A beloved municipal golf course in San Luis Obispo has cleared a major hazard: City Hall. Laguna Lake Golf Course, home to ten holes of casual play and decades of community tradition, will remain open after city leaders discussed its future this week.
Every Tuesday morning, the “Lagunatics”, a devoted group of senior golfers, gather at 9 a.m. to tee off, just as they’ve done for decades. This Tuesday night, they traded clubs for microphones, addressing the San Luis Obispo City Council with an unusual plea to save their course: a song.
“…such an asset to our city, gotta make it stay,” the group six seniors sang in unison, donning their bright yellow polos with their group name.
The performance came during a council review of city facilities and programs ahead of budget meetings for the upcoming fiscal year. The golf course’s future was one of the topics on the table.
According to the city’s staff report, Laguna Lake Golf Course recovers about 45% of its operating costs, nearly half of what it takes to run. While not profitable, that figure is higher than other city-owned recreation facilities, including the SLO Swim Center and Damon-Garcia Sports Complex.
Public sentiment was overwhelming. Nearly 200 emails came into the city clerk’s office about the course, with roughly 90% supporting its preservation.
Council discussed alternatives such as converting the site into affordable housing, creating a park, or having a private group run the course, but most were deemed impractical or too expensive.
“We’re all in favor of affordable housing. We just don’t want them to take our golf course,” said Lagunatics member Jeff Spevak.
The course still faces significant infrastructure challenges. Two major repair projects are now on the city’s to-do list:
- Renovating the pro shop, damaged in the 2021 storms
- Replacing the bridge connecting holes 1 and 2, destroyed during 2023 storms
Combined, the projects are expected to cost just under $900,000.
Mayor Erica A. Stewart voiced her support for the improvements.
“This course is a gem. We want to restore it and take real pride in it,” Stewart said. “I’d love to see that bridge moving forward so we can make this a more accessible place.”
Parks and Recreation Director Greg Avakian confirmed both repairs are scheduled for completion within six to ten months. Council also directed staff to explore new fee structures that could generate more revenue for the course.
As for the Lagunatics, they’ll keep playing and singing at Laguna Lake Golf Course.
“…down at Laguna where folks can play… such an asset to our city, please make it stay…”
