Council to Consider Golf Course Upgrade

Golf enthusiasts are hopeful the City Council tonight will give its blessing to a $10.2-million face-lift to Los Robles Golf Course--the only public course in town.

After several years of public hearings--as well as litigation about errant balls from the driving range--the council is expected to vote to reinvigorate the 36-year-old, 18-hole course.

Located south of the Ventura Freeway, the 365-acre facility accommodates about 85,000 rounds of golf annually. The city bought the course for $2.6 million in 1972.

Among the renovations planned:

* About $1.5 million of improvements to the course’s irrigation and drainage system. “The majority of the irrigation system is about 35 years old, and seldom a week goes by that major line repairs aren’t required,” said Robert Biery, the city finance director.

* Demolishing the clubhouse and replacing it with a new one about 75 yards south that would contain a pro shop, office space, storage, snack bar and lockers in about 17,000 square feet. This would cost an estimated $3 million.

* Resurface and reconfigure the fairways and greens along with reorienting several holes to make them more challenging to an accomplished golfer. Such improvements would cost about $4.7 million.

* Spend another $1 million to improve access between the golf course, the staging area and the driving range. Additional lighting and parking would be added to the range.

If approved, the new master plan would mean a hike in golf fees for the course, Biery said, though he has not yet worked out a detailed financial analysis for the increase.