Best of 2001: Best Example Of Benevolent Government

Balboa Park Municipal Golf Course Clubhouse
2600 Golf Course Drive,
East Balboa Park
619-239-1660

There are two courses at Balboa: an 18-hole course that ranks as one of the most challenging in the county and a nine-hole executive course. Both are well-kept, fairly challenging courses. But what makes this an example of benevolent government is the clubhouse. Outside, benches on the covered tile porch provide a shady spot to sit and watch the golfers show up and pay their fees in the pro shop. Inside, a large stone fireplace dominates the open-beamed clubhouse. Pictures of city champions of the last five or six decades hang on the walls. On the south side of the clubhouse is a sunporch where a golfer can sit with a cool drink from the adjoining café, tally his score card, and watch other golfers play up to the 18th green, which lies 150 feet below the window. This room also offers a spectacular view of downtown, Coronado, and Ballast Point beyond. Downstairs, there's a spacious locker room with lockers for rent. Built in the '30s, the place reflects the "Every Man a King" attitude toward local government.