After nearly 20 years, Stevinson Ranch Golf Course will close on July 18, 2015. The closure reflects a number of current realities in the golf market as well as the severity of California’s extended drought.
The Stevinson Corporation, whose primary business is dairy and almond farming, owns the highly acclaimed course. The decreasing number of rounds played coupled with the needs of Stevinson Corp. to redeploy its limited water supplies has necessitated the closure.
Stevinson Ranch has been a place where hundreds of thousands of players have visited over the years. They came for the challenging, well-maintained course; they came back because of the management’s mantra of making golf fun for the masses. With a Constitution of Fun posted at the front of the clubhouse, it has always been clear that Managing Partner George Kelley believes that fun is what is needed in a game so many people take too seriously.
“I have enjoyed making Stevinson Ranch a place for all levels of golfers to have fun and to enjoy playing this great game,” said Kelley. “It’s been the goal of our great staff from day one to provide each customer with a truly memorable experience. I regret that California is going to lose a course that has become so well-known and highly regarded.”
Indeed, the John Harbottle/George Kelley design has received many accolades over the years, including the sought-after designation as a Golf Digest 4 ½ star facility. Recently, the readers of Golf World voted Stevinson Ranch the 5th highest ranked public course in the country as voted on by their readers in a Reader’s Choice Awards. And Stevinson Ranch has consistently appeared near the top of any publication’s “places you can play” list. In fact, a recent issue of Links Magazine rated it among the top 10 courses in the world worth discovering.
Stevinson Ranch has hosted the NCGA, the USGA, College Golf tournaments, and served as the host course of the AmateurGolf.com California Medal Play, and home course of that website. A number of events will be planned to celebrate Stevinson Ranch and to allow golfers a chance to say goodbye. Those events will be announced in the near future, and posted at http://www.stevinsonranch.com.
“Stevinson Ranch has been an ardent supporter of the NCGA and Youth on Course,” said NCGA Executive Director Vaughn Kezirian. “The course has hosted a multitude of NCGA events over the years and has provided a wonderful club for NCGA members in the Central Valley. We are saddened to see the facility close.”
Course Facts
Year Built : 1995
Ownership: The Stevinson Corporation
Designer: John Harbottle/George Kelley
Par: 72
Yardage: 7180 (from Black tees)
Course Record: 59 – Matt Hansen (2005)
