residents pay $63 during the week and $78 on weekends. There is a $44 Senior rate during the week. Non residents, meaning anyone whose DL doesn't say SD, pays the non resident rate of $202 during the week and $252 on weekends; no Senior rate, but out of town Juniors can tee it up for $141.

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