Local golfers have been craving the arrival of the brand new City of Carlsbad municipal golf course — The Crossings at Carlsbad — which opens to the public on August 4 after 23 months of construction. They’ll be happy to know that it’s been worth waiting for. This dynamic, much-discussed layout resides on a 400-acre property that’s bordered by Palomar Airport Road to the south, Hidden Valley Road to the west, Cannon Road to the north and essentially Palomar Oaks Road to the east.

Unless you’ve been out of touch, you’ve heard all about the $62.8 million it cost to build. Maybe you’ve read about how building it took nearly 20 years of city officials dealing with environmental groups, the California Coastal Commission, federal and state lawmakers, and local voters — much because the property lies within California’s coastal zone amid federally protected habitat. And perhaps you’re even among those who opposed the mere existence of it.

It all began in 1989, when citizens of Carlsbad proposed a golf course to voters that narrowly missed the necessary two-thirds majority vote. They tried again the following year, and that time the course was approved for a location around Lake Calavera. But environment-related issues prevented it from being built there. So in the early 1990s, the city purchased this current land parcel. And that’s when the costs really started piling up, being put toward zoning reports, government paperwork, course construction, working with coastal and environmental agencies, re-establishing native settings and creating new areas of native environment and coastal wetlands. As a result, the property — originally inhabited by an Indian tribe — contains archaeological areas, which the city identified, preserved and protected. Of the 400 acres, 220 are preserved to protect multiple endangered species, and roughly 180 acres are golf-related. The property’s preserved habitat helps tie together 1,000-plus acres of open space.

Now that it’s arrived, the course is something that Carlsbad residents can be proud of. The lush 6,817-yard course (5,110 yards from the front tees) is wide-open in spots, boasting many unparalleled ocean views, large pines, oaks, sycamores and perfectly manicured Bermuda grass. Because of the environment protection, there will never be housing along the course perimeter. The layout, which was designed by Phoenix-based course architect Greg Nash and is managed (including clubhouse operations) by KemperSports, an Illinois-based professional golf course management company, is ready for action.

Most holes on the relatively flat front nine travel due east or west — meaning they’re either with Carlsbad’s perpetual off-shore breeze or dead into it. Thus, the greens are large, so they can hold shots that pick up extra momentum from the wind. The opener’s a par-4 covering 446 yards from the tips. It’s a slight dogleg left that’s no giveaway, partly because tee shots can’t cut the corner. Other standout holes include No. 3, a 403-yard par-4 that has what appears from the tee to be a split fairway. It’s actually a wide fairway with a bunker in the center. No. 8 is a diminutive 302-yard par-4 requiring a lay-up shy of the green, due to a 50-yard-wide ravine near the green that will neutralize better players. Expect few birdies here.

The back nine is full of elevation changes and dramatic scenery. No. 11, a 401-yard par-4, features a sharply downhill tee shot, wide landing area, and ample-sized green. One oddity golfers will encounter is the route they have to take from the No. 11 green to the No. 12 tee. Once you putt out on No. 11, there’s no direct path to the No. 12 tee because the powers-that-be prevented a bridge from being built there. So golfers need to drive their cart all the way around the back of the No. 12 green, then travel the high cart path back to the tee box. Meanwhile, the group ahead of them will be playing No. 12, using the lower cart path. As they move on, golfers will find the 348-yard par-4 No. 13 taunting them with bunkers that strong tee shots will carry. Watch out for the water bed in the fairway, though. One of the prettiest holes is No. 14, a par-3 that plays just 130 yards from the tips. The three-tiered smallish green is well bunkered. The Crossings’ second-longest hole — the 557-yard par-5 No. 16 — is also the most dramatic and scenic hole. Tee shots travel abruptly downhill and into the wind. A bunker’s on the right in the landing area, a ravine’s right of that. The entire left side is flanked by a huge wall of flowers, but everything slopes to the right. There’s a bail-out area in front of the green on the left.

There’s a lot to like about The Crossings. Its flowing layout will make golfers feel like they’re miles from the city, at points. Some of the back nine is reminiscent of mountain golf designs you’d find in Arizona and Nevada, while other aspects bring to mind Palm Springs-type of desert holes. The terrain is generally forgiving, guiding balls that just miss the fairway back into the short grass. The landscaping is magnificent.

Green fees favor Carlsbad residents. To play a round, residents will pay $60 Monday through Thursday, $65 on Fridays, and $80 on weekends and holidays. County residents will pay $15 more across the board, and tourists will pay $30 more than city residents. Twilight rates for residents are $40 on most weeknights, $55 on Friday, and $65 on the weekend. Residents 60 and older can play weekdays for $49. Fees include a mandatory golf cart, as the course — particularly the back nine — is too expansive and hilly to walk.

According to newspaper reports, the Carlsbad City Council also approved a budget projecting $2.3 million in revenue for the remainder of 2007 and $6.4 million in 2008 — including earnings from the clubhouse, pro shop and green fees. KemperSports officials estimate that 20,950 rounds of golf will be played at The Crossings in 2007, and 58,600 in 2008.

“It’s a beautiful course with a lot of elevations changes, and a spectacular golf experience for residents, tourists, corporate outings and events,” says Jim Stegall, senior vice president at KemperSports. The location will attract golfers from San Diego and Orange County. A full-time sales director (is there) to build the relationships with those companies and organizations that service tourism. If you have those relationships with the convention and visitors’ bureaus, local hotels, destination management companies, and match it up with a great golf experience and an outing venue for events which has a spectacular clubhouse with ocean views, it will be successful.”

Residents are the top priority to course officials. “Our goal is to be an integral part of the Carlsbad community,” says Gary Glaser, the course’s director of golf, who will work alongside Jeff Perry, the course’s general manager. “This facility’s for everyone. You don’t have to be a golfer to come and have breakfast or lunch, or enjoy the beautiful views from the clubhouse. You don’t have to play 18 holes, to come use the range. City of Carlsbad residents get a true price break, versus non-residents. But absolutely for the economic development of the community, we expect to get business from all of the area hotels. That includes overflow from La Costa Resort and the Four Seasons Aviara Resort, guests from the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort, and many of the business traveler hotels in the area, as well. We will evolve toward the businesses. We certainly want to make sure that we have availability for Carlsbad residents. We need to be a viable, profitable venue for the city, since we are owned by the City of Carlsbad. Like any new course opening, I suspect that our business model will be finely tuned as we move forward. Right now, we’re giving everyone an equal opportunity to come play the facility. Our marketing and sales director is out there selling to groups. We probably have to step up our group business, but certainly to a level that does not impede our City of Carlsbad resident business.”

If Glaser has his way, golfers will play rounds at The Crossings in less than 4 hours and 30 minutes, to keep the play moving steadily. But he knows that there will be a learning curve among golfers, as they acclimate to the layout, its greens, hazards and routing. That said, he vows to keep the course in top condition year-round. And that’s one reason the course won’t open until August, even though from the street it looks finished. “By not opening it until the course is ready, there’s a commitment to excellence,” says Glaser. “City of Carlsbad officials have shown all along that they’re not only dedicated to making a golf course for the community, they’re making one that fits into California governmental regulations and working closely with the coastal commissions, and the other governmental agencies to make sure the property is right. KemperSports brings a customer service training program with it that provides service standards you wouldn’t expect to see at a municipal golf course. We’re bringing in true ambassadors with a special energy, to help provide that level of service.”

The lighted driving range is listed as being 310 yards long. Instead of individual tee mats as you’d find at most ranges, it has one long piece of top-quality synthetic turf that’s divided into 25 tee boxes with generous eight-foot spacing. Located by the 23,000-square-foot upscale clubhouse, the range goes slightly downhill, and has a large dip at the back side that’s hidden from the tees. Also by the clubhouse are a large practice putting green and a two-tiered chipping/putting green. Impressively, there’s also a snack bar down at the cart path level, so that golfers turning from the front to back nine don’t have to walk up to the clubhouse to get food. This will definitely help speed up play. There are also roaming food-service carts – one per nine. And each nine has a centrally located, high-end restroom station.

Starting in the fall, the clubhouse will be available for rental of both public and private events. It features banquet facilities, a 300-person capacity dining room at Canyons restaurant and full-service kitchen. Breakfast and lunch will be served daily. Canyons will also be open for dinner, but officials are deciding how to work the hours when they’re hosting events. A full-service pro shop sells equipment and apparel, while the parking lot holds 250 cars. There’s also a new trailhead link to the City of Carlsbad’s Trail System in Veterans Memorial Park that works its way into a portion of the course but does not interfere with golfers.

All told, the course is beautiful and playable for all skill levels — provided golfers play from the appropriate tee boxes. With thousands of brightly colored flowers, several water features and lush turf conditions, it’s a gem in the middle of the city that Carlsbad residents will enjoy for years to come. •