Golf: Primo clubhouse on the way at Mesa Verde

Richard Dunn

In less than a month, Mesa Verde Country Club will break ground on

a new era.

The original clubhouse, built in the late 1950s, will come tumbling

down Nov. 15 as a $7-million clubhouse remodeling project gets

underway.”When the clubhouse is rebuilt, it’s going to be an absolutely

primo place to be,” longtime Mesa Verde member and six-time women’s club

champion Natalie King said. “It’s already a primo place, but with the new

clubhouse it should be really great.”

The architectural firm hired to complete the project, Colorado-based

Marsh & Associates, is the same company that designed the clubhouse and

locker room facilities at the Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe.

“It’s a hot new club ... and I understand (the clubhouse) is very

elaborate. It’s $250,000 to join (the Bridges),” Mesa Verde head golf

professional Tom Sargent said.

The Mesa Verde remodeling project, scheduled to be completed in

December 2002, will encompass the locker rooms, dining and bar areas and

pro shop. Temporary facilities will be used during reconstruction.

“It’s going to be pretty nice,” Sargent added.

Mesa Verde, which is already without peer in Orange County in terms of

hosting prestigious events, was contacted by the United States Golf

Association about the possibility of hosting a U.S. championship in the

future.

“We’re exploring the possibility, but it’s a long ways before we do

anything like that,” Sargent said.

Mesa Verde, which opened in 1959, has hosted five PGA Tour events

(1959-62 and ‘68), six LPGA events, one Senior PGA Tour event (1995) and

a USGA championship.

Home of the original Orange County Open on the PGA Tour, Mesa Verde

hosted the LPGA Kemper Open from 1979-81 and the LPGA Uniden Invitational

from 1984-86. It also played host to the 1993 U.S. Junior Girls

Championship.

In 1995, Mesa Verde prepared in less than five months for the

inaugural Toshiba Senior Classic on the Senior Tour, which has been

played at Newport Beach Country Club since 1996.

And, last summer, Mesa Verde played host to he 24th annual Girls

Junior America’s Cup Matches, won by Southern California.

Marianne Towersey of Santa Ana Country Club, the medalist this year in

her first crack at the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship,

qualified seventh and won three match-play rounds at the recent U.S.

Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

Towersey, 50, also lost in the quarterfinals of the 2000 U.S. Women’s

Mid-Amateur (25 and over) at Big Canyon Country Club. “I guess that’s not

bad for an old lady,” Towersey quipped.

At this year’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in St. Louis, Towersey was the

first-round leader at 74 in stroke play, then carded an 82 in the second

round to qualify seventh.

Towersey, a three-time Tea Cup Classic champion (1998 through 2000),

has captured 17 women’s club championships at Santa Ana in the last 20

years and is tied with Dee Dee White of Newport Beach Country Club as the

all-time leader in club championships (men or women) in the Newport-Mesa

community.

Zach Rabinovich (Newport Coast), Rhett Palmer (Newport Beach) and Ryan

Ozonian (Newport Coast) are among the scoring leaders in the Junior

Amateur Golf Scholars (JAGS) Fall Classic Series.

The JAGS Tour, a year-round tour for boys and girls 13-18, specializes

in 36-hole tournaments with no cuts for players who maintain a ‘B’

average in school. Details: (562) 493-8416 or (714) 952-3316.

Newport Beach Country Club President Jerry Anderson has been granted

Honorary Life Membership in the Southern California PGA for his lifelong

service to the association and the game of golf.

Spooky Golf is back. Sponsored by Cal’s Caddyshack in Costa Mesa,

Spooky Golf will return Oct. 27 in its unique, Halloween-based format,

which entails golfing in total darkness, with the exception of the

glow-in-the-dark balls and lighted flags.

Spooky brew, food and prizes for best costume are included in the

event at the Back Bay Golf Course at the Hyatt Newporter. Spooky Kids

Golf begins at 3 p.m.; Spooky Golf begins at 7:30 p.m. Details: (949)

646-7714.

Richard Dunn’s golf column appears every Thursday.