SOUTH-CENTRAL : Private Investors to Manage Golf Course

The county has turned over the management of the Chester L. Washington Golf Course to a group of private investors who have agreed to spend $900,000 to renovate the course.

The CW Golf Partners--Vince Evans, a Los Angeles Raider; Sidney Williams, husband of Rep. Maxine Waters, (D-Los Angeles), and a former Cleveland Brown; and Edward K. Waters, the congresswoman’s son--and American Golf Corp. acquired a 25-year lease to the park at 120th Street and Western Avenue last month.

The agreement calls for the partnership to improve the course’s irrigation system and install fencing when it takes over the course Oct. 18, according to Steve Duron, administrative services manager for the Parks and Recreation Department. In addition, the partnership will pay the county $700,000 in rent annually or a fixed percentage of gross receipts if that amount is greater.

The county will retain control of the cart and green fees, which are currently $17.50 a round on weekdays and are not expected to rise.

“Given the revenue picture, we thought it was the best way to maximize our profits, and we have major projects that need to be done such as updating the irrigation system,” Duron said. The county had started to renovate the course’s irrigation system but ran out of money.

“It’s a very good course and it has a great history,” said Joe Champ, vice president of acquisitions for American Golf. “A lot of notable people played there, including Sweet Swinger Rhodes, probably the best African-American golfer.”

CW Golf Partners said it will donate 1% of the course’s annual greens fees and golf cart rental profits to the Watts/Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club.

The course is among the most popular county-owned golf courses, with more than 80,000 rounds played annually.