Golfers, do you know that Pebble Beach is a public course?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

That's right, paid for and maintained by the California taxpayer. Think you can play there based on the fact that you are a member of the "Public"? Maybe.

This topic got started by a discussion of corporate welfare in another post where I postulated that, if you happen to be high enough up in a successful corporate structure, you pay almost nothing for everyday living expenses. Everything is a business expense, ultimately paid for by the taxpayer. For example, golf at Pebble beach taxpayer funded public golf links.

Want a T-time at Pebble? It will help if you are well connected but for extra insurance, you need to book at least two nights at the Lodge at Pebble Beach. The cheap rooms start at $700.00 per night and go up to $2,750.00 per night. This does not include extras like food. Oh by the way, wanna play golf? Add another $495.00 per round, not including beer per person.

Of course, if you happen to be a Senator or maybe Larry Ellison or Meg Whitman you can write this all off as a business expense so it really won't cost you anything. Zero, nada, zip, zilch.

Doesn't it make you happy that the citizens if California are subsidizing this great "Public Golf Course" while the Arnold cuts services to poor children, battered women, etc?

[niyad]

1. excellent point

[imdjh]

2. At those prices, it doesn't sound like the taxpayer is subsidizing the course.

We have a marina in my town, publicly owned, but despite the capital improvements, salaried employees, and considerable operating expenses, the marina is not subsidized by the taxpayer. The marina pays into the general fund, ie it operates at "break even" because everything above break even goes into the general funds.

[katandmoon]

3. The Golf Links...

The golf links lie so near the mill
That almost every day
The laboring children can look out
And see the men at play.

Sarah Norcliffe Cleghorn


One of those little poems I learned long ago in high school English and never forgot.

[imdjh]

5. Now that's sad. Almost as sad as my favorite as a (dark) child.

My poor mother. She would try to interest me in another poem, but I liked the drawing that went with this one, and the fuzzy cover on the book. And each time she would read me the poem, I would ask what happened to the little boy. And then I would ask her to read it again.

Little Boy Blue
by Eugene Field (1850-1895)

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and stanch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.

"Now, don't you go till I come," he said,
"And don't you make any noise!"
So, toddling off to his trundle-bed,
He dreamt of the pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue---
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!

Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place---
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.

[polly7]

15. Thank you for this.

[spanone]

4. i imagine pebble beach pays for itself.

[rhett o rick]

10. I would hope that it makes money for the taxpayers, but I doubt it. nt

[deadmessengers]

6. As long as it's self-sustaining, I have no problem with this.

Do you have any evidence of a taxpayer subsidy being provided to run Pebble Beach?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

12. I don't think that's the point. As long as it makes money

you don't have a problem with it. While I basically agree, except that the course is supposed to be available to the "Public" and one could assume that this means affordable to the Public, I think the same logic was applied to the banking industry. As long as they are making money... That didn't work out so well, however, they are still making money.

[A HERETIC I AM]

13. Pebble Beach is NOT a Municipal Golf Course.

It is a PUBLIC course but it is owned by a private company that is free to charge what they wish.

Sheesh, this thread is silly.

[SidDithers]

16. +1...

though I don't know if "silly" really does this thread justice.

Sid

[begin_within]

7. So is Torrey Pines,

where the U.S. Open was held in June 2008. Torrey Pines was the first true municipal golf course to host the U.S. Open in its 108 year history. Not only is it a public course, it's actually sitting on public parkland that was not supposed to have a golf course. When Ellen Browning Scripps willed the land to the city of San Diego, the documents stipulated that the donation required that the land be used only as public parkland and "for no other use" - that was spelled out explicity in the paperwork. She died in 1932, and in 1956 the city held an election to decide whether to take 100 acres of it and build a golf course. It passed, and two 18-hole courses were built in the 1950s and early 1960s. There is also a Lodge at Torrey Pines, a very expensive hotel. All of this sits on public parkland owned by the city of San Diego. It is possible, though difficult and expensive, for anyone to get a tee-off time there.

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. Pebble Beach Golf Course is not "paid for and maintained by the California taxpayer"

The course and resort are owned by a private company.

http://www.pebblebeach.com/images/companyinfo/factsheets/factsheet_pebblebeach_profile.pdf

http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?id=863

http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?id=2309

It is a public as opposed to a private golf course, meaning one does not have to be a dues paying member to play there, but it is not, as you suggest, owned and operated by the State of California.

[KharmaTrain]

20. Bingo!

I've had friends play the course...costs a pretty penny, but so be it.

[Faryn Balyncd]

21. Correct. "Public golf course" means open to anyone who pays greens fees (not publicly owned), while

....a "private golf course" means open only to members.


A municipal golf course is owned and operated by a municipality, generally by a Parks Department.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

9. Of course, most serious golfers are.

[Swamp Rat]

11. k&r

[1]

14. you don't need to be connected or stay at the lodge to play pebble beach...

if you are a member of the northern california golf association (~$35/yr) you can make a tee time at pebble.

[SidDithers]

17. Public means not private...

public does not mean government owned.

Wow.

Sid

[paulsby]

18. what a colossal FAIL

if you are going to get all hot and bothered about a subject, you get extra points for being just a LITTLE bit accurate.

i suggest the op give a nice "never mind, cheddar" and move on

[SidDithers]

19. I'm going to guess the OP will want to get as far as possible...

from this thread. :hi:

Sid

[dionysus]

22. thread killer

:evilgrin:

[Statistical]

23. You are confusing PUBLIC with MUNICIPAL

MUNICIPAL COURSE - owned & operated by the city or state.
PUBLIC COURSE - owned & operated by private company but access is "open to the PUBLIC"
PRIVATE COURSE - owned & operated by private company and access is limited to members only.

I am sure the state of CA wishes that Pebble Beach was a MUNICIPAL course as it brought in hundreds of millions of dollars last year.

So the irony is what you are complaining about doesn't exist but even if it did exist it would be a good thing, a massive financial boon for citizens of CA.

[AngryAmish]

24. yes

But privately owned.

BTW, if you want to play, just show up. They will get you on. Someone always doesn't show up - or they will get you to Spyglass.

[Starckers]

25. Pebble Beach

Definitely on my bucket list.  I want to drive up the PCH from
LA to Oregon and stay there and play PB and SG.

[A HERETIC I AM]

26. If you plan on actually driving the entire length of the PCH....

Give yourself plenty of time, particularly north of the Bay area. You'll be lucky to average much more than 30 MPH for long stretches. It is a beautiful drive, but in certain sections it is constant hairpins and other tight turns.

Welcome to DU