FEATURE - The story of Goat Hill Park

“Our whole motto is world class, working class. We don’t have a dress code. We have music playing. People really like the vibe.”

Apparel entrepreneur John Ashworth is a walking contradiction – his clothing brands have included Ashworth, Fidra and Linksoul. The group he founded were awarded the lease for a failing council-owned golf facility in San Diego, saving it from being sold off to developers for housing. Now it is a thriving community hub – and one of its key tenets is no dress code

BEN HOGAN used to say that the secret of golf was in the dirt.

In the case of Goat Hill Park, in downtown San Diego, California, the municipal golf course had become too much of a secret and literally was just dirt.

Increasingly under-used and occupying valuable real estate in the heart of a city in need of regeneration, its days seemed numbered.

Two things, crucially, were in its favour. One was that changing the use of the land had to involve a public vote. The other was the fact that the headquarters of Linksoul, the golf apparel company that belongs to industry veteran John Ashworth, were a mile down the road.

Ashworth had skin in the game. Born in the city, he learned to play on San Diego’s public courses and wanted to give something back.

In 2014, he got serious and the “Save Goat Hill” campaign was born.

“It was on life support,” Ashworth told Golfweek. “There wasn’t much grass. It was dirt, really.”

The goal of the campaign was to win the lease from the council, which they duly achieved.

"We wanted to fix up the clubhouse, fix up the golf course, just really support the community and make it a community meeting place. We never thought we’d get it, though,” he said.

So the next problem was what to do with it: “It was like, honey, I bought a zoo,” Ashworth said. “Now what?”

Later that year, a band of 60 volunteers started working on making the facility fit for purpose: their tasks included installing a new irrigation system and renovating the driving range.

Meanwhile Ashworth persuaded the architect Gil Hanse to design a short course for kids free of charge.  Goat Hill reopened in 2016.  Green fees start at $34 for adults. 

There are few rules and certainly no dress code - despite the fact that Ashworth has devoted his career to designing golf apparel.  Lots of golfers bring their music with them, while a fire pit serves as the 19th hole.

A caddie programme gives local teenagers an alternative to the streets as well as a potential income.

“Our whole motto is world class, working class,” Ashworth told Golf Digest. “We’re trying to give a really good product that’s fun to play and in good shape. People really like the vibe. We look at it as a park, not as a golf course. We allow people to bring their dogs. We’ve got a three-hole kids’ course, where kids play free. It’s a throwback to Scotland.

“I think this part of golf is really important and it’s kind of missing right now. Every community should have a little course for kids. It’s a work in progress,” Ashworth said. “It just needs a lot of TLC".