Photo by Mel1st
We got a note today from Bruce Olson, the manager of the Golden Gate Park Golf Course, telling us about an public meeting this Wednesday regarding SF Rec & Park’s plans to find new management for the 60 year old golf center.
Olson tells us that Rec & Park is in the process of negotiating a contract with The 1st Tee of San Francisco to manage and operate the Golden Gate Park Golf Course for the next 5 to 7 years.
According to their website, the mission of First Tee is “to provide children (ages 6-17) of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through both golf and character education life-enhancing skills and values that they can apply to all aspects of their life.”
There are currently over 200 First Tee chapters located throughout the United States and abroad. Founded in 1997, The First Tee is a division of the World Golf Foundation. Their first facility began operating in 2009 at Visitacion Valley Middle School. They also offer classes at TPC Harding Park.
Olson says that while much of First Tee’s proposal to Rec & Park has been confidential, he believes they are motivated to transform the par three, nine-hole golf course – ideal for beginner golfers – into a “junior golf learning center”.
The Golden Gate Park Golf Course, located near the 47th & Fulton entrance to the park, already has a legacy of providing junior programs, including summer golf camps and year-round classes for boys and girls age 6 to 14.
The GGP course also has a restaurant on-site, Ironwood BBQ, which boasts “100% oak wood fired BBQ”, and serves pulled pork sandwiches, beef brisket and more.
The public meeting is this Wednesday, April 11 at 6pm at the Golden Gate Park Senior Center (6101 Fulton at 37th Avenue). Rec & Park and First Tee will present their proposal for taking over management of the course, and take questions from the community.
Sarah B.
I’m not sure how I feel about the privatization of one more piece of GGP, but I will say that The First Tee is a class organization that does wonderful work. My son learned to golf via The FIrst Tee at Harding, and they emphasize manners, sportsmanship, and honor right alongside golf skills.
The privatization of GGP is a terrible idea. Just one more nail in the coffin of one of San Francisco’s most precious public assets. What is going on here? Also, how will 1st Tee’s management affect adult golfers? Will it be off-limits to anyone over 12?
Was the golf course not already privatized? It is not uncommon for the public golf courses to be managed by a private organization. Although, 1st Tee is a champion in providing youth golf instruction, I am sure that adult regular play and instruction will be maintained, since this latter group tends generate more funds.
I agree that privatizing is a rotten idea. However, we — as a city and country, not as in you and me — seem to have decided we don’t want to pay taxes for these services. So that leaves privatization or nothing at all.
If somebody’s got another option, please post it ASAP.
from what i gather most of the morning and early afternoon tee times will still be open. however much of the afternoon and some of the weeend times will be blocked off for youth. perhaps a balance will be struck enabling equal access. unfortunately many of these “public /ptivate partnerships” result in the “private” side getting the premium time slot to the exclusion of the general public. the parks were designated in the city chartes for public use not private profit.
being a retired gardener for r&p i am also concerned with the maintenance of the course being contracted away. as far as i know it will continue to be maintained by rec&park employees .this is similar to the current deals at harding, sharp, lincoln and g.g.p.
Dear Sir/MS
Our Golf course at Cypress in Colma Ca 94014, has recently closed and We Cypress Golf Club were planning to go to an make this GGC our place of choice to continue to play our golfing, We as a concensus believe that the First tee will take away this oppertunity for us, and We will not be able to use this facility with easy access for our club with the First Tee basically taking over and forcing us to play some where else.
Please consider us and our use of this as a viable asset to SanFrancisco, and this unique and fine golf course for our use, many of us are seniors and can walk this couse because it’s quite small in length.
Thank You for your consideration in our plea in this matter of the First Tee and GG Golf Course and its future and ours as golfers who want to continue to use this facility, We’re not against the First Tee program, but we feel at a loss if we are forced to play some where else if the First Tee program presents itself there at this GG Golf course facility.
Thank you
Ed Johnson Sr
Golfer and Member of Cypress Golf Club, Colma, CA 94014
https://richmondsfblog.com/2012/04/09/rec-park-considering-first-tee-to-operate-golden-gate-park-golf-course/
Dear Sir/MS
Our Golf course at Cypress in Colma Ca 94014, has recently closed and We Cypress Golf Club were planning to go to an make this GGC our place of choice to continue to play our golfing, We as a consensus believe that the First tee will take away this opportunity for us, and We will not be able to use this facility with easy access for our club with the First Tee basically taking over and forcing us to play some where else.
Please consider us and our use of this as a viable asset to SanFrancisco, and this unique and fine golf course for our use, many of us are seniors and can walk this course because it’s quite small in length.
Thank You for your consideration in our plea in this matter of the First Tee and GG Golf Course and its future and ours as golfers who want to continue to use this facility, We’re not against the First Tee program, but we feel at a loss if we are forced to play some where else if the First Tee program presents itself there at this GG Golf course facility.
Thank you
Ed Johnson Sr
Golfer and Member of Cypress Golf Club, Colma, CA 94014
First off, I like to commend Mr. Bruce Olson for doing a wonderful job of running GGP (pro-shop, restaurant, office, etc.) in spite of having only one groundkeeper on Friday only.
There are only two 9-holes courses in the City (Fleming and GGP). This proposal will further limit young, family and elderly residents’ opportunity for learning, playing and recreation.
And why does 1st Tee of San Francisco, in addition to Visitacion Valley Middle School and Harding Park need a third site?
Although 1st Tee is an admirable organization, I like to see Park and Rec. take a more balanced, considering approach toward its residents.
And last but not least, what’ll happen to Mr. Olson and his staff?
PLEASE KEEP THIS BEAUTIFUL COURSE JUST AS IT IS AND UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF BRUCE OLSON.
To Annie: This is a FACT: San Francisco has the highest ratio of city workers to residents of any city of comparable size in the United States. The cost of this ridiculous Social Utopia is Stupefying. There are 11 Salaries we could cut right now… aka the Board of Supervisors. Apparently their Mission Statement “To Respond to the needs of the people” doesn’t apply here. I am one of the lucky people in San Francisco who only pays six thousand plus dollars a year for my property taxes. Let’s not even mention the local taxes. Where and when was it decided that no more tax dollars were going to go to the services you speak of? This course is what I and other recreational golfers of this city can afford in terms of time and money. This is OUR Public Course! Let me guess, they’re just “Doing it for the Kids”. I Highly doubt it. And Cath, that’s great that your son learned to golf at first tee. So What? There are plenty of junior golfers at the park spending time and learning to golf with their Parent, Parents (remember family time?), friends, or Bruce Olson. And the sportsmanship and manners you talk about are repeatedly taught. On Christmas Day my girlfriend and I were paired up with a father and his four year old son, Oliver. Oliver’s Dad made him shake our hands, introduce himself, taught him ladies first, helped us look for a lost ball, and made him shake hands after we played. And Wow, imagine that, a first tee at Harding Park, right down the road. That is where it should stay. And as far as afternoons and weekend times blocked off for youth, this is when “We” Adult Career Bound tax paying citizens of San Francisco (who paid for the course) have time to play a quick par 3 and get some healthy stress. Every golf course has “Trunk Slammers”, the people rushing from work, pulling their clubs out, slamming the trunk lid and rushing to the clubhouse to get in 9 before sundown. If you haven’t seen one, show up to Golden Gate around 5 or 6 p.m. Also, Let’s see some numbers. Is the park out of funds? The De Young remodel was $202,000,000. The course looks and plays great right now. The gardeners are doing a fine job. It needs Nothing but mowing, fertilizer and water. Do I need to repeat that? What has made this public course economically unfeasible after 60 plus years and it plays just fine? What is their motive?
The upside is that this change would eliminate Bruce.. as the numerous reviewers on Yelp suggest, He is not the friendliest of dudes.
Other than that change, this proposal is questionable. Like Lincoln park, GGP needs to get rennovated to be viable long term. It should be playable year round. Instead it is a mud bog weeks after every drizzle. The renovation is expensive. Lots of trees to cut down, new sand base and modern irrigation. Anybody know any philanthropists willing to donate $4 million?
The issue of Bruse Olson and his attitude toward customers, I find That he is very cordial and a nice man who tries to please his customers, I don’t know him well, but maybe the issue of losing the management of the golf course to the first tee program, that may be effecting his demeaner at times but who wouldn’t? I think he’s doing a great job considering the circumstances surrounding this golf course, but I have not seen him being unpleasant with the customers, He seems to be a very nice man.
Thank you
Ed Johnson Senior golfer
The golf course is already privatized, this is not a new thing. The current management of the golf course has done very little during the past 5 years or so to improve the golf experience for beginner and seasoned golfers. I know many golfers who have had a bad experience with the current management and refuse to play there because they are treated with such rudeness. I believe that Parks and Rec wanted new management – it’s a shame that only First Tee and the current operator bid on the proposal. For those of you who tried to play there during the summer months, remember how the course was pretty much unavailable during the mornings when the junior classes were in session. Plus, there were also after school junior classes that basically kept the general public from getting a tee time. Those classes were provided by the current manager. Perhaps the First Tee junior program will be no different than what was previously in place under the current management. Give them a chance.
Let’s get facts straight. As a master lease holder, Bruce is here to optimize his revenue and sometimes it does require him to be “not so friendly” when other people are waiting and he needs to tell you to move along or stop looking so long for your ball. I play here 20 times a year and the people who are upset by Bruce are those people cursing or doing something not conducive like yelling and screaming. I sure hope you aren’t smoking or cursing or drinking when the First Tee runs the place. Don’t tell me people won’t be making comments for you to tone it down a little.
I’ve learned to play on this course and now my son has learned to play on this course. He finds Bruce to be very nice and just wants to make sure people act properly. 1st tee will do the same and probably even more so (which I wouldn’t mind either). He polices and make sure people don’t go off and get rounds for free buy walking on the course or playing around again. Those are the complainers on YELP. Golf management companies main duties are to keep play fast and safe so that they can maximize the number of rounds played. When Bruce uses the course to pay for kids camps and lessons, those kids are paying full price for rounds. When you do 1st tee, there is a much discounted price and thus the early morning popular times will not generate as much revenue.
This course is truly the BEST learning course for adults and children that I’ve ever been around (Chicago, LA, NY, NJ, Pennsylvania) because of the price and layout. It is great up until you can hit it straight 50% of the time 150 yards.
Now…if you are all worried about 1st Tee, you should. They are not as friendly either. They are not fair. And they will be taking away many good tee times (many more than Bruce’s class take up). I pulled my well behaved son out of the program because they used an interview process which penalized him. They don’t run the 1st tee the same way it is run throughout the country. We pulled my kid out because they catered to the people they wanted to. That said, they might have more deep pockets to pour into maintenance. The main groundskeeper retired and now we are beholden to the city gardeners who are not trained on how to keep up a golf course. Remember a couple years ago, some Hadly Strictly blue grass patrons ruined a couple holes a few years ago and that seriously cut into Bruce’s business as it took several months for the course to re-grow. Over $200K in course damage plus additional lost revenues were incurred.
If they change management I sure hope they keep the Family Golf Championship there. That has been going on for 70 years. I’ve played it with my dad and now I play it with my son. Some traditions must be kept up.
Mr. Bruce Olson is doing a fine job. I can tell you that he is always busy. He is always on top of his game as a manager. I would ignore any YELP issue as it works like a reputation blackmailer, some of the reviews were not even left by an actual customer. They would “manage” the difficult / impossible / toxic people’s bad reviews for a fee of $200 per month.
I think this is more about the Park & Rec wanting to sign a contract with the highest bidder. In construction business, the “lowest bid” for any contract doesn’t necessary translates as “the best value” for the homeowner, the “highest bid” doesn’t necessary means the “best quality” either, and you have to use your best judgement to choose what is best for the project and the homeowner’s best interest.
In any case, I would suggest anyone who is effected by such proposed change negatively without any certainty to excise your right as a resident of San Francisco. A single entity managing 3 golf courses in one city is like cutting out people’s choice of who they could have a sport and recreation relationship with.