Marshallia Ranch Golf Course, CLOSED 2016

Marshallia Ranch Golf Course is an 18 hole Military golf course located near Vandenburg AFB between Lompoc and Santa Maria, California.

The course is open to the general public who can reserve a tee time during the week. The course gives priority to military personnel for tee times and green fee discounts.

Marshallia Ranch Golf Course first opened in 1957. The course was designed by Bob Putman.

The course is tree lined, and there are many sand bunkers. The fairways are tight and tree lined with spots of ice plant throughout. With the Pacific ocean only 5 miles away, wind is always in play.

Par for the course is 72. From the back tees, the course plays to 6,845 yards. From the forward tees, the course measures 5,404 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 15, a par-5 that plays to 586 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 3, a par-3 that plays to 160 yards from the back tees.

Watch out for # 5, a 386-yard par-4 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole at Marshallia is # 14, a 436 yard par-4.

The Lompoc Record reported in June 2016 that Marshallia Ranch Golf Course is facing an uncertain future. Col. J. Christopher Moss, VAFB’s 30th Space Wing commander, pointed to the rising cost of state water and the declining usage of the course as trends that could lead to the course’s closure.

“The golf course has been losing money for nearly 10 consecutive years,” Moss said. “At our current loss rate, the golf course is going to be bankrupt in one to two years.”   

FLASH NEWS__________________

Marshallia Ranch 

The Marshallia Ranch Golf Course at Vandenberg AFB will cease offering rounds of golf effective Sept. 1, 2016.

In 1992, Vandenberg entered into a contract to purchase water from the state of California. This was done to help sustain the water infrastructure of the base and local communities. However, with the onset of the current drought, the price of water provided by the state has risen nearly 500% over the past decade. As a result, the golf course has been forced to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year simply to water the grounds. These costs have far outpaced revenue generated by the course. In order to prevent the golf course and the entire VAFB MWR Fund from going bankrupt, the base has no choice but to cease offering rounds of golf.

However, in an effort to offer some level of golf at Vandenberg, the putting green, driving range, practice area will remain open. The Pro Shop will also remain open, although on a trial basis while the 30 FSS assesses its ability to be profitable without rounds of golf being played at the course.