Golf Course Renovation Report

by Don Lopez

 

As we pointed out in the April article, we started construction on March 22nd.  By May 1st when you read this article we will have approved the designs for holes 1, 2, Putting Green, Chipping Green, 9, 6, 7, 3, 4, 5, 10, & 18.  The rest will follow in groups of 3 and 4 holes.

 

The advantage of a Design Build approach is that we can make needed adjustments as we go in order to account for unanticipated conditions we encounter during construction.  So that you can have confidence in our approach, you should know each group of designs for the various holes are all examined and approved by the Golf Course Renovation Committee, and the Golf Standing Committee in a meeting with Morgan Golf, Candyl Golf and VDLA before they go to the Board for approval.  We are moving in a timely fashion, but we are being thorough and obtaining approval from our golfers as we go through the process.

 

Our base contract price is $2,426,003 excluding the well conversion.  That compares very favorably with the bid we had in 2015 from Cary Bickler, a well- known San Diego golf course architect, for $2,049,850.  We are only 18% over that figure which is only 3% per year inflation.  That is, incidentally, exactly the same inflation figure we use for our entire reserve system.  So this differential is right in line with our other asset replacements and renovations.  That is good news considering all the price increases we have had in the last 5 months because of the pandemic induced dislodgements of some of our suppliers.  Several of them are out-of-business, and the new ones cannot honor last year’s pricing.  The price from Cary Bickler did not include the well either, so it is a direct comparison.

 

The well conversion will add several hundred thousand dollars to the total.  We will cover that cost and the Return On Investment (ROI) at the Town Hall Meeting in May.  The final costs are coming in soon.  There are several moving parts with pumps, electrical contractors and electrical services from SDG&E.  SDG&E is the slowest source of costs, as you can well imagine.

 

In the April article I mentioned that the construction would be moving faster than we can relate in this magazine.  We are now adding a new tab on the menu bar of the website to include the following: Costs Spreadsheet; pictures of on-going construction; design plans; a copy of the agreement between Ocean Hills Country Club and Candyl Golf; and change orders as they occur.  You can now follow the renovation progress in a more timely fashion as it occurs. 

 

As you know, we are now in the Orange Tier which means we can have residents in Abravanel Hall when we have the meeting.  We don’t know all the details yet from the County Health Dept., so I can’t say how many residents that will be.  We will notify you as soon as possible when the meeting will be held and all the pertinent details.  

 

Isn’t it exciting that we can be talking about meeting together in our great hall, to discuss anything.  However, it is even more exciting that we can discuss this fantastic renovation of our most precious asset together.