MacArthur Place Facility to Hole Out Sept. 1
By all accounts, the economic indicators of golf are soaring. Lured partly by the popularity of a certain former Western High student and golfer, more people are picking up the sport.
And perhaps inspired by the skill of Tiger Woods (if you needed us to tell you), local golf professionals say increasing numbers of players are trying to improve their games.
Despite the increased demand for practice space, one Orange County driving range will close down for good next month. MacArthur Place Practice Center lost its lease when the land it occupies west of the 55 freeway in Santa Ana was sold. The facility is scheduled to shut down after its final day of operation Sept. 1.
“The land was sold out from under us, so we are being forced to close,” General Manager Patti Casas said. “Our patrons are quite upset about it, not to mention our employees, but there’s nothing we can do.”
The facility has been doing remarkably well in the last year, Casas said, and use hasn’t dropped off even though her staff has been telling patrons about the impending closure. “I think we’ll be busy,” she said, “until our last day.”
MacArthur Place was always planned as a temporary facility--a way to use the land until the commercial real estate market rebounded from California’s recession. It had a 10-year lease, but the development company that owned the land defaulted on its loan and the bank sold the land to a local title company that plans to build its headquarters on the property. Murray Hay, owner of the practice center, was bought out of the lease.
“That’s the sad story,” Hay said. “Ironically, the last six months of business has never been better.”
MacArthur Place opened in July 1993, a local pioneer in the upscale practice center trend. It targeted business people in nearby office towers and sold a country-club ambience, offering lockers and memberships--and an 18-hole putting course.
Casas said at least 300-400 people make use of the facility daily.
After Sept. 1, they will have to look elsewhere.
*
They shouldn’t have to search too far, however. Coincidently, another impressive golf center is scheduled to open several days before MacArthur Place is boarded up.
NorthWood Golf Center in Irvine, is set to open Aug. 30 what its owners are calling “Southern California’s largest complete golf practice and learning facility.”
The facility, at the corner of Jeffrey and Trabuco roads just north of the Santa Ana Freeway, is huge. There will be space for 100 hitting stations--both grass and mats--and even the longest driver would be hard pressed to reach the 450-yard back edge of the range.
The center has extensive areas for chipping and bunker practice and plans to operate competitive putting leagues on two of its giant putting greens.
There will be a full-line pro shop staffed by Ray Carrasco, director of golf instruction, and eight other teaching professionals.
It’s a unique setting for golf practice; the facility is set on land that once was an orange grove. The land since has been turned into a retarding basin for the Orange County Flood Control District.
The basin is designed to slow the flow of runoff water, especially during a major flood. The Irvine Co., which owns the land, wanted a secondary use and settled on a golf center.
In 1993, the company picked Irvine residents John and Jeane Clymer, and Jeane’s father, Novel James, to build and operate the facility.
James, former operator of both the RiverView and Costa Mesa golf courses, has 30 years of experience in the golf business and John Clymer, a former manager of Montgomery Ward in Santa Ana, has worked in retail sales for 24 years. “We think we’ve got a combination that can work,” Clymer said.
It took longer than expected to finish the project, which was conceived in 1993. Golf construction didn’t start until last summer after the flood control work was completed and rains last winter further delayed the project.
Now, Clymer says, only finishing touches remain before the center is ready for opening day. The range is only several miles from Oak Creek Golf Club, which has an extensive practice facility, and a few more from Strawberry Farm Golf Club, which is scheduled to open this fall, but Clymer isn’t worried about a glut.
“There’s a lot of golf happening in this part of the county,” she said, “but the sport is on such a high we feel there is opportunity for everybody out there.”
*
Sweet lives: Carrasco, who is currently a teaching professional at Laguna Hills Golf Range, played in the Senior British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland last month and made the cut. Carrasco finished 10-over-par 298, 20 shots behind champion Gary Player. Carrasco had his best round of 73 on the final day July 27.
He wasn’t the low Orange County finisher, however. Rick Talt of Laguna Beach finished seven-over 295. Talt shot 78 in the opening round before recovering with a four-under 68 on the second day.
The Orange County Golf Notebook runs every other week during the summer. Suggestions are welcome. Call (714) 966-5904, fax (714) 966-5663 or e-mail Martin.Beck@latimes.com or Steve.Kresal@latimes.com
