Oakland's Metropolitan Golf Links
provides rebirth on old landfill
By David R. Holland,
Senior Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. (August 1, 2003) -- When Metropolitan Golf
Links opened recently there was skepticism and optimism.
You see, Metropolitan is a remake of the old Lew Galbraith
Golf Course, opened in 1966 over an old landfill. Its low
green fees made it an instant success, hosting as many as
90,000 rounds in one year. But the landfill was unstable and
eventually the new fairways started to sag, dip and become
uneven. Grass failed to grow in some spots.
Fast forward to 2003. Metropolitan Golf Links is born
to descriptions of "spacious and open, with a canopy of sky
and long views to the Oakland Hills, the Bay, downtown Oakland,
and San Francisco bracketing the horizon. Light winds off the
Bay will often be a factor in the strategy and shot selection
of the savvy player."
"Metropolitan Golf Links will test all level of players
and will become a championship links that offers a great golf
experience and spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay,"
said U.S. Open champ Johnny Miller, who designed the course
along with Fred Bliss.
The
birth of Metropolitan Golf Links also has initiated the Oakland
Turf Education Initiative, a new program designed to open
up careers in the golf industry for Oakland's inner-city youth.
Select Oakland youngsters will learn about the turfgrass
industry and can pursue college degrees through educational
programs offered at a local community college and California
Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The program
is of specific interest for African-American groups in Oakland,
who constantly search for vocational opportunities.
For more information about the Oakland Turfgrass Education
Initiative, write CourseCo at PO Box 1019, Petaluma, CA 94953.
SilverRock Ranch Resort at La Quinta selects Palmer
The City of La Quinta has selected the Arnold
Palmer Course Design Company of Ponte Vedra, Florida, to
design its new municipal golf course located at SilverRock Ranch.
The city spent $42.5 million to purchase the 525-acre site,
which is adjacent to the private golf communities of PGA
West and The Tradition Golf Club, where Mr. Palmer has
a home.
Also in the plans at SilverRock: multiple hotel sites, including
a boutique hotel and spa, resort retail complex, community
center, recreational facilities, golf clubhouse and private-residence
villas around the projected two 18-hole golf courses and one
9-hole course.
Running Horse in Fresno sets plans
Planning is under way for the Running Horse master-planned
community in Fresno, which would include a 27-hole golf course
designed by John Harbottle III, a 25,000-square-foot clubhouse,
1,700 homes, a shopping center, various recreational amenities
and a business park.
It would be built in Fresno's southwest section and would
include 888 acres. The Running Horse master-planned community
is proposed for a large parcel bounded by Marks, California,
Whites Bridge and Hughes Avenues, just west of Roeding Business
Park.
Running Horse's projected backing includes Cypress Investment
of Carmel, Calif., and Paul Pugh, senior partner with the
San Jose accounting firm of Petrinovich Pugh & Co. Cypress
was involved in Clint Eastwood's Tehama course in Monterey
and Pugh, a past president of the Northern California Golf
Association, is an owner of Cinnabar Hills Golf Club in San
Jose.
Tiger Woods Learning Center at Dad Miller
PGA
Tour players take notice of another generous contribution
by the Tiger
Woods Foundation in concert with the Target Corporation.
The $25-million Tiger Woods Learning Center has broken ground
at H.G. 'Dad' Miller Golf Course in Anaheim, where Tiger played
as a youngster, near his home in Cypress.
Underprivileged children will benefit from this 35,000-square-foot
learning center that will include an auditorium, lab with
more than 100 computers and a media resource center. The golf
teaching area will include 23 acres designed by Woods and
architect Tom
Fazio.
Cathedral City cites golf course project
Developer
Scott McGregor has requested to redevelop Lakeside Golf Course
in Cathedral City, near Rancho Mirage in the Palm Springs,
Coachella Valley area.
McGregor wants to turn the land into a multi-use golf community
with retail stores homes and condos. The proposal also includes
a 300-room Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center and possibly
another hotel.
The new 18-hole championship golf course has more than 150
acres of land to build on and could open in 2004. Opposition
includes environmentalists wanting to preserve a bighorn sheep
habitat.
This and that
The
Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta is the new home for The
ConAgra Foods Skins Game. It's the fifth move in 18 years
for the made-for-television event. Landmark Golf Club in Indio
was the former home of the four-player, $1 million event,
won last year by Mark O'Meara. The popular TV event airs on
Thanksgiving weekend.
O'Meara is assured a spot in this year's event, but the
other three players won't be announced until later this year.
Last year Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Fred
Couples rounded out the group.
Trump
National Golf Club at Los Angeles is the official new name
for Ocean Trails Golf Club in Palos Verdes.
