Home

NOTE: In 2016, SaveFallbrookGolfCourse.com lost the battle to save our beloved golf course but won the battle to save the property as a working agricultural landscape. The land is being transformed into Monserate Winery and vineyard and will be protected from development via the use of conservation easements placed on the title. The community has formed SaveGirdValley.com to further improve life in beautiful Gird Valley. Join us! 

October 16, 2018  Progress being made at Monserate Winery

“Work continues to work on Monserate Winery,” reports Tom Ferrall of the Village News.

October 14, 2018  Grapes replace golf course at Monserate Winery

Where once there was a golf course, now there are grapes. By J. Harry Jones, San Diego Union-Tribune.

NOTE: In 2016, SaveFallbrookGolfCourse.com lost the battle to save our beloved golf course but won the battle to save the property as a working agricultural landscape. The land is being transformed into Monserate Winery and vineyard and will be protected from development via the use of conservation easements placed on the title. The community has formed SaveGirdValley.com to further improve life in beautiful Gird Valley. Join us! 

=========================================

April 8,2017  Village News reports on ‘Fallbrook Golf Club’s last stand is as training ground for firefighters’

The Village News’  Tom Farrell was there to report on the 300 neighbors who gathered to watch the old club house burn to the ground. Bittersweet it was.

March 29, 2017 Old Fallbrook golf course on its way to becoming winery

The San Diego Union-Tribune brings us up to date on Monserate Winery. It’s a “crazy leap of faith,” says Jade Work. Let’s do what we can to make sure his faith is well-placed! Read the article.

March 26, 2017 Fire training at the old club house

The fire department is using the old golf club house for training March 26-April 4 so don’t panic if you see smoke! Once the debris is all cleared, the new Monserate Winery will have a place to build its new Italian-themed winery, restaurant, bar and barrel room.

March 13, 2017 Monserate Winery has a website and is on Facebook!

Monserate Winery has a website at MonserateWinery.com and is on Facebook! Congratulations!

February 15, 2017 Village News reports on the new name: Monserate Winery!

The Village News has reported on the progress at the vineyard and the new name for the property: Monserate Winery! Take a look and add your comments to the article.

February 14, 2017 Happy Valentine’s Day and we have a winner! The new name is Monserate Winery!

We never imagined the incredible response to the “Name the Winery” contest, almost 1400 submissions! Jade and Julie Work were thrilled by your enthusiasm and faced a daunting task choosing that just-right name for the new winery. But Monserate Winery, named after the Rancho Monserate land grant of 1846 and Monserate Hill to the south of the property, was just perfect. Blair Cooke Davey was the first to suggest Monserate Winery. Congratulations to Blair! We love the new name! 

January 2, 2017FELICE ANNO NUOVO to all our friends and families in Gird Valley and beyond!

We ring in 2017 with an update about the “Name The Winery” contest and other doings on the vineyard. We never imagined the incredible response to the naming contest – as of January 2, we’ve received almost 1200 submissions! Jade and Julie Work are thrilled by your enthusiasm and have a daunting task ahead in choosing that just-right name for the new winery.  The timeline for submissions will close January 10, 2017, so if you have an inspiration between now and then be sure to write it down and submit all your ideas soon!

December 16, 2016Village News reports on progress at 2757 Gird Road and announces a contest to Name The Winery!

Tom Ferrall of the Village News reports on a contest to Name The Winery! The article also includes updates on the land’s transformation into a working vineyard. While diseased non-native trees are bring removed, all the native oaks and sycamores are being saved. Olive trees (for oil) will be added plus Jade Work tells us “We’re going to add more sycamores and oaks to enhance the area. So in places where there’s only one sycamore, we’ll add three or four more to make little groves of sycamores and then we’ll build the vineyard around those areas. That’s the plan, to really work around any native trees in the vineyard, even if the vineyard has to move and go around them.” Good to hear! Add your comments at the end of the article and send your suggestions  for a name for the new winery to us! Thanks and best wishes for the holidays!

December 7, 2016 With Thanks and Best Wishes for the Holidays from Gird Valley!

We in Fallbrook have a lot to be thankful for this year. Jade and Julie Work closed escrow on the Gird Valley property on November 15th, saving the land from the threat of residential development.  Since then we’ve had rainbows and rain, a sure sign we are on the right path! Read more…

December 2, 2016 Gird Valley ‘savior’ Work saluted by neighbors

The Village News’ Tom Ferrall has reportedon last Wednesday’s meeting in the golf course’s old clubhouse. “I won’t be successful in this unless this place is spectacularly beautiful,” Jade Work told the crowd. “I have a huge vested interest to make it spectacular.” Over a hundred people attended, met Jade and became excited about his vision for the property which is soon to be, once again, the gem of Gird Valley! It’s a great articleso please read it and add your comments at the end!

November 25, 2016 SDUT on “Shuttered golf club’s new owner applauded”

The same day that the San Diego Union-Tribune‘s J. Harry Jones reported that thousands of houses are to be built on land to the east of Fallbrook, resulting in the loss of more ranch land and open space, he wrote a second story about how a community was celebrating the preservation of agricultural land located just a few miles to the west. Over 100 people gathered in the derelict club house on the fallowed Fallbrook golf course in Gird Valley. They were all thrilled that one small valley, Gird Valley, will be saved from housing development forever. The community expressed overwhelming support for the new owners of the Gird Valley property, Fallbrook residents Jade and Julie Work. Jade shared his plans: an Italian-themed vineyard and winery. Conservation easements will be used to preserve the agriculturally-zoned land from large-scale development forever. While the buildings will be renovated as soon as plans are approved, the land is already being prepared for the planting of vines this winter.

November 20, 2016 You’re Invited! Join Us and Meet Jade Work, the New Owner of 2757 Gird Road on November 23, noon to 2!

Mark your calendars! Jade Work, new owner of the former golf course, will be at 2757 Gird Road, Noon to 2 PM, on Wednesday, November 23. Swing by during that time and say hello! Read more…

November 16, 2016 San Diego Union-Tribune on big changes in Gird Valley! 

J. Harry Jones of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on the big changes in Gird Valley with the transformation of the property to vineyard this winter.

November 15, 2016 Escrow closed today! 

Finally! We are thrilled to report that the sadly neglected land that was once upon a time Fallbrook Golf Course has closed escrow and ownership has officially transferred to Gird Valley, Inc., owned by Fallbrook residents Jade and Julie Work! Jade was happy to share his plans for the property in this detailed article by Tom Ferrall of the Village News. Please take a few minutes to read it. Wait ’til you read the wonderful outpouring of fabulous comments! Please be sure to jump into the celebration and add your own remarks!

November 11, 2016 Village News reports on escrow delays

The Village News‘ Tom Ferrall has the scoop on why the escrow has been delayed. He reports that Jade and Julie Work “have the cash” but just want the final bill for Fallbrook Golf Club so they can close the escrow with Chicago Title. How hard can that be? Harder than you’d think, it appears! Read all about it and add your comments, please!

October 28, 2016 Village News provides update on escrow 

We have an update on the status of the escrow, written by Tom Ferrall of the Village News. Please read this article, share it with your friends and post your comments! Here is a copy of the email blast we sent out about this article.

Sept 22, 2016 Village News and San Diego UT report on sale of course to Gird Valley, Inc, owned by Fallbrook residents Jade and Julie Work

Tom Ferrall of the Village News provides additional detail about the escrow in his article “Fallbrook couple in process of trying to buy Fallbrook Golf Club” and save it from large scale development forever! Read all about it!

J Harry Jones of the San Diego UT interviewed Jade Work. “Fallbrook is my home,” said Jade. “As a kid I used to go out (to the golf course) not just to play golf but to run around on the property. It’s a spectacular valley piece of land with hundred-year-old oak trees and sycamores. I just don’t want it to turn into a big subdivision.”

Please read both articles and add your comments to the conversation! Thank you!

Sept 22, 2016BREAKING NEWS: Welcome to our New Neighbors!

The badly neglected Fallbrook Golf Course is in escrow, expected to close before month end. The new owners pledge to use conservation easements to protect the property from development forever! Read all about it!

Sept 9, 2016 Notice of Default filed against course owner 

Tom Ferrall of the Village News reports that, on Sept 1, the lien holder filed a Notice of Default against Fallbrook Golf Course’s owner for $53k in payments due. The owner has 30 days to cure the arrears or the property will move into the foreclosure process.

Sept 4, 2016 Read our latest update…

Here’s to good neighbors in Gird Valley…

August 26, 2016 Fallbrook “saga continues”, reports Village News.

Jack Lamberson’s wife, Bonnie, calls negotiations “delicate”; plus, is there a new player? Tom Ferrall of the Village News reports.

August 17, 2016 Negotiations continue, reports Village News.

Negotiations with a potential buyer that began August 9 are still in process as of August 16, reports the owner of the course Jack Lamberson, to Tom Ferrall of the Village News.

August 11, 2016 Village News reports potential buyer interested in the course, while neighbors ask owner to turn on the water to save the greens!

Tom Ferrall of the Village Newsreports that Jack Lamberson is “still trying” to sell the 18-hole course. “We have a an interested party,” said Lamberson. Added Teresa Platt of SaveFallbrookGolfCourse.com, “The thing we have going for us is there is enormous community support. Whoever comes in here, if they keep it as open space, golf course, recreation, wedding venue, bar and restaurant – all the things we love – and if they put conservation easements on it, we will pay them a thousand times over. I am sure of it. Because we will thank them for saving this important property. It’s the cornerstone of Gird Valley…”

August 6, 2016 San Diego UT on neighbors trying to keep Fallbrook course alive

J. Harry Jones revisits Fallbrook Golf Course and interviews neighbors contributing their own water as they ask the owner to turn on the water to save the greens!

July 29, 2016 What’s Next? Golf Course, Mitigation Land Banking, High-density Development, Garbage Dump?

The San Diego Union Tribune‘s Tod Leonard, Bob Pickard and J. Harry Jones, the Reader‘s Ken Leighton, along with Tom Ferrall at our local Village News, must be as tired as the neighbors are, what with all the mixed messages coming out of Fallbrook Golf Course! Read more …

July 28, 2016 San Diego Reader Investigates

San Diego Reader‘s Ken Leighton reveals more detail on the failed negotiations between Fallbrook Golf Course’s owners and HGM Golf Enterprises of Arizona in Yes, again: Fallbrook Golf Course a no-sale: Use of land as garbage dump is not off the table. We now have three articles on the status of the course. Please follow the links and comment on each! Keep the discussion going. The next owner of this property is reading your comments so make them count!

July 27, 2016 SDUT on Fallbrook Golf Course

Please read Sale of Fallbrook Golf Course falls apart by J. Harry Jones of the San Diego Union Tribune and our own email blast: The deal is dead! Golf course needing TLC, buyer with vision! 

July 26, 2016 Village News: Sale Falls Through 

The sale of the Fallbrook Golf Course has fallen through. Read the latest details on the Village Newswebsite.

July 10, 2016 A Tale of Two Golf Courses…

Today’s San Diego Union Tribune features two stories in its North County section. On page B2 is a story about the ongoing development of the Escondido Country Club site which carries historical zoning of Residential with potential density of up to 700 homes. Across the fold from this story, on B3, is a blurb on Fallbrook’s saga.

New owner looms for Fallbrook Golf Club

FALLBROOK

The sale of the struggling Fallbrook Golf Club should be completed within a few days, according to an Arizona man who said he is buying the site and plans to return it to pristine shape. Harold Vaubel of HGM Golf Enterprises of Arizona said final details of the sale should soon be completed and that he has taken over operation and maintenance of the course effective last week. He said he has no plans to develop the property into homes – something nearby residents had feared. Teresa Platt, who helps lead a group called Save the Fallbrook Golf Course, said she and other golf course proponents are on “pins and needles” hoping the sale goes through.

The two sites differ in that Fallbrook Golf Course’s historical zoning is Agricultural (overlaid w/special use permits for golf/open space/recreation). Additionally, the entire area was downzoned in the County General Plan to semi rural (4, 8 or 16 acres per house).

Therefore, the Fallbrook Golf Course is not a financially-viable residential or commercial development site. A golf course/recreation area revitalization project, makes economic sense for the area, is the best choice for this particular site and has overwhelming community support!

July 9, 2016 Support Your Local Golf Course!

As reported this week in the Village News,San Diego Reader and  The San Diego Union Tribune, the Fallbrook Golf Course is under new management, with a sale pending.With the management agreement in place, Harold Vaubel of HGM Golf Enterprises, along with partner Cary Lee and his Candyl Golf Group crew, have begun the laborious task of restoring the course. Read more …

July 7, 2016 Village News on New Management and Pending Sale

Sale of Fallbrook Golf Club expected to be finalized this week, by Tom Ferrall of the Village News is a must-read! We have had three articles this week. You can find them all archived in our Media Coveragesection of the website. Do follow the links and add your comments. While we understand that most of Fallbrook will be at the Hot Summer Nights event on Friday, we do hope to see you at the course over the weekend and regularly. The course is currently operating with a limited staff but the course, driving range and pro shop are all open and the bar is up and running, as is the snack shop so you can get refreshments. See you there or be square!

July 1, 2016 San Diego Reader on ‘New Hope for Fallbrook Golf Course.’

An article by Ken Leighton of The Reader adds another layer of detail to the discussion about new management and ownership of the course. Please read the article and add your comments.

June 30, 2016 Village News Reports on Possible New Owner Coming Soon! 

The Village Newsreported online that a deal is on the table at Fallbrook Golf Course and the course is reopening on Friday July 1 while its printed edition reported on the closure of the course. Please read the articles and add your comments.

June 29, 2016 A New Deal at Fallbrook Golf Course?

It was announced last week that there would soon be a welcome change in management at Fallbrook Golf Course.

By June 28th, there was a verbal deal on the table between Jack Lamberson and Harold Vaubel of HGM Golf Enterprises of Arizona. There are still legal documents to be drafted and signed but Mr. Vaubel feels confident enough about the deal that he and his crew entered into a management agreement with Mr. Lamberson and have began working on the golf course, with special attention being paid to the greens.

Read more …

June 26, 2016 Save the Greens!

It’s official. This sign was posted in several locations at the golf course on Friday and reported in the Village News printed edition on Thursday, June 30.

Notice2

The golf course is closed. Again.

Abandoned. Again.

What can you do? We need you to urge the bank to put a management company in place to save the golf course, its rapidly-declining asset, our neighborhood golf course, the gem of Gird Valley!

Yes, the fairways are trashed and will need to be re-seeded but now the greens are at risk. At an estimated value of $20,000 per hole, the greens represent a substantial portion of the remaining value of the course. With the arrival of hot summer weather, we would hate to see $360,000 dry up by mid-July!

Read more …

June 4, 2016

Village Newsarticle reports that Fallbrook Golf Course owner Jack Lamberson says he has two “acceptable” offers for the golf course. Follow the link to the article and post your online comments.

MAY 22, 2016

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: We are regularly asked, can this course become residential development or mitigation bank land under the Clean Water Act?

The short answer is NO because there are several key factors at play.

THE BASICS:  The historical zoning is Agricultural with special use permits for operation. The Fallbrook Golf Course consists of 116 acres made up of 9 tax assessors’ parcels but it is only 2 legal parcels. Six of the 9 tax assessors’ parcels are designated for use as “Recreational-Vacant Land” and three parcels as “Golf Course.” Any change in use will require a zoning change and subdividing the property in compliance with the Subdivision Map Act.

Read more …

MAY 6, 2016

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP SAVE FALLBROOK GOLF COURSE: Follow this link to recent press coverage in the Village News and submit your comments online ASAP! The article by Tom Ferrall, “Lamberson still seeking buyer for Fallbrook Golf Course”, includes information on two buyers who are interested in purchasing the course and restoring it.  We are wishing them the best in their worthy endeavors to Save Fallbrook Golf Course!

Read more …

APR 24, 2016

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP SAVE FALLBROOK GOLF COURSE: It’s time, before the fire season, to file complaints about the debris and weeds on the golf course.  Weed Abatement Ordinance, Ordinance 2000-1, North County Fire Protection District, County of San Diego, declares that weeds and other items are a public nuisance. SECTION 1 A states: Weeds …”growing upon the streets, sidewalks or upon private or public property within the North County Fire Protection District which by reason of its size, type, manner of growth, proximity to any building, or improvements which, when dry, will with reasonable probability constitute a fire hazard, is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and shall be abated to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief or an authorized representative.”

Submit your complaints and pictures regarding any fire hazard, debris, trash via this online form and to the Fire Prevention Specialist Gregg Holdridge at gholdridge@ncfire.org (760-723-2010), cc: CEO/Fire Chief Steve Abbott at sabbott@ncfire.org. Additionally, send a copy to us at SaveFallbrookGolfCourse@gmail.com and to the bank which carries the loan on the property: ahageman@firstnationaldenver.com, Attention Ms. Andrea Hageman, Senior Vice President, Manager of Special Assets, NMLS# 1199565, Direct 303.962.8079, Cell 303.919.2032, Toll-Free 888.912.2265, Fax 303.962.8088, First National Denver, 3650 East First Avenue, Suite 100, Denver, CO 80206. Thank You!

APR 2, 2016

Dear Future Fallbrook Golf Course Owner:

We know you’re out there, taking a serious look at Fallbrook Golf Course, shaking the bushes and kicking the tires! With gorgeous trees, fabulous weather, and a community that will enthusiastically welcome and support you, this course is poised for a new beginning and we wish you the best of luck.

When neighbors in Gird Valley learned in January that Fallbrook Golf Course was in serious jeopardy of being lost forever, we quickly mobilized our time, energy and resources to form SaveFallbrookGolfCourse.com. Hundreds of people joined us and numerous press reports carried our message far and wide.

Read more … (Also in PDF)

MAR 15, 2016

If you are on our email list, you’ve received an update on the status of Fallbrook Golf Course. What can you do to help save Fallbrook Golf Course? Follow the links below to recent press coverage and submit your comments ASAP!

This past week, SaveFallbrookGolfCourse.com helped reporters generate four articles. The San Diego Union Tribune‘s Bob Pickard and the Village News‘ Tom Ferrall covered the announced March 14 closure of the course. When the owner back-tracked and cancelled the closure, San Diego Reader‘s Ken Leightonreported Jack Lamberson saying, “his longterm plans are to eventually divide the property and sell the back nine for mitigation and sell the front nine to a residential developer.”

March 14th, San Diego Union Tribune readers opened the Sports Section to golf writer Tod Leonard’s headline, “Negligent Fallbrook course owner is betraying the public’s trust.”

Read more …

MAR 11, 2016

San Diego Union Tribune reports the owner of Fallbrook Golf Course will shut it down March 14 and cease all maintenance on the course. He continues to plan a sale to a mitigation land bank on the back nine, says he may attempt residential development on the front nine. You may also read the latest in the Village News. Your comments are needed!

FEB 15, 2016 Presentations to FCPG

A BIG THANK YOU to Fallbrook for showing up in force at Fallbrook Library on Jan. 30 where we all began learning about the threats to life in Gird Valley! And thank you for attending or speaking during the Open Forum of Fallbrook Community Planning Group’s meeting on Feb. 15. You can read about it in the Village News.

Oral presentations re: Fallbrook Golf Course were made, in order of appearance, by Teresa Platt, Dolly Harty, Sue Thorne, Bob Lindner, Larry Mitzner, Ed Erse, Judy Hughes, Brad Jordan and Bill Geffeney. Following are the prepared texts of oral presentations …

Read more …

FEB 13, 2016 YOU can save Fallbrook Golf Course! Here’s how: 

JOIN US MONDAY, FEB. 15, 7 P.M. at the Fallbrook Community Planning Group meeting at Live Oak School Auditorium, 1978 Reche Road. (See the Alert in .PDF, Feb 13 2016)

  • Show up! Your presence registers your opposition to any land use changes which negatively impact beautiful Gird Valley. It will only take about half an hour of your time but it is a very important half hour so please be there!
  • If you’d like, you can speak out, share your thoughts! You’ll have 3 minutes to voice your opinion. Contact us and we’ll help you organize your comments!
  • Here is the PowerPoint presentation from our meeting at Fallbrook Library on Jan. 30, updated March 2, 2016.

You can do more to help!

  • Contact us for your SaveFallbrookGolfCourse.com banners! Mrs. Duke Snider has one–you can too!
  • Spread the word. Make sure you, everyone you know, is on our mailing list. Fill in the Sign Me Up! widget to the right on this site.
  • Share the PowerPoint presentation from our Jan. 30 meeting at Fallbrook Library, updated with new information March 2, 2016.

Our Mission:

Fallbrook Golf Course, 2016.

Fallbrook Golf Course owners Bonnie and Jack Lamberson and grandson AJ Laneri are in escrow, transferring all or part of our beautiful Fallbrook Golf Course to a “mitigation” land bank. If you want to know what this entails, just look to the south in Bonsall where we have witnessed the tragic demise of the San Luis Rey Downs Golf Course, now the San Luis Rey Downs Weed Patch surrounded by thousands of angry Bonsall neighbors. In the deal on the table, Fallbrook Golf Course will go to seed and weeds and then “mitigation credits” will be sold to Big Government agencies and Big Developers to release them from any culpability for damage they are doing to wetlands in North San Diego County. Mitigation tax credits related to the expansion of Highway 76 are estimated to sell for $150,000 to $500,000 per acre.

So, faced with the choice of working hard in a challenging business environment, the Lamberson/Lanari group chose to cut service in the bar and restaurant, cancel the breakfast service, reduce staff, and cast off their golfing and events clientele. They stopped watering and caring for the fairways and trees, and are ignoring maintenance of the cart paths and outbuildings. They appear to be purposely degrading the course and letting assets decline, all in preparation for grabbing a large piece of YOUR taxpayer dollars via a “mitigation” land bank!

In exchange, Fallbrook residents and local government will be left with negatively impacted view sheds, decimated property values, a vastly diminished tax base and fewer recreational and job opportunities. Additionally, the historic Gird Valley will be left with an eyesore spanning both sides of Gird Road, a weedy fire hazard in the middle of residential development.

So how does one mitigate the negatives created by mitigation bankers such as these? Any land bank will require a County Discretionary Use Permit and the County will need approval for such a permit from our own Fallbrook Planning Group. Additionally, while the federal Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army Corps of Engineers will issue mitigation permits and approve the land mitigation bank under Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act, they are REQUIRED BY LAW to COORDINATE with our citizens via our local government and planning groups. This gives Fallbrook residents the ultimate veto power over this process.

THEREFORE, WE THE UNDERSIGNED urge Fallbrook Planning Group to disallow conversion of the Recreation-zoned Fallbrook Golf Course to a mitigation bank. We also call on Congressman Duncan Hunter to modify the Clean Water Act to preclude government agencies from using OUR tax dollars to destroy DEVELOPED recreation land by being sold into Mitigation Land Banks.

  • Email/mail us your statements of support 
  • Share this Petition to Save Fallbrook Golf Course far and wide.
  • Share your concerns with your elected representatives and the Fallbrook Community Planning Group. 

Thank you for your support and spread the word! Save Fallbrook Golf CourseSaveFallbrookGolfCourse.com2903 Lakemont DriveFallbrook, CA 92028savefallbrookgolfcourse@gmail.com