And it is up for sale ...
Oakmoore Golf Course
Location: 3737 N. Wilson Way
Opened: 1960
Owners: The Claire and Stanley Moore family
Property specs: 67 acres, three homes, nine-hole golf course, tennis court, clubhouse.
Listed price: $5.9 million.
By Bob Highfill
Record Sports Editor
July 17, 2010 12:00 AM
STOCKTON - Oakmoore Golf Course, a hidden jewel nestled behind an ivy-covered gate and fence on Wilson Way in northeast Stockton, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The memories over that span are priceless. Famous golfers such as Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino, Bob Rosburg and Billy Casper have played there. Hundreds of tournaments, many in support of worthy causes, have been staged there.
But now, the 67-acre privately-owned compound that includes a tree-studded, nine-hole golf course, three homes, a clubhouse, swimming pool and tennis court is up for sale for $5.9 million.
"The golf course has hundreds of beautiful trees on it," said Bob Hesseltine of Grupe Real Estate, the listing agent. "It's a beautiful facility."
About three years ago, a group purchased an option to develop the land, along with the adjacent Stockton 99 Speedway, but the deal fell apart. Stockton 99 Speedway re-opened last year after a two-year hiatus. Oakmoore remains open and will continue to host private tournaments until the new owners announce their intentions.
Several months ago, members of the Moore family put the property on the market after five decades of ownership.
"The time has come for someone else to move forward with it," said Cardiff-by-the-Sea resident JoAnn Fairchild, 71, one of four children born to the late Claire and Stanley Moore, who opened Oakmoore in 1960. "Several generations in the Moore family have totally enjoyed this property. We feel good about where it's been taken and where we're leaving it."
Stanley Moore was an engineer and successful businessman with a passion for golf. Claire Moore was civic minded and enjoyed hosting parties and events. Their vision for a place where they could play golf with their friends, entertain them and house their family became Oakmoore.
Claire and Stanley built three homes on the property. They occupied the main house, JoAnn and her husband Bob Fairchild and their three children resided in the second home, and the course superintendent lives in the third. The primary homes have been vacant since 2004. Every morning, residents there woke to the sound of chirping birds with dew glistening off the manicured fairways and reflected images shimmering on the ponds.
"It's such a beautiful setting," Fairchild said.
Now, Fairchild hopes another owner or perhaps an organization will enjoy the property like her family did.
"The point of Oakmoore for my father and family was to relax and have fun and enjoy friends," she said. "He wanted it also to be available to the community."
The course and clubhouse have been rented to private groups for decades. Golfers usually play two rounds over the 3,465-yard, par-36 layout. Hesseltine said he has received interest from several potential buyers but no offers have been made.
Moore made his fortune developing and marketing numerous products, mainly in heavy machinery. He succeeded his father, J. Stewart Moore, as owner of Moore Equipment Co. on Charter Way, which among other products manufactured invasion barges used by the Navy in World War II. Stanley Moore later operated West Coast Machinery, which designed and manufactured electric golf carts, as well as other small vehicles and transporters.
Moore enjoyed designing and building homes, including the mid-century modern style homes at Oakmoore. He also built a home that still stands along the 18th fairway near the clubhouse at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where he and his family lived for eight years. He sold that property and in 1958 purchased a flat piece of vacant land in Stockton that became his dream spot, Oakmoore.
Moore was quoted to say he was pleased Oakmoore played like a championship golf course. Casper, who won a pro-am at Oakmoore in 1961 said, "The greens are undulating, as well as being built up. You have to approach them from just the right way, or you're in serious trouble."
Stanley Moore died in 1995 at age 88. He and Claire spent 36 years together at Oakmoore. Claire resided there until her death in 2003 at age 93. The Fairchilds were there more than 20 years.
Fairchild knows the property might be developed and lost as a golf course in the hands of a new owner. She doesn't want that to happen.
"We hope someone with a vision and a good plan buys it and enjoys the beauty," she said, "and that the property fits their needs."