In Defense of Golf Course Firm

An article on American Golf Corp. (“Greener Pastures: Golf Firm Moves to Cash In on New Interest in Sport,” May 8) initiated a response (“Public Agencies Made Golf Affordable,” Letters, May 25) from Craig Kessler, public affairs chairman, Southern California, Public Links Golf Assn. I would appreciate the opportunity to respond to Mr. Kessler’s comments.

AGC assists golf course owners in ensuring that golfers of all skill levels and backgrounds have numerous opportunities to enjoy the game of golf. Whether it be a citizen of a local community playing a round at a nearby public course, a seasonal visitor to a resort community enjoying the sites of one of our resort courses, or a member of a prestigious private country club course, AGC ensures players have the best possible golf experience.

Mr. Kessler’s reply to “Greener Pastures” posed a familiar argument against golf management companies such as AGC. He implied that golf management companies take over public courses and drive up greens fees, without providing any valuable services, and therefore drive away golfers. Not true.

Mr. Kessler stated that “municipal golf courses feel the same as privately held golf courses.” However, most public facilities that AGC assumes do not initially have this “feel.” Only after AGC reconstructs neglected courses, clubhouses, etc., do they take on this feel of privately held courses. AGC takes public courses and transforms them into attractive, appealing and exciting courses that otherwise may not get the attention they deserve.

AGC also wants the “ordinary working men and women to enjoy the open-space recreational activities.” But many times when we take over a municipal course, it is in no condition for any golfer to enjoy. AGC has invested over $9.2 million in refurbishment and capital improvements of Southern California public golf facilities since 1995. Those are dollars that cities do not have in their budgets to spend on local courses.

AGC spends over $2 million annually on training programs to instill our corporate standards of quality into our staff and to support their efforts.

Cities call upon AGC for our expertise in managing golf courses. Government officials are good at running cities; they do not always have the staff and experience of operating golf courses. Mr. Kessler challenged AGC to increase the availability of affordable golf courses. We have, and will continue to do so. Most recently AGC has invested in excess of $18 million to construct municipally owned, affordable golf in Lake Forest, Fountain Valley and Glendale, where the average greens fees are all less than $12.

KEVIN J. ROBERTS

President, Golf Operations

American Golf Corp.

Santa Monica