Sep. 5—Every Tuesday for the past eight years, Jeff Miles has gone golfing with a group of friends. Consisting mostly of retired state government and national laboratory employees, the group has grown to more than two dozen people who typically show up at the Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe golf course each week.
Miles said he doesn’t think the group will be deterred by an increase to the green fees and golf cart rates being considered by the Santa Fe City Council.
“To me, we have to have an increase,” he said. “Everyone around us has higher rates than we do, and we have a great course.”
Miles — the grandson of former Gov. John Miles and son of former Gen. Franklin Miles — praised his hometown’s golf course on Caja Del Rio road.
“This to me is probably, if not the best, definitely one of the best public courses in New Mexico, if not anywhere,” he said.
At the beginning of the year, the council unanimously approved a four-year, $11.5 million contract with Indigo Sports, a subsidiary of Troon Golf, to manage the golf course. Parks officials said at the time a review of the fees was underway. Since then, the City Council has approved raising golf rates effective Nov. 1, but approval of the actual fee structure is still pending.
The new fee structure under consideration will break weekday rates into city, county, New Mexico and out-of-state residents, with slightly higher rates in all categories on weekends. The highest increases are directed at out-of-state golfers, something golf course manager Lorenzo Vigil said was intentional.
“Golf’s not a cheap sport, and so we want to make sure that we provide the best rate and the best amount of service and quality that we can provide,” he said.
The last rate increase was in 2020, which Vigil noted is uncommon for golf courses. He isn’t sure why a rate increase wasn’t proposed earlier.
To give some examples, out-of-state resident who now pays $40 to play 18 holes would pay $49 during the week and $56 on Saturdays and Sundays. Santa Fe residents who now pay $35 for 18 holes would pay $40 on weekdays and $42 on weekends. Santa Fe County residents would pay $43 and $44 respectively.
Seniors would get discounts of a few dollars — for example, seniors who live in Santa Fe would pay $30 to play 18 holes on weekdays and $33 on weekends, while New Mexico residents seniors would $33 and $36, respectively, and out-of-state seniors could expect to pay $44 on weekdays and $49 on weekends for 18 holes.
Vigil said about 40,000 rounds are played at Marty Sanchez each year and it receives 200 to 300 players a day. He estimated 95% of golfers are from New Mexico.
A loyalty program available to city and county residents is expected to cost golfers $69 at the beginning of the season, after which they would pay less than they would otherwise. For example, city residents who are members would pay just $35 to play 18 holes during the week and $38 on weekends.
Discounts for seniors, veterans, active-duty military and police officers will remain in place, and fees for golfers under 18 will stay flat. Cart fees will increase for seniors and the general public for 18 holes, but will decrease by $1 for nine holes and stay flat in other categories.
The course is also implementing a “twilight rate,” which Vigil said is intended for golfers who hit the course before they could realistically expect to complete a full 18 holes. That could be as early at 1 p.m. in winter and as late as 4 p.m. in the summer.
Vigil said the new rates will still be “highly competitive” with surrounding courses and he is unaware of a nearby course with cheaper green fees than Marty Sanchez.
“We’re still probably going to be the least expensive golf course in the area,” he said.
Online listings at nearby courses bear that out. Rates at Angel Fire Resort Golf Course start at $100 during the summer season, and at Black Mesa Golf Club, fees are upward of $90 on weekends and $70 on weekdays. Fees are more comparable at the Pueblo de Cochiti Golf Course, which lists greens fees of $48 Monday through Thursday and $58 Friday through Sunday.
After working at the golf course for 13 years, Vigil said many of the regulars are like family, and he believes Marty Sanchez is “the best public golf course to play in the state of New Mexico.” He became golf course manager earlier this year after serving as head golf professional when the course was managed by the city.
Parks and Open Space Director Melissa McDonald said the overview of the rates began at the same time the city put out the application for a new contractor, and the rate change was a partnership between city staff and Troon employees.
“What we really tried to do is target any increases on out-of-state and out-of-Santa Fe residents so the local community isn’t bearing the brunt of all of the increases,” she said.
McDonald said she doesn’t think the increases will deter tourists from golfing.
“People are used to paying higher rates back at their own hometowns, so I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of complaints about our rates being too high,” she said.
McDonald and Vigil said conditions at the course have improved significantly since Troon came on board.
Vigil said Troon has much more capacity to maintain the course than city parks staff, who were previously responsible for maintaining it along with numerous other city parks and open space.
“They didn’t have full staff, and it was kind of tough for them to get things done as far as maintenance,” Vigil said.
Several golfers agreed.
“Now that Troon’s taken over, it’s looking so much better,” Miles said.
Joe Moulton plays golfs with the group of retirees every Tuesday, as well as golfing Fridays in a couples league with his wife. He’s served as a marshal at the golf course for 20 years and worked in the pro shop for 10. He said the course has always had a good reputation.
“People would come in and be flabbergasted this was a public course because it was in such great shape,” he said. “The maintenance has always been top notch.”
He said he supported the idea of a new fee structure, which he said is similar to a past fee iteration. It’s important the course doesn’t “chase away the locals,” Moulton said.
“When I go on vacation, if I want to play that course, I want to play the course no matter what the rate is,” he said. “But if you’re a local and you play here regularly, you want to at least be able to be able to afford the rates when you come.”
Moulton said he’s happy with the way Troon is running the course and had little he would like to see changed — with one exception.
“We’d hang out here a lot longer if a couple of these guys could have a beer,” he said.
Vigil said he isn’t sure why Marty Sanchez’s liquor license went away but Troon is in the process of reapplying so its restaurant can serve alcohol again.
“It’s been a pain without it, at least financially,” he said, noting golf courses make “a lot of profit” off of liquor.
A fiscal impact report estimates the rate hike will increase the course’s revenue by $200,000 a year, while failing to pass it would result in “continued losses of revenue and deferred maintenance.”
The resolution is sponsored by Councilor Signe Lindell and Mayor Alan Webber. Herself an avid golfer, Lindell described Marty Sanchez as “an absolute treasure for the city” while introducing the measure at the Aug. 28 City Council meeting.
“In order to keep it in the condition that the players deserve, we need to have a little bit of an increase,” she said.
The resolution is scheduled to be heard for public comment at the next council meeting Wednesday and be up for a final vote Oct. 9.
