COSTA MESA : Seniors to Keep Golf Discounts

Seniors and students will still get a discount when they play golf at the Costa Mesa Golf Course and Country Club, the City Council decided this week. However, retired city employees and former council members won’t.

Completing the contracts with Mesa Verde Partners, operators of the city’s two 18-hole courses, the council on Monday approved the discounts while also deciding to raise some other fees and rental rates, and to eliminate the senior monthly pass program.

The action came several months after Mesa Verde took over operation of the club. During most of their history, the public courses--which opened in the late 1960s--have made money. But facing a city budget crunch, the council decided last year to have a private firm operate the links in the hope of making even more profit.

When Mesa Verde took over in September, discount programs for seniors--but not students--were suspended, and that created an uproar in the golfing community. The discounts were partially restored after the protests.

A handful of senior golfers pleaded with the council Monday to keep senior discounts in its final contract with Mesa Verde Partners. Jim Angus, 84, told the members that many seniors who are on fixed incomes would quit golfing if they had to pay full price.

In a compromise solution, the council unanimously supported continuing the cut-rate green fees. However, while seniors will still pay less than the regular golfing public, they will pay $2 more than they did previously for cart rentals. The council also eliminated the monthly pass program, which allowed seniors to pay one price for unlimited monthly play. The fees and rentals vary according to course, as well as time and day of play.

In addition to the senior rates, the council also agreed to keep discount programs in place for high school and college students.

Eliminated, however, was unlimited free play for former council members and retired city employees with 20 or more years of service.