Page 4 - Boca Exposure - July '19

Page 4, Boca Exposure
Council Corner: What You Should Know

About Boca Raton’s New Municipal Golf Course

Andy Thomson was elected has led me to conclude that there is a better way: let’s call it architecture for newer golfers, and quicker options for busy
during the special City the “community golf” model. This model, which has been golfers, we can make this course more inclusive for everyone.
Council election in 2018. successfully implemented in several municipal courses around Better deal for the taxpayers and players. Not only is the
There will soon be a new the country, has two main benefits: golf that is more inclusive $30 million price tag for the current design simply too much to
municipal golf course in Boca for all ages and skill levels, and a better deal for the taxpayers. spend on an amenity that will be used by relatively few people,
Raton. I feel strongly that it More inclusive for all ages. It’s easy to forget that a city- but it also creates another problem. The cost to play on such
should be golf for the people owned golf course is a park. It tends to be a relatively expensive a course will be as high as $75 to $90 a round, which is more
– inclusive and affordable for park used by a relatively small subset of the community, but it than the average resident can afford. As a member of the City
all. Here’s how I want to make doesn’t have to be. The community golf model recognizes that Council with a duty to spend taxpayers’ money wisely, I can’t
it happen. golf courses belong to everyone and should have something to accept that. We need to find ways to create a quality golf course
Around the country, golf offer everyone. For example, rather than a large and expensive for less. But how?
courses are struggling. Many clubhouse, Boca’s course should have a brewery and an outdoor One way would be by engaging talented, creative, up-and-
are closing, just as the Ocean Breeze Golf Course did here in meeting space for golfers and non-golfers to enjoy. There should coming golf architects. Architects who are looking to make
Boca Raton several years ago. also be free amenities, such as a putting course and free rounds a name for themselves, and who not only design the course
About a year ago, Boca Raton agreed to sell its municipal for kids/juniors to attract more people to the game. And we (creatively, as outlined above), but build it; they are out there on
golf course. Around the same time, an independent government should retain some of the 200-plus acres at Ocean Breeze as the bulldozers shaping the holes themselves. These experienced
body, the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District, purchased park space, walking trails, or other creative uses of green space. but up-and-coming architects charge far less which, in turn, leads
the defunct Ocean Breeze course for $24 million. The Beach All residents could enjoy a community golf course like this. to lower development costs. Lower development costs means a
& Park District interviewed several golf course architects and Also, when golf experts discuss the decline in golf’s more efficient use of taxpayer dollars and lower fees for golfers,
ultimately selected Price/Fazio to design a new “championship” popularity, they often point to two main factors: intimidating which in turn increases the chances that the course will generate
golf course. This design includes 18 traditional holes, an 11-hole difficulty and time. Golf has a well-deserved reputation for revenue over time.
short course, a traditional clubhouse, a golf school, and other being frustratingly difficult for beginners. Traditional golf course There is a recent case study of how these elements can
elements. The total cost of construction, as designed, is estimated architecture – narrow fairways, water hazards – compound this combine to create successful municipal golf: Winter Park 9. It,
to be $28 million. Taking into account the purchase price of the initial intimidation factor. But the community golf model calls too, was a defunct golf course which that city revitalized. It was
land, this new course would cost taxpayers a total of around $52 for more inclusive architecture of the holes themselves – broader designed by two up-and-coming architects. It was designed to
million. Given this cost, the Beach & Park District has proposed fairways, more short grass, fewer hazards – that makes the course be inclusive and playable with broad fairways, large greens, and
greens fees in the range of $75 to $90 per round. more inviting for newcomers, but still challenging for seasoned strategic bunkering. It includes a free putting course. Winter Park
Recognizing now that they cannot afford to construct the players with large, undulating greens and strategic bunkering. 9 now regularly ranks as one of the top municipal courses in the
course as originally designed, the Beach & Park District recently A design like this would attract newer players and keep country.
asked the City to approve the Price/Fazio golf course design and them playing. As for time, if you ask most people (particularly Most impressively, this quality product was developed for
contribute $20 million toward its construction. young parents), the reason they don’t play golf is because they only $1.2 million and costs only $19 to play. And the success of
We’re now at a critical decision point. Should Boca Raton don’t have four to five hours to play 18 holes. Recognizing this, this course can be seen in the bottom line: It went from losing
(or any city) spend a total of $52 million, and perhaps more, on a we should build 18 quality holes, but as part of two creatively $250,000 a year to earning $100,000 a year. I’ve discussed
traditional golf course model that is dying, too expensive for the designed nine-hole courses, ideally by two sets of architects. That the community golf model and the success of Winter Park 9
average resident, and used by a only a small sliver of taxpayers? way, people who don’t have five hours to dedicate to 18 holes with Winter Park’s mayor at length, and he could not be more
Since being elected late last year, I’ve spent a great deal have an easy off-ramp after an hour or two, while those with passionate about how much this course improved their city and
of time researching the future of golf. As a pretty lousy golfer more time can enjoy all 18. Time doesn’t have to be a barrier to how that model is the future of municipal golf.
myself, I’ve spent hours meeting and speaking with golf industry enjoying golf, and a community golf model can accommodate Inclusive for all ages and skill levels. A better deal for
experts, architects, analysts, and elected officials in cities with everyone. taxpayers and players. That’s a golf course for the people, and
successful municipal courses. All of this time and research With more amenities for non-golfers, more attractive one that I want to see here in Boca Raton.

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