Wayne's World Jan/Feb 2023

Dear La Cumbre Members,


After some terrific golfing weather during the holidays, we are into a new year, and it seems into a much-needed wet pattern. So I thought I would go over some maintenance items that come up this time of year and answer some questions about how we manage course play.


Carts or no carts after the rain? We look and think about how much mud tracking we'll get from the carts and if there will be any physical damage to the turf areas in play. We then look at the forecasted weather, and if there's a rain front coming through in the next day or two, we'll be a little more aggressive in getting carts out as the mud tracks will get washed away with the new rain.


If there's no rain forecasted, we usually hold off longer, so we don't have a lot of unsightly mud tracking. Our goal is to have the property looking and playing as well as it can for all members.


We will close the course if the greens have standing water because of excessive foot tracking and ball marks. Additionally, if the bunkers have a lot of washouts and standing water, that's another reason to close the golf course for playing.


We really do want to get all members out to play golf as much as possible, but by restricting play at certain times, it makes the playing conditions better for all members. So it's a balance we consider every day.


Here are a few websites I use to monitor the weather:


Windy.com

V.C. Watershed

County of S.B


Some notes on rainfall and the lake:

  • As of 1/13/23, we have had 17.55 inches for the season.
  • From 1/1/23 to 1/10/23, we had 8.67 inches out of one storm.
  • The lake has 55 inches of water in it. 
  • We will have a lake all season with about 24 inches left in it by October.
  • Lake Cachuma will spill over, and the entire state water delivery system will be improved, securing water for the next few years and hopefully stabilizing the availability and pricing of this resource.


A 2023 Forecast of the Greens Department work:

  • Complete a capital maintenance plan for all areas on the course (this will be done by Todd Eckenrode and Origins Golf). 
  • Complete a new irrigation system design and plan for the property. 
  • Fly the property with drones to make a Topo map to be used for the work above.
  • Level and install new sod on teeing grounds.
  • Remove the sand dam on the front of some greens and lower the sod for drainage.
  • Purchase a new boat for algae and aquatic weed removal in the lake.


I am sure more items will arise as the year progresses, but this is the base plan for 2023. Our team is looking forward to a solid season with great conditions for golf and enhanced visuals from the lake and native areas. 


See you on the course,

Wayne Mills

Note from the Green Committee

Your Green Committee is off to a good start and as Wayne detailed in his report we are pleased that we will have water in our lake this year. After a significant amount of course improvements last year, 2023 will be centered around planning so enjoy a year of golf with few course interruptions. A topic that was widely discussed at our January Green Committee meeting was course maintenance by our members. We experiencing far too many unrepaired ball marks, unfilled divots and poorly raked sand traps. We realize that the large majority of our members are conscientious and care for our course properly, but these issues seem to be occurring more than ever. Please remind your fellow players to repair their divots and ball marks and rake the sand traps properly so the group following has a good experience. We are privileged to have such a wonderful golf course to play so lets help Wayne’s team maintain it to the level it deserves.

Fairways and Greens,

John Blair and your Green Committee

News from the Club President 5/12/25

By La Cumbre CC • May 12, 2025
Dear Members, Thank you to all who attended the recent Town Hall and Golf Course Project update meetings. Your participation and thoughtful engagement are essential as the board, management, and our committees strive to better understand how we plan for the future of La Cumbre. Over the next 45 days, the Board, Club Management, and the Finance Committee will be developing financial models that reflect the full scope of our campus-wide capital needs. These models will help inform project timing, prioritization, and funding strategies—including potential borrowing. As a reminder, any borrowing the Board recommends which exceeds $500,000 will require a member vote. In late June, the Board will hold a two-day planning retreat to review these options and map out a clear, disciplined path forward. We are committed to keeping members informed and equipped to make thoughtful decisions. We anticipate holding additional member forums to provide the needed context on these matters later this summer. If you were unable to attend the Town Hall, a recording is available HERE . We also encourage members to explore the Governance section of the member website, where you’ll find meeting minutes from all Board and committee meetings. Click the image below or HERE to view our Q1 2025 Update. Please continue to reach out with your questions, comments, and ideas. We deeply value your feedback as we work together to steward the long-term health and vitality of the Club. Warm regards, Tracy Jenkins President, Board of Directors La Cumbre Country Club

News from the Club President 4/16/25

By La Cumbre CC • April 16, 2025
Dear Members, As we prepare for the upcoming Town Hall on Thursday, April 24th, at 4:30 PM, I want to take a moment to reaffirm our Board’s commitment to transparency, thoughtful stewardship, and open dialogue. This will be the first Town Hall at La Cumbre focused specifically on sharing financial results, membership survey feedback, and our strategic direction, and I’m proud that it reflects one of the core values I’ve emphasized during my time as Board President: creating a more transparent and inclusive relationship between the Board and the membership. We’ve already received requests from members who wish to review information in advance of the Town Hall. I want to share how we’re approaching that: The 2024 Membership Satisfaction Survey results and summary were shared in our weekly email. If you missed the update, please view these HERE on the member side of our website under "Latest Updates." Additional materials—including the 2024 financials, capital account details, and the 2025 Board-approved budgets—are in final preparation. The Board will meet on Tuesday, April 22nd, to review and provide input on these items. Please recognize that what we present will not be audited and final. ​​​​​​ Once the Board completes its review of the materials and they are updated, we will promptly distribute the full set of materials to the membership to allow ample time for review ahead of the Town Hall. We are looking forward to your feedback and questions and request that once you've had a chance to review the materials, please feel free to click HERE and submit any questions you may have to Ali, Adam, or me. We will collect them until 2 p.m. on Thursday the 24th. We will also be taking questions at the Town Hall in a written format, so feel free to have one prepared so that it can be collected, read, and answered during the meeting. In addition, I’m pleased to announce that the Board has appointed Sven Klein to fill the one-year Board vacancy. Sven will serve as Treasurer for the remainder of the 2025 term. Sven Klein is an experienced entrepreneur who has founded and led several companies throughout his career. Most recently, he was the founding CEO of Lull Ventures, LLC, a direct-to-consumer mattress and bedding company headquartered here in Santa Barbara. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Originally from Freiburg, Germany, Sven moved to Santa Barbara in 1985. He is a proud graduate of La Colina Junior High, San Marcos High School, and the University of California, Santa Barbara (’94). He met his wife, Jennifer, at La Colina, and together, they have two children: Avery, currently attending Cal Poly, and Alden, who will graduate from San Marcos this June. The Klein family has been part of the La Cumbre Country Club community since 2003, holding Associate, Social Tennis, and Equity memberships. We are thrilled to welcome Sven to the Board and look forward to the expertise, professionalism, and commitment he brings to this leadership role. We know that informed members are engaged members, and we look forward to a productive, honest, and future-focused discussion on the 24th. Thank you for being such thoughtful stewards of this exceptional club. Tracy Jenkins President, Board of Directors La Cumbre Country Club

Member Survey Results​ 2024 Survey/Circulated March 2025

By La Cumbre CC • April 14, 2025
Dear Members, We would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2024 Member Satisfaction Survey. With 633 responses—representing 44% of our 1,431 members (830 primary plus spouses)—your feedback provides us with critical insights into what’s working well and where we can do better. The Good News : Several amenities are seeing improved satisfaction. The pool complex continues to shine, with strong scores in cleanliness, lifeguard service, and restroom upkeep—all performing above the industry average. Likewise, the fitness center remains one of our most used and appreciated facilities, with improvements in group class offerings, professional staff, and overall cleanliness. Tennis also showed notable year-over-year improvements. Court conditions, programming, and staff performance are now ranked among our strongest areas. These gains reflect both the hard work of our team and the investments made in these areas over the past year. Food & Beverage received mixed but directionally positive feedback. Members noted improvements in the quality and variety of offerings but also expressed concerns about service consistency, ambiance, limited hours, and the availability of healthier menu options. We recognize the importance of dining to the overall member experience and are actively addressing these areas. We are sensitive to the financial implications of a broad dining offering and are constantly balancing service hours, quality, and conditions. Golf Operations and Course Conditions remained stable, with strong marks for the professionalism of the Golf Shop team and the quality of service at bag drop and check-in. However, feedback on course conditions was more divided. While many noted ongoing improvements and praised maintenance during high play periods, others cited concerns with bunker quality, green speeds, and cart path conditions. At the same time, the survey highlighted important challenges. This was the first year we asked for feedback on Pickleball, and the results were clear: the program received the lowest satisfaction scores across all amenities. We recognize this is a growing area of interest for many members. However, due to limitations in our physical plant, sound restrictions, and other constraints, it may remain a difficult area to address fully in the near term.  The most sobering results came in the categories of Club Governance and Financial Oversight . The strongest dissatisfaction came in areas of financial transparency, operational communication, and overall responsiveness. These concerns are taken seriously and reflect a core tension many of you noted in your comments: the challenge of investing in the Club’s future while managing rising costs.
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