WHO WILL BENEFIT?
Beginners of all ages, the physically challenged, and seniors are the primary users of 9-hole golf courses. Experienced golfers, who are teaching, practicing, or just spending some quality time with family members, also often use the courses.
Nine hole courses allow people to spend less time and less money to keep up their golfing skills. In today’s hectic environment many families have to budget their time as carefully as their money. And, often people will play a quick 9, either before or after the workday.
The Aptos Par 3 will serve residents from Santa Cruz County and surrounding counties, as well as tourists. Its central location is within easy walking distance from many points in Aptos. For example, there is a senior mobile home park next door, a family mobile home park across the street, and numerous apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes within a 10 minute walking distance.
A few blocks away, golf is taught at Cabrillo College, on a practice area. Instructors there would prefer to train students on a 9-hole course before advancing to an 18-hole course.
With the high number of Santa Cruz County retirees, college and high school students, and children from Watsonville to downtown Santa Cruz, there will be opportunities for inter-generational programs that would make Tiger Woods proud.
Golf has falsely been perceived as a rich man’s sport. The reality is it is neither a man’s sport, nor one that requires a great deal of money. Golf at the Par 3 will require greens fees, but golfing can be made affordable, especially for seniors and local youth. Young people dedicated to learning to play golf can be given discounted rates, at certain times. During the Aptos Par 3’s operating years, a golf professional from one of the local courses donated his time on week-end mornings to give free lessons to small groups of children to ensure they learned correct technique, etiquette, and safety measures. That could be done again.
Golfers love to see youngsters take up the game, and are willing to help wherever they can. In support of a teaching program for youth, it would be easy to collect good used clubs and have them cut down to shorter lengths. Other equipment could be donated, as well.
AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE COURSE
The contemporary interpretation of golf course sites may be one of open lush landscaping, but it need not be. Santa Cruz County has always prided itself on being different and doing things in an innovative way.
The goal is to maintain The Par 3 as a natural recreational area using environmentally sensible and sustainable practices. It is expected that wherever practical, native grasses that require less water and fewer chemicals to flourish will be used. As much as possible, recaptured water and water from on-site springs, will be used. While the course itself must be grassy and playable, extensions and borders of the course can be made quite attractive using drought tolerant plants. Trees serving as habitat to native birds and butterflies can remain.