Golf course condition isn’t up to par
The Ladies of the Links Golf Association is presenting our concerns regarding the neglect of Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe.
The course has been kept green with the help of recent rains. However, the greens, fairways and bunkers are deteriorating with lack of proper maintenance. Marty’s previous supervisor, Patrick Brockwell, had invigorated the course over his tenure of several years. We believe he quit working for the golf course in July after his many requests for increased staffing were ignored. The Marty Sanchez course is now understaffed and in need of laborers. Midlevel managers are not needed. Laborers are needed.
Our immediate concern is the lack of funding for maintenance of the property and no apparent plan or funding for equipment repair and/or replacement. Any facility that owns machinery, has plumbing, roofs, walls, toilets, etc., needs to have money on hand for repairs and replacement. Apparently, there is no budget category for capital improvement in the budget for Marty Sanchez.
The figures we have seen show there is $726,583 dedicated for labor costs. The actual labor cost for direct work at Marty is $230,880. What happens to the $495,703 that is remaining? Is it available to be used or was it used/transferred elsewhere?
The federal government has given relief money to the city of Santa Fe to compensate for problems caused by COVID-19. Correcting the damage done to the course due to single-use carts, i.e. twice the motorized damage to the fairways, has been extremely difficult. Could funds for the refurbishment of the course be obtained from the pandemic relief fund?
The Marty Sanchez course is popular with in-state and out-of-state visitors. It is popular with beginners. It is family-friendly.
Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe provides countless hours of outdoor recreation for its citizens. We are proud of our course. We do not want to see it decline because of lack of routine maintenance.
The city of Santa Fe needs to act immediately to properly care for Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe with adequate staffing, proper maintenance and upkeep. A well-maintained golf course will only increase revenue for the city. When Marty Sanchez is well-maintained, its reputation spreads far and wide among golfers. Unfortunately, the same goes for a golf course that is deteriorating.
The opinion was provided by the Ladies of the Links Golf Association, with board members JoAnn Bishop, president; Susan Alexander, vice president; Pat Roberts, secretary; Pam Shae≠er, treasurer; Betty Worrell, membership secretary; Cynthia Cooper, Marylou Anderson and Pilar Cannizzaro, members at large.