plusFORE, December 2016
By Tod Leonard A LABOR OF LOVE Full Steam Ahead at Goat Hill Park I N THE YEAR 2046 golf clothing magnate John Ashworth will be 87 years old Thats the year that his lease with the city of Oceanside will be up for renewal on his operation of the Goat Hill Park golf course after the public facility which was saved by passionate golfers less than one year ago recently received some good news Some might smirk and say he should be long retired by then Ashworth is an optimistic sort of character though so hes looking way into the future Actually I have two 10 year options he says cheerfully That puts me at 107 which makes more sense Hey I could die tomorrow he adds but he hopes the love and care hes put into Goat Hill goes on Ashworths goal is to get Goat Hil set up as a successful community outlet and after opening to solid reviews in February the course was granted a 40 year lease in November Golf courses need to be a center for people to get together and have a great time he says In only two years Ashworth has gone a long way toward making that happen at Goat Hill and the city of Oceanside recently recognized that by extending his initial short term lease to 30 years Only a few years ago the course formerly known as Center City looked like it had no chance at survival The city at one point considered leasing the land to a Major League Soccer owner who wanted to build a soccer academy The public outcry to keep the golf course halted that plan but some other appealing use might have eventually been chosen if Ashworth hadnt come along I really like what John Ashworth has been doing out there and I know that this is a work of love for him Oceanside City Councilwoman Esther Sanchez said during the public meeting in November in which the lease was approved Rick Kratcoski a Goat Hill regular who helped pull together residents to lobby for approval of Ashworths plan spoke at the council meeting of the enormous changes Ashworth has made John is a true golf visionary and knows how to get things done Kratcoski said John with the backing of neighborhoods and golfers has saved a recreational facility for all income levels as well maintaining open space for generations to come John his staff volunteers and so many others has turned a neglected and dilapidated public golf course into a nationally ranked short course At the time Ashworths first lease was approved in 2014 he pledged to spend 36 million for improvements to the 64 year old facility Since then he and his Goat Hill LLC partners enacted a significant turf removal project while increasing the playability of the 4500 yard par 66 layout saved from the brink john ashworth pictured left has been part of the renovation that saved goat hill gc
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