Just the FAQs
Why were these two specific improvements chosen over the other potential projects? (banquet vs swim or racquet, etc.)
For decades, PAHGCC has debated how to fix the challenges with the existing clubhouse. The LRP and current board believe that the options presented provide an opportunity to fundamentally improve the clubhouse experience forever. We want to hear from members whether this is what they want. We don’t want a decision on this to get lost in smaller projects that don’t solve the fundamental flow, views, separation of events/member experience, etc. issues that face us today.
IS THE ADDITIONAL $6 MILLION FOR ADD-ON PROJECTS DEPENDENT ON MEMBER APPROVAL?
The core project is the Clubhouse North End, Ballroom, Axe’s, and Pedro’s, and is projected to cost $58.1m. The add-on projects –Pool and Youth Area renovation and a Racquets Center with more capacity –are additional projects to vote upon. Contingent upon membership approval of the core project, a vote of at least 50% of the membership for the Pool and/or Racquets will then result in activation of one or both of these add-ons. The Pool renovation is projected to cost an additional $4m to the core project, and Racquets will cost an additional $2m. It’s economically beneficial to incorporate the Racquets Center planning and construction with North End construction, so that’s a logical addition. The Pool ties all of the buildings together
What sustainability options did you include?
The current plan assumes that we would do what is required by the current Palo Alto building code. We expect a moving target with respect to electrification, bird-friendly fenestration, and light pollution, as all three have been or are in active PA city council deliberation. We have a list of sustainability improvement options and will assess each on a return-on-investment basis when we enter the final design phases. Options in this category include rooftop solar, parking lot solar, solar pool heat, battery back-ups, rainwater recovery systems, various heat pump/HVAC alternatives, etc. The costed options assume that we meet California and City of Palo Alto requirements.
Why do we want to include Bocce courts?
41% of the Member Survey respondents said Bocce was an important (and missing) feature. The play structure is rarely utilized due to heat, and the chef gardens are best moved to the rooftop to help improve the over-roof views from dining.
What happens to the Kiddie Pool?
Our plan - subject to member feedback and final design - would be to put the Bocce court where the current underutilized play structure is. The Kiddie Pool is partially in that area. The problem with the Kiddie Pool today is that a parent with two small children has to choose between watching the shallow end with their older child or sitting in the kiddie pool. We propose extending the shallow area of the pool near the steps to form a “beach” area where toddlers can play while their larger siblings can be in the same area. This would extend the pool slightly toward the 18th green in that area.
Why didn’t we look at putting pickleball courts elsewhere?
We did. Options for putting them in the parking lot created a fragmented racquet and fitness experience, put additional foot traffic into the parking lot, and didn’t solve longer-term concerns about pickleball noise.
Why did we choose this style of building?
The architects selected a design that would enable us to tie the existing buildings with the new construction in a way that created a cohesive look for the entire complex. Given our starting point, options like Menlo (Restoration Hardware and Napa Country House had a child) and Sharon (large, formal structure) weren’t options.
What is the issue with the Racquet’s building fire road?
City fire code is expected to require a fire road and “hammerhead” paved area for fire truck staging and turnaround next to the build. The hammerhead is well defined; the fire road is subjective and could likely be a permeable paved roadbed covered with a small amount of turf. It must support the weight of a firetruck and be wide enough for one-way fire truck access. Barring other options, that road would be approximately 1100’ long and would likely run along the areas to the right of the traps to the right of #18. It may be possible to do other options aligned with a walkway from the pool behind the sand traps on 18, but we first want to gauge member interest in the Racquets center before we do detailed site planning work on the fire road itself.
If the Racquets concept is approved, we have to work with the city Fire Marshall to determine whether the structure constitutes a separate building. While ideas have been floated to build a bridge between fitness and the racquet center to avoid a separate building designation, the current design is a discrete building, and we believe we will be required to have direct (ie, a fire truck at a door) access.
How formalized are your plans for interim services?
We’ve considered costing options for providing temporary buildings and structures, but we seek member feedback on what’s most important during the next months.
Why don’t we just rebuild the north end and do the ballroom later?
There aren’t any member-accessible bathrooms in the south end of the building besides the pool and fitness center bathrooms. We could choose to do nothing but the bathrooms and then remodel the Ballroom later, but the Ballroom will be our main dining area for 18-24 months, so it made sense to do that first if Members support that cost.
Will there be any golf course closures due to the project?
No. We don’t anticipate any golf course closures outside of normal golf course aerification maintenance practices to which we are already accustomed.
What will be the impact on Golf Operations?
Golf operations would be on a temporary footing during the North End construction project. After completion, there will be less cart staging for large events, so carts will be staged along the cart paths and potentially on the event lawn during events with maximum cart deployment. Golf operations efficiency will improve with easier access to push carts, clubs, and on-site push cart battery charging.
Will we have a dining room and bar open?
Yes, we will utilize the Ballroom for dining during North End construction. The dining room and Member’s Bar will be open during the Ballroom remodel.
What happens to Pedro’s during construction of the new member's clubhouse?
We plan to purchase an elegant food truck trailer (think Airstream food truck) and use that as Pedro’s during construction. Upon completion, that trailer would be used on the course for special events such as Lookout BBQ’s.
Will we have push cart and golf bag storage during the construction of the member's clubhouse?
We planned for golf bag storage, likely in the back of the temporary pro shop facilities. The facilities will have security fencing not visible to members that will allow us to lock and secure merchandise and clubs. We will have to assess how much room we have for push cart storage.
What will be the impact on the parking lots during construction?
At a minimum, we expect to lose spaces to construction staging and our admin portables. We plan to fully utilize the event lawn. We expect to use the underground fitness parking for cart storage and charging; if we don’t use that, we'll have another tent in the parking lot taking up an equivalent number of spaces. It is likely going to come down to the cost of temporary power and fire safety requirements for the cart battery charging operations. We have not studied this in detail.
Would Hole Number 18 be impacted during construction of the Racquets facility?
Pending discussions with our eventual contractor, we assumed that construction equipment would access the facility from the 18th fairway and, therefore, likely play 18 as a par 3 or short par 4 during construction.
What will be the noise and dust of construction during Racquets or the Member Clubhouse?
The site will be a major commercial construction zone for 18-24 months. The contractors would need to work within CPA limitations for hours of operation and dust/noise mitigation.
What’s the configuration of the women’s locker room?
The women’s and men’s locker rooms will have similar configurations. We sized the women’s locker room for half-height lockers and a bank of day-use-only full-length lockers for a total of 97 additional lockers to the current inventory. The half-height lockers will be approximately 18” wide, wider than today’s full-length women’s lockers and similar to what the men have today. We have not finalized the “wet” areas in terms of the number of sinks, toilets, and showers.
Do our bylaws support this, or need to be changed to make this happen?
Our interpretation of the bylaws, subject to further legal review, is that we need a majority of proprietary members to vote to approve the final proposal in order to proceed. The board cannot unilaterally make this decision, nor does it want to. This is a member decision, and while only proprietary members are allowed to vote on Capital Dues per the by-laws, we want to hear from Social, YP, Legacy, and Emeritus members as well.
Why didn’t we add a men’s or ladies’ grill in the respective locker rooms?
We believe that we’ll have ample eating options on the second floor and chose to consolidate short-order food with Pedro’s. In addition, we wanted roughly equal men’s and women’s facilities.
Where does the coffee station currently in the men’s locker room end up?
We plan to build a nicer coffee and food station in the Starter’s Lounge for use by both genders. Look left of the large screen in the rendering, and you’ll see one possible location.
What can we expect of Member social events during construction?
We will have Member events; we will just have to choose between casual dining and Member Events as we will have one dining facility.
Will there still be a swim team during construction?
Yes. We do not expect to have an impact on any swim season. Any plans for pool work would be completed in the winter and take 3-4 months.
Will the scope of this project mean that ongoing investment in the golf course gets suspended?
We are currently in the midst of enacting the water sustainability plan, drafting the likes of a course drainage plan and tree management plan, and researching other course improvements. It is our intent to maintain the course at the level that it is now or better and to provide the funds to do so through transfer fees and possible implementation of monthly obligatory capital dues.
What happens to my F&B minimum during construction?
We have not decided whether to lower this, so we are seeking your input. We will still have Pedro’s, Splash Landing, and a singular dining experience, including outdoor dining as we did during COVID and during North End construction. There is no change to dining during the Ballroom renovation and the North End planning process.
Will membership sale prices be reduced during construction?
The current by-laws allow the board to set minimum membership sale prices, and the board does not intend to materially lower membership prices now or at any time during the planning and construction phases. Sharon Heights recently took this approach, and while a large sale list was built during their complete golf course closure, approximately half of the members on the list took their name off once the course reopened, and they now have a waiting list to join at almost twice our current price. The priority policy of letting member prices decrease to zero net asset value for the members is not productive in the short or long term and creates a rush to the door. We do expect a substantial sell list to build, and we don’t expect that list to abate until the north end approaches completion. We have modeled the financial impact of this and have two prior capital dues and construction periods (Fitness, GC) to use as references as well as Sharon’s more recent experience with a full course closure.
How were the costs generated, and why do you think we won’t overrun this by 25-50% like many construction projects?
A professional cost consultant was hired to prepare an estimate for each of the proposed projects. These estimates were reviewed by the LRPC to provide insight on some current market conditions and unit costs. In addition, cost items such as design contingency, cost escalation, temporary facilities such as club storage, temporary pro shop, and other items were added.
Why do most non-proprietary members have to pay?
We asked social members to contribute to the Fitness Center, so we found it equitable to do the same in this instance, given that Social, YP, and Legacy members will use all of the facilities in question, including the driving range.
Why do social members start paying later?
Social members have the least stickiness of any member class. Our need for cash is highest as we enter the final phases of construction, so we start pulling from social members at that time. Social members contribute dues to help cover our operating expenses. We wanted to minimize the departure of social members by postponing their contributions to the last possible moment.
How much of the funding will come from club debt, and how will it affect the club’s financial health?
This is a great topic for discussion in the Fireside Chat sessions. The board believes that the upper limit on debt at 7% interest rate is $28.5M. That may not be where membership wants to land, so we have options (see the chart in the presentation showing the comparison of debt to capital dues for prop members).
What happens if a significant portion of members oppose any aspect of the proposed plans or if an eventual vote fails?
The next board would likely reconstitute a new LRP team with the mandate delivered by a majority of members. It will likely take another year for a new team to catch up with what was already done, hire a new architect, and propose newer (presumably smaller-scale) plans.
Why weren’t the optional projects included in the main plan, given their potential to enhance the club’s offerings?
While we see the ballroom and North End as fundamental, we believe all aspects of the master plan are important to the optimal enjoyability by members and the optimal standing within the marketplace. However, we wished to present a menu of options for facility improvement from which the membership could choose, given it is a plan that can be phased if that is the preference.
What is the plan to determine which projects will be included in the final vote?
The Fireside Chats will provide good insights into membership preferences, as will surveys.
What is the estimated timeline for completing these projects?
The timeline ultimately depends upon what gets approved and in what form. If the ballroom and North End are approved, the approvals and permitting process is much simpler for the ballroom, so that can be permitted and completed while we go through the process of obtaining North End approvals and permits.
Will the clubhouse, golf facilities, or pool remain accessible during construction?
Many facilities would remain open. During ballroom construction, the golf course, wellness center, racquets, and pool would remain open. Also, the member areas of the clubhouse would be open (locker rooms, pro shop, a la carte dining, Pedro’s). During North End construction, the golf course, wellness center, pool, and ballroom would be open - the latter for a la carte dining and member events.
Are there plans to phase the improvements, and if so, what will the sequence be?
The sequencing would depend upon what ultimately is agreed upon and approved by the membership.
What updates are being made to the men’s and ladies’ locker rooms?
The locker rooms will be more equitably sized between the ladies’ and men’s locker rooms. The shoe room will be directly accessible by both men and women. Everything will be updated to include tile, fabrics, facilities, and fixtures. In addition, ingress and egress into the locker rooms to and from the golf course will be simplified.
How will the Simulator Lounge be designed, and what technology will be included?
The Simulator Lounge is meant to be as social as it is golf-centric. The myriad of uses of the three simulators include the following: for warming up during inclement weather, for high-technology instruction (use of launch monitors and the like), and for inclement-weather instruction. From a social perspective, beginning early-to-mid-afternoon, the lounge will be used for those wishing to play with friends, for those desiring to play a full 18-holes in a couple of hours, to provide playing opportunities during inclement weather, and to be able to play after dark. For these latter social cases, food & beverage service will add to the liveliness of the lounge.
What enhancements are planned for the resort-style pool, and how will it cater to families or adults? Will there be table service?
The pool deck will be upgraded. Landscaping around the pool will create a richer and relaxing environment. Cabana-style lounge areas will make shaded lounge opportunities easier. Semi-separated areas overlooking the pool will provide an additional type of lounging. Creating an extended step-down area into the shallow end (“beach”-style entrance) will give young families more opportunities to be together in a small, safe portion of the main pool. The facade of the Wellness and pool area buildings will match the facade of the rest of the clubhouse, and the temporary-looking awnings will be gone. As do the bathrooms, Splash Landing remains where it is, and table and lounge chair service will continue.
Will the new banquet facilities result in increased profitable wedding/event bookings?
The capacity of the ballroom is not expected to change from its current capacity. A primary motivator behind the work will be to separate events there from the member portion of the clubhouse through the introduction of a separate entrance and by having bathrooms adjacent to the ballroom. From there, operational decisions can be made as to what is the optimal amount of private parties to attract.
Who will design the interiors? How were they chosen?
An interior designer has not been chosen, given we do not yet have a project approved by the membership, and that would have been an unnecessary expenditure of funds.
Is there an overall design committee? A design committee for the ladies' locker room?
Given we do not yet have a project, there has not yet been a discussion re: a design committee.
Will the members see the entire design, including interiors, before being asked to vote?
There will be no interior designs until the membership votes to approve a project.
After club arrival and going up the entrance stairs, the new banquet entrance and stair/walkway to the member entrance are open-air and exposed to the elements. Will this work in inclement weather?
Members can also use the entrance to the ballroom under the porte cochere for protection from the elements.
How will this new clubhouse design enhance the delivery of service or result in reductions in costs?
The goal of the project is to improve the Member experience while being mindful of operating costs. Delivery of service is aided in many ways: First, an a la carte kitchen adjacent to all dining spaces - Member Bar, Casual Dining, Elevated Dining, Private Dining. Second, wine storage will be located in one central location - compared to the current multiple locations - that is more directly accessible than today. Third, pushcart storage will be increased. Fourth, golf bag storage will be increased. Also, the Starters Lounge will provide a relaxed, elevated space to gather and/or meet guests pre-round. Further, the flow to the new Tall Trees will be more seamless given that a staircase will not be required to/from the kitchen. Finally, Pedro’s will now be closer to the 10th tee for ease of access for golfers making the turn. Regarding costs, a draft, preliminary operational budget proforma has been done, and average dues increases track roughly with our historical averages of annual dues increases.
Are there plans to offer new programs or events to take advantage of the updated facilities?
Yes, but specificity is a tbd for now, depending upon what gets approved by the membership. There will then be ample time to curate updated Member programming and activities.
How will these improvements make our club more competitive with other private clubs in the area?
The reasons are several fold. First, and in its more basic element, this keeps us up-to-date with the high rate of capital spending by local clubs (La Rinc: $25m beginning in 2026 for the new golf course and golf course maintenance facility. Los Altos: recent $8m pro shop & sims, 3 current capital projects in planning and development. Menlo: recent $47m clubhouse redo. Sharon: recent $21m golf course redo, current $9m operations center, clubhouse expansion in planning & development). Second, a current clubhouse with contemporary and forward-looking amenities complements our current best-in-class wellness center and golf course; this trifecta will position us at or near the top of peninsula clubs. Also, if the membership decides to invest in racquets, the club would be complete in terms of competitiveness for new members, current and future. Finally, capital investing will keep us positioned to be amongst the best on the peninsula for generations to come; not investing will have us on a downward slide in terms of quality of facilities, value for the membership, and initiation fees.
How will the Long Range Planning Committee/Board ensure transparency and accountability throughout the construction project?
There will be an external project manager to help shepherd the project, to ensure contractor and sub-pricing is optimized, and to oversee construction schedules. From there, David and his team will provide regular, ongoing updates to the membership in addition to significant involvement by LRP.
What is the process for approving or rejecting the proposed plan?
Feedback received from the membership through the Fireside Chats, direct messages, and surveys will provide indicators of both the level of interest in the current conceptual plan and what kind of tweaks are desired. If applicable, updates to the plan will be made, they will be presented, and a vote of the membership will occur. For passage, a vote of approval of 50% + 1 of voting proprietary members is required.
Are there plans to address concerns from members who might struggle financially with the capital call?
Yes - there are a couple of different options to pay for the currently proposed capital dues, and the Fireside Chats also provide a vehicle for hearing concerns and considering more options.
How will members who use the facilities less frequently benefit from this investment?
As owners of the club, it’s incumbent upon all of us to invest in the present and future of the club to ensure not just its longevity but its success. With elevated facilities and amenities and the current improved trajectory in service, we feel we’re giving members even more reasons to gather and enjoy the club in whatever capacity they prefer.
How do we learn more about the plans and designs?
Please attend a Fireside Chat! The schedule for the 10 Chats was passed out the evening of the Town Hall, and they’re posted within this microsite as well. You are also welcome to reach out to members of the LRP Committee, Greg, or David.