Palm Lakes Golf Course, CLOSED 2006

Detailed description of Palm Lakes Golf Course, CLOSED 2006

Palm Lakes Golf Course first opened for play in 1986. The course was designed by Richard Bigler.

Palm Lakes Golf Course is an executive course. The layout features two scenic lakes. The larger lake comes into play on four holes. All the narrow fairways are tree lined, and the small greens are undulating. The signature hole is #2, a 386-yard, par 4, requiring a shot over a tree that is growing in the middle of the fairway. The ladies tee off from the same set of tees as the men.

Palm Lakes Golf Course closed for play in January 2006. The Fresno City Council voted 5-1 Tuesday to close the city-owned golf course, which was draining city coffers of almost $200,000 a year. The approximately $690,000 shortfall of the past five years was being reimbursed out of excess funds from city-owned Riverside Golf Course %u2014 depriving Riverside of much-needed improvements, city officials said.

Palm Lakes has fallen into disrepair in recent years with decreasing over play over the years. Palm Lakes had seen round decrease from more than 26,000 rounds played in 2000, to 19,000 rounds in 2003, 16,000 rounds in 2004 and decreasing all the way to only 7,239 for the first nine months of 2005.

The council instructed city staff to continue watering and mowing the property, and creating a park for residents of the condominiums and apartments on and adjacent to the course.