{"id":50660,"date":"2025-07-09T06:07:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T06:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/50660\/"},"modified":"2025-07-09T06:07:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T06:07:13","slug":"golfers-are-attempting-to-block-newport-beach-californias-first-wave-pool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/50660\/","title":{"rendered":"Golfers Are Attempting to Block Newport Beach, California\u2019s First Wave Pool"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Golfers<\/p>\n

Newport Beach Golfers say there are plenty of free waves nearby, but not many inexpensive places to play golf. Photo: Newport Beach Golf Course<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Golf aficionados showed up en masse at Newport Beach Golf Course on July 3<\/strong> to protest plans to repurpose parts of the 50-year-old facility for a wave pool. The Los Angeles Times<\/a> reported that hundreds of protesters assembled in hopes of derailing plans to build Orange County\u2019s first wave pool<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The protest coincided with the public review period for an environmental impact report on the proposed surf park project. Released on May 23, the report\u2019s 45-day window for public comment closed on July 7. Public hearings are scheduled for August and September.<\/p>\n

Protestors have organized a group called Save Newport Beach Golf Course, launching an Instagram page<\/a> and a petition<\/a>.
\u201cThere are more golfers than surfers and the beach is just down the street,\u201d said<\/a> Benny Hallock, the chairman of the group. \u201cThis isn\u2019t about a golf course, it\u2019s about protecting the only affordable golf course in Newport Beach. It\u2019s where veterans, retirees, children, and everyday people come together. Newport Beach Golf Course is more than open space \u2014 it\u2019s our gathering place, our sanctuary, our beacon. We won\u2019t stand by while it\u2019s threatened.\u201d<\/p>\n

The current surf park proposal, titled Snug Harbor Surf Park Project<\/a>, calls for removing 15 acres of the course that lie on privately held property, which includes the 38-bay driving range, pro shop, a restaurant, and three golf holes. With the freed-up space, the surf park development would build a wave pool, retail, dining, locker rooms, storage, overnight rooms, and a 290-space parking lot.<\/p>\n

The developer representing the project\u2019s application is an LLC registered in Costa Mesa called Back Bay Barrels. They did not reply to previous requests for comment from The Inertia and have not divulged which wave pool technology they would use if the project were approved.<\/p>\n

The city has stressed that the proposal would not affect the publicly owned north and south portions of the golf course, which contain the front six and back nine holes. The City Council has also stated that the undertaking of an impact study does not mean that the project has been approved.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Golfers also worry that this is just the beginning of the course sell-off, fearing that the northern portion of the course, adjacent to John Wayne Airport, could eventually be absorbed into an airport expansion.
The petition argues the surf park is both unnecessary and elitist, noting that Newport Beach already has access to ocean waves and that wave pool entry fees far exceed the $34 weekday rate for 18 holes.<\/p>\n

\u201cNewport Beach has some of the best public surf beaches in the country just four miles from the golf course,\u201d reads the petition. \u201cWe only have one affordable public golf course.\u201d<\/p>\n