That Shot’s in the Rough

The spectacular beauty of the Monterey Peninsula in Northern California makes for a most hospitable environment for recreation, especially on its golf courses. The Pebble Beach Co. has long operated four famous courses in the area--Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay and Del Monte. They have always been opened to the public, but that could change soon.

Cosmo World Co. of Japan, the new owner of the Pebble Beach Co., is planning to make the courses semi-private, keeping them open to the public about half the time. Company representatives have told the Monterey County Board of Supervisors that the newly formed Pebble Beach National Club will sell private memberships. Details are sketchy, but a Japanese newspaper has reported that Cosmo is considering selling 760 memberships for $740,000 each. Public green fees now range from $40 to $175.

The Monterey Board of Supervisors passed a 45-day emergency ordinance on Tuesday to study the privatization plans. At issue is whether taking the courses semi-private might be at odds with state and county requirements to maximize public access and recreational opportunities along the coast.

Part of the California ethos is based on our state’s vast coastline and the general public’s access to it. Certainly Cosmo has rights as a property owner--but it also has obligations to be neighborly. We suspect lots of golfers, tourists and residents would consider severely limited access to Monterey Peninsula’s famous courses anything but that.