Less than three months removed from a city council vote that appeared to seal a gutting of Newport Beach GC, elected leaders reversed course and rescinded their decision earlier this week. For now, all 18 holes, the driving range, putting practice green, pro shop and restaurant are off the chopping block thanks to nearly 10,000 verified signatures of local residents and golfers.
The signatures collected represented a large portion of the Newport Beach community that had opposed a proposal to repurpose much of the golf course as a surf park.
Surf parks have recently gained worldwide notoriety for their ability to produce perfect waves and to bring the activity to landlocked cities like Palm Springs and Waco, Texas. One of the more repeated points of contention against a surf park in Newport Beach is the city’s proximity to world-class beaches.
Further opposition came from a golf community passionate about the amenities and offerings of an affordable golf course in a very affluent city known more for Pelican Hill GC, Newport Beach CC, and Big Canyon CC.
A coalition of golfers, residents, and other volunteers mobilized to collect the signatures within the very compressed time frame required to force the city to either put the matter on the ballot or rescind its October Council action. Suggesting that the Council didn’t need to hold an election to confirm what these signatures made clear about how the community felt about the golf course, the City Council decided to save the time and expense of holding an election. The Council rescinded. While that very likely killed the surf park project, the rescission in no way precludes the property owner from pursuing other development projects on the smaller footprint unaffected by the original October action.
This win ensures, for the time being, affordable and accessible golf in a region that continues to battle a low supply of golf holes and a massive demand from golfers. Advocating for the protection of golf courses and golf holes continues to be a core service of the SCGA and a direct benefit of Association membership.
What happened this week in Newport Beach is a reminder that when golf communities organize, they can affect outcomes. “We don’t yet know how the Newport Beach Golf Course story will end, but what we do know is that what the Newport Beach golf community just did is sure to reverberate beyond Newport Beach to the rest of Orange County and beyond,” said SCGA Public Affairs Director Kevin Fitzgerald. “It was a demonstration of how communities treasure their affordable and accessible golf courses in a way that words can’t convey.”
We implore you to stay informed and be ready to join the game’s advocacy efforts when the time comes in your neighborhood. Sadly, it comes too often. As we just witnessed and have witnessed so many times before, your efforts can make all the difference.
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