Rancho Santa Fe Association readies for Ranch Clubhouse renovation

The Rancho Santa Fe Association is just two months away from the start of construction on its $9.6 million Ranch Clubhouse renovation.

The building on the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club campus hasn’t been touched since 2007 and it will benefit from major structural repairs including a new roof, heating, ventilation and air system upgrades, interior and exterior painting, and a long-needed new sound system. Rehabbing the building also created an opportunity to make functional and aesthetic upgrades to the restaurant, which many felt had become dated. With the renovation, the restaurant’s space will be opened up with a new entrance created off the front lobby. The bar will be reimagined as a central focal point, the patio significantly expanded and a NanaWall system will be added that allows the glass walls to slide and fold up to embrace the outdoors and the beautiful setting, looking out on the greens.

The design plans call for refreshing the carpeting, flooring, furniture and chandeliers throughout the clubhouse while maintaining the historical charm. The landscaping, kitchen and bathrooms will also receive updates.

According to Association Director of Planning and Development Maryam Babaki, construction is expected to begin on Jan. 15, 2026 and last eight months, with a grand re-opening set for August 2026.

A financing plan will be presented at a yet-to-be-scheduled special board meeting in December— as board President David Gamboa noted, the project is all being accomplished without raising member assessments.

The Association will host a “Vision to Reality” kickoff party for the renovation on Tuesday, Dec. 9 from 5-7 p.m., an opportunity to check out the latest design renderings and enjoy light bites and drinks. The party will be held in conjunction with an online auction for the furniture and other items in the existing clubhouse.

During public comment, one member asked about the plein air art collection, the gold-framed landscapes that adorn most of the walls.

“We have a beautiful plein air art collection at the clubhouse, it’s absolutely gorgeous,” said Golf Club Manager Shanon McCarthy of the pieces mostly owned by the club in addition to donated works and pieces on loan. “We are keeping all of the artwork, it will be displayed in the newly renovated clubhouse.”

RSF Association Chief Administrative Officer Dominique Albrecht said not only will they be keeping the artwork but the design for the clubhouse was based on the colors and feel of those paintings and the surrounding open space. The palette for the new flooring and walls draw inspiration from the natural environment, the swirls of eucalyptus bark and the greens of the local foliage.

“Every time I talk to members, I hear how great the food is, how fun the events are and if you notice, we’re doing it in a very fiscally responsible way as much as we can,” Albrecht said of the restaurant.

Michael Clark, the golf club director of food and beverage, said the restaurant ended the fiscal year on a positive note, exceeding projected revenues by $463,000, controlling labor without sacrificing service levels, and working with food purveyors to bring the cost of products down without skimping on quality.

“We continue to see higher cover counts, more and more members are coming to enjoy the restaurant, which is wonderful,” Clark said.

Almost 500 events were booked at the restaurant last year, marking a 30% increase. With Chef Tommy DiMella, they have hosted several events to bring the community together such as the “yappy hours” for people and their pets, the wine festival, and a popular summer luau with 250 members in attendance. Big traditional events still upcoming for the end of the year include Thanksgiving meals, the holiday tree lighting, Santa brunch and candlelight dinner up until Dec. 24, which will be the restaurant’s last day of service before the renovation.

Both Clark and the chef have experience working through a large renovation project and planning is underway for how the restaurant will serve members during the construction. They will still be hosting events for members and serving food out of the snack bar, working out of a new kitchen in the players’ clubhouse and a mobile kitchen.

“We’re extremely excited about this renovation, it brings a lot more opportunities for us as a department,” Clark said. “I think the restaurant is going to be absolutely gorgeous. The updates going to the kitchen are going to allow us to do more covers, especially with the increase in seating.”

As the Association shares in the cost of running the clubhouse restaurant with the golf club, one member shared some concerns about the financial plan and whether it was projected to continue operating at a deficit.

As board Director Mark Simpson noted, by dining at the restaurant and supporting it, members play a part of the budgeting process—the Association requires no food or beverage minimums from its residents. Gamboa said with continued good food and the updated environment, he hopes the Association family will be able to enjoy a really nice amenity and they will see operating expenses come down.

“How we operate our food and beverage service is analogous to ‘how green do you want your grass?’ It’s a service, it’s an amenity of choice, it’s super luxurious and Mike Clark and the team have done a fabulous job delivering that value to us at a fee,” Gamboa said. “During my tenure on the board I’ve been trying to change the conversation away from we’re losing money to we’re choosing to afford an amenity.”