The Pellucid Perspective - August 2021 - 2

FACILITY
MANAGEMENT
Two Perspectives on LA County Golf's
Partial Portfolio RFP call
Craig Kessler and Jim Koppenhaver offer differing views.
Another Moonshot from the Golden State:
Will this time succeed?
By Jim Koppenhaver
W
hile the state of California has been the breeding
ground for moonshots in technology, electric cars and
space tourism, the latest one that crossed my desk for
fundamentally changing the model for muni golf management
may be one of their most ambitious undertakings yet. For the
Cliff Notes version, I'd recommend this article from Club + Resort
Business or, for the full Monty, you can go here to read and/
or download the entire scope and vision for re-imagining (starting
with 5 locations and 6 courses) the operation of the largest
municipal golf system in the US.
I know it will come as a shock to our regular readers and
those who know me personally or professionally but I didn't
read the entire 348 page .pdf document (just couldn't sign up
for the pain). I did use my best Evelyn Wood speed reading
techniques though to skim it for the key points and, as always,
looked at every numbers table presented to see what might be
enlightening and factual vs. color commentary and sentiment
(i.e. most of the text). My favorite in the latter category was
this gem buried in the '20-'25 Strategic Plan document as an
(Koppenhaver continues on page 4)
2 The Pellucid PersPecTive
From the " Moonshot's " launching pad -
a rejoinder
By Craig Kessler
A
" moonshot " in one place can be another place's mildly
ambitious goal. It all depends on the place. Such is
the problem with arguendo in the aggregate, often
expressed more colloquially as the conundrum of the 6-foot
man who drowns in a river the average depth of which is 3
feet. He was in the wrong place in the river.
Jim's characterization would make eminent sense for most
places in the nation's municipal golf river, but Los Angeles
County's municipal golf system, which hosts more annual
rounds of golf than any other municipal system in the United
States, is in a unique bend of this proverbial river. The oversupply
factor that applies to most municipal systems in the
nation just doesn't apply in the nation's largest municipality
(10.2 million persons). With the exception of a couple of
junior golf developmental facilities, there have been no additions
to the municipal golf stock of Los Angeles Coun(Kessler
continues on page 4)
Craig Kessler is the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Southern
California Golf Association.
August 2021
PHOTO BY MORGAN DAVID DE LOSSY ON UNSPLASH

https://clubandresortbusiness.com/los-angeles-county-issues-rfp-to-operate-six-courses-with-new-strategic-pillar-parameters/?spMailingID=49822&puid=620976&E=620976&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=49822 https://camisvr.co.la.ca.us/LACoBids/BidLookUp/OpenBidList?page=1&TextSearch=golf&FieldSort=BidTitle&DirectionSort=Asc

The Pellucid Perspective - August 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Pellucid Perspective - August 2021