COSTA MESA : City to Study Golf Course Discounts

Discount green fees for senior citizens and youths at the Costa Mesa Golf Course and Country Club may be going up soon.

Early last week, the City Council ordered staff to survey the discounts offered by other public courses with which Costa Mesa competes.

The move comes at a time when the city is looking to maximize profits at the courses, which were turned over to a private operator in September.

“Staff will be doing a survey of local public courses, then the council will look at that data and decide what they want to do in all those areas,” Assistant City Manager Ann Gyben said. “We need to balance revenue with community needs.”

Mesa Verde Partners was awarded the contract to operate the courses earlier this year, beating out dozens of competitors for the lucrative deal.

Although the two public courses, which were run by the city for about 20 years, had always turned a profit, the move was seen as a way to add even more money to cash-strapped city coffers.

The discounts, which have been offered for several years, were a major concern for golfers when the city changed course management.

Under the pass program, seniors could play unlimited golf for $50 a month, while a junior pass costs $25. The program includes reduced cart rentals.

After taking over, Mesa Verde abolished the passes and offered $8 discount rounds instead.

However, following a recommendation by the Golf Course Advisory Committee, the council approved reinstatement of the pass program, and the city negotiated with Mesa Verde to offer the discounts once again, beginning Oct. 1.

The council has now decided to study where the discounts stand in relation to those at other courses.

As part of the survey, Mesa Verde will also be looking at the number of people who use the passes.

The results are expected to be back to the council within the next few months, and a decision could be made as early as next year, officials said.