Texas-based Evergreen Alliance Golf Ltd. agreed Wednesday to buy the San Geronimo Valley Golf Club. It plans to close escrow and make the course fully public next month.
But not all members are happy about the deal. Nearly 100 people hold lifetime memberships. Valley residents had been able to become members without paying to join although they had to pay the $180-per-month dues.
Non-Valley members had to pay more than $25,000 to join, and some of them are upset that $5,000 won't be returned, said Rick Tine of NKS, the club's San Francisco management firm.
But contracts clearly specified the refundable amount, Tine said, adding that Evergreen also is offering members future playing discounts.
While the public will pay for each round of golf, former members will be able to sign up for a $250-per-month packaged plan, said member Roy Winchester of Woodacre.
Winchester, a Prudential Realtor in San Anselmo, said rumors among club members put the golf course's purchase price at $7.2 million, but that price remains unverified.
Tine of NKS acknowledged the course is selling for "substantially less" than the $13 million C&N Corporation paid for it. C&N is owned by two Japanese citizens, who bought the course in 1990.
Big changes are in store for the Valley greens, said Chris Hansen, a Palo Alto Realtor handling the sale.
"When [Evergreen] is finished with their course, with grounds upgrades and cosmetic ... upgrades [to buildings], you will be able to drive by and see a substantial difference," Hansen said.
"[Evergreen] owns and runs a total of 29 courses, some of the top-graded courses in the country," he added.
At Stanford, the Evergreen golf-course chain has made a "mom-and-pop" outfit more efficient, said Doug Fitzgerald, assistant golf professional who worked at Stanford for eight years.
At Stanford, Evergreen computerized the reservation system for the 30,000 players, Fitzgerald noted.
"Members used to get up at 4 a.m., put on a tee-time list, and come back at 6 a.m.," Fitzgerald said.
Evergreen also hired additional groundskeepers, paved a parking lot, remodeled the pro shop, added game supervisors, and computerized the irrigation system, said Don Chelemedos, general manager of Stanford's course.
However, Evergreen may eventually purchase some of its water from a sewage-treatment plant planned near the course's western boundary. The plant would treat sewage from the 32-home French Ranch subdivision and Lagunitas School District.
Tine said he expects Evergreen will be "good corporate citizens" when approached by community groups, such as hosting the school district's annual Valley Visions fundraiser in the clubhouse.
Plans remain unchanged for Larsen Creek restoration on the course, he said. Also, $801,466 of delinquent property taxes, due for the course since June 30, will be paid, Tine added.