W ith the talk about Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club's opening swirling around for the last year, two of the general managers whose courses are going to compete with Orange County's newest facility had to take a look.
David Foster of Talega Golf Club in San Clemente and Rick Convertini of Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita separately viewed Mission Viejo's first full-size public course, and both were equally impressed.
``They've done a great job,'' Foster said. ``I've been out there twice, and it is really well done.''
``It is a great facility,'' Convertini said. ``I look forward to going and playing it.''
That won't happen for a while. The course has sold out its tee times for two weeks and the demand for the course has been overwhelming. One golfer, West Seegmiller of Newport Beach, had a winning bid of $1,525 on Ebay.com for today's first official tee time. The money benefited HomeAid Orange County, which builds and re novates shelters for the homeless.
``The response from the public has been outstanding,'' said Matt Donovan, general manager of Arroyo Trabuco. ``This is something the community can be really proud of.''
The rest of the county might be just as pleased. The course is an upscale facility, but it is priced more like a municipal golf course.
The course is charging $55 Monday through Thursday, $75 on Fridays and $85 Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Talega, Tijeras Creek, Strawberry Farms in Irvine, Tustin Ranch, Westridge in La Habra, Monarch Beach in Dana Point, Oak Creek in Irvine and Pelican Hill in Newport Coast all have green fees of more than $100 on weekends.
``That was the conscious thought from the beginning,'' Donovan said. ``For Orange County, it isn't that high-priced.''
Foster, whose course is $40 more on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, knows Arroyo Trabuco will have an impact.
``We would be foolish to think it's not going to affect us,'' Foster said. ``I wish they weren't that low. You might create a situation where you are driving everybody else down. We won't panic, though. Our club is doing well, and we'll sit and watch them.''
Convertini said Tijeras Creek also has no plans to lower its rates.
``We're as ready as we can be,'' said Convertini, who just oversaw a $400,000 bunker renovation at Tijeras Creek. ``The next few months will be interesting.''
Arroyo Trabuco was designed by PGA Tour player Tom Lehman and Costa Mesa golf architect Casey O'Callaghan, and the two have created a 240-acre course in the Trabuco Creek and the Ladera Open Space Reserve.
The course has five sets of tee boxes, playing from 5,100 to 7,000 yards with Bermuda grass fairways and Bent grass greens. There are two lakes and 53 bunkers. The course also features a 3,000-foot clubhouse, 4,600-square foot restaurant and bar with a 2,500-square foot outdoor garden area, a 5,600-square foot banquet room and a 2,500-square foot wedding gazebo/garden area.
Course owner DMB San Juan Golf Associates, LLC., has pledged that no houses will be built around the course.
``They wanted something the community could enjoy,'' Donovan said. ``We think we will get a lot of play. We are projecting 60,000 rounds a year.''
Bob May is looking forward to playing the course. May, who lives in Orange and works in Mission Viejo, has been driving by the course occasionally and joined the men's club to ensure he would get one of today's coveted tee times.
``It sounds like a really good course,'' May said. ``I hope it turns out the way everybody has been talking about it.''
Donovan is convinced it will.
``We've been involved in this since the beginning,'' said Donovan, whose family manages several golf courses, including Willowick in Santa Ana and Strawberry Farms. ``This is going to be a pretty special place.''
``It is more than a $55 golf course,'' Tijeras Creek's Convertini said. ``We will see what business dictates, but I predict they will raise their rates.''
May and other golfers hope that doesn't happen for a long time.
``When I was single it was easier to justify spending $100 on a round of golf,'' said May, who plays at least twice a month.
``Now that I am married and have a baby, I am looking for deals all the time.''
Source: The Orange County Register (Calif.)