Perry’s push for pass nears first tee

BRYCE ALDERTON

Looks like junior golfers in Costa Mesa will have another choice to

make when they play at Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club.

Estancia High boys and girls golf coach Art Perry’s push to

instill a junior golf pass at the club is inching nearer to fruition.

Perry drafted a letter outlining details of the proposed pass and

sent the draft to Danny Lane, a manager with Mesa Verde Partners, the

company that manages the club, late last week.

Perry hopes golfers will be able to purchase the pass beginning

Oct. 1 if all goes well.

Costa Mesa City Councilman Mike Scheafer, a supporter of the pass,

believes a final approval from Costa Mesa City Manager Allan Roeder

is the final step.

A call placed to Roeder’s office was not returned as of early

Tuesday afternoon.

The pass would be available to Costa Mesa residents age 19 and

younger for $40 per month, Perry said.

Golfers could use the pass after noon Monday through Friday.

Perry expects the pass to be good on Mesa Linda course, but said

there is a chance it could also be used on the longer Los Lagos

course.

Scheafer presented the idea to Danny and Ron Lane, Danny’s father,

two months ago at a meeting, which the city councilman deemed

“positive.”

Danny Lane has since voiced his support of the pass.

“[The pass] is long overdue,” said Scheafer, whose oldest son,

Eric, is 18. “With as many kids that want to play golf, this pass is

going to be a great deal.”

Students who attend a Newport-Mesa Unified District school can pay

$10 and play Mesa Linda after noon Monday through Thursday under the

current rate structure.

Perry hopes the pass will encourage more golfers to spend their

afternoons at the club.

“There is hardly anyone out there at 2:30 p.m. [on weekdays],”

Perry said. “This will open more avenues to get kids off the street.”

The more golfers play, the better they’ll become, Perry said.

“When we were a powerhouse [in the late 1980s and early ‘90s],

kids would play everyday at the course,” Perry said. “Now, they hit

balls and go home. [With the pass], three to four days a week they

can be playing. That makes a tremendous difference.”

The club offered a monthly pass for juniors for eight years

preceding Mesa Verde Partners taking over ownership in 1992, but the

program folded because rounds played by juniors decreased, Perry

said.

Scheafer said Perry’s enthusiasm and determination to again offer

golfers a pass caught his attention.

“Art is one of those behind-the-scenes guys who wants to get

things done for the kids,” Scheafer said.

Paying $40 a month for unlimited golf? If I could turn back time

seven years.