Century-Old Pajaro Valley Golf Club Plans Major Redevelopment

Pajaro Valley Golf Club, an 18-hole course in Watsonville, California, whose original nine holes were designed in the 1920s by Pebble Beach professional Peter Hay, is facing a major redevelopment proposal in its centennial year.

What is Parks Legacy proposing?

Parks Legacy, which bought the club in 2023 and owns two other golf properties in Oregon and Washington, has filed a master development plan alongside the course. It calls for 160 townhomes, a new clubhouse and recreational facilities, golf cabins and RV hookups for visitors, a fitness center, a banquet hall, a coffee shop and a community market. Mark Swartz, the company's director of operations, said the plan requires no rezoning: "We're not changing any zoning," he said.

How will the golf course itself change?

The redevelopment includes new irrigation infrastructure and an on-site wastewater treatment facility that would supply recycled water for the turf. The course currently irrigates about 110 acres; under the plan, that would be cut to roughly 55 to 60 acres.

A hundred-year-old public course is betting that new revenue from housing and RV sites can pay for its own preservation.

What is the timeline?

Swartz said the proposal has been in development for more than three years and recently received a completeness determination from Monterey County. He estimated 18 to 24 months of additional permitting and public hearings remain, putting the project roughly halfway through the process.

What is the club's history?

The course traces its roots to the former Hudson Landing shipping operation along Elkhorn Slough. During the 2023 Pajaro flood, the property served as a staging area for first responders. Course manager Brian Robbeloth said the club continues to draw players of all ages and skill levels, including longtime regulars who play the course multiple times a week.