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Family ties

Although he no longer operates Jurupa Hills Country Club, Ron Robinson remains connected to the Riverside facility.

BY MICHELLE FLORESPublished: March, 2009

Ron Robinson is an SCPGA Hall of Fame member (Photo: Eddie Meeks).
Family is the heart of a home, they say. It’s a credo that still beats strongly at Jurupa Hills Country Club in Riverside, thanks in large part to Ron Robinson.

Operation of Jurupa Hills is now overseen by the family of property owner Chuck Cox. Robinson and his son, Jason Taylor, the club’s former general manager, negotiated an early end to their lease agreement. Upon stepping down last October, the Robinson family dropped the management reins it had held for the past 48 years.

“We were ready to retire,” Robinson said of the decision jointly made with his wife Kathy, who handled bookkeeping and oversaw the restaurant. “We would have been interested in continuing our lease, but we couldn’t have spent the money or have the resources to do what’s been done.”

Cox’s family initiated several improvements, such as upgrading the irrigation system and bringing in new carts.
“These are owners that have the resources for the future of Jurupa Hills,” Robinson said. “Not only that, they’ve always loved Jurupa Hills and they’re not going to let it go.”

The family love affair originally started with Robinson’s father, Joe Robinson Sr., who helped develop Jurupa Hills and was its first head professional and general manager.

Construction on the course got underway in 1959. Robinson estimates the project — from land acquisition to construction of the course, clubhouse and driving range — cost $350,000.

“It’s a fun course, but still a significant test for better players,” Robinson said of the 6,022-yard layout.

Robinson figures he’s taken on every task imaginable, and he took over the bulk of the management duties when he was starting college because his father had fallen into poor health.

Taylor was the third-generation general manager at Jurupa Hills. He, his father and grandfather all were recognized by the SCPGA as Golf Professional of the Year. Joe Sr. and Ron are members of the SCPGA Hall of Fame.

Though Robinson, 60, calls himself retired, the word isn’t an active part of his vocabulary. He accepted an offer by the Cox family to stay on as a part-time consultant, and they even kept his office intact.

“It’s been really nice. It’s almost like things haven’t changed for me,” he said. “I’ve driven to Jurupa Hills nearly every day for 40 years and I still do.”

Robinson also is a volunteer co-chairman on the rules committee for the Southern California Section of the PGA, and he teaches the rules of golf to students at the Professional Careers Golf College in Temecula.

“It is my hobby and connection to competitive golf,” he said.

As far as continuing the popular Inland Empire Amateur Championship at Jurupa Hills, Robinson isn’t sure.

“I field questions all the time about what’s going to happen to that,” he said. “Whether Jason’s going to continue with it … I honestly don’t know.”

What Robinson expresses certainty about, however, is the continuation of the “you’re a member of the family” atmosphere at Jurupa Hills.

“The Cox family’s greatest wish is to carry on with all the traditions here,” he said.

Readers Feedback:

Ron is my cousin. Always has been a great person along with his sister, Cherye, the late brother, Joe Jr. Living here in Olympia, WA, I was able to play that course with my uncle Joe, Senior. What a fantastic memorie for me. I'm sure the Cox family will continue to run a great course as it was for the Robinson family.
Comment at 7/10/2009
Enjoyed the article. Please, do enjoy your retirement. I knew Onie Robinson for just a few weeks. I was taken aback as to how slim and trim she was for a lady in her 80s. I assume she passed over long ago and know she is whole and happy.
Comment at 5/21/2011
Enjoyed the article. Please, do enjoy your retirement. I knew Onie Robinson for just a few weeks. I was taken aback as to how slim and trim she was for a lady in her 80s. I assume she passed over long ago and know she is whole and happy.
Comment at 5/21/2011
Enjoyed the article. Please, do enjoy your retirement. I knew Onie Robinson for just a few weeks. I was taken aback as to how slim and trim she was for a lady in her 80s. I assume she passed over long ago and know she is whole and happy.
Comment at 5/21/2011
Enjoyed the article. Please, do enjoy your retirement. I knew Onie Robinson for just a few weeks. I was taken aback as to how slim and trim she was for a lady in her 80s. I assume she passed over long ago and know she is whole and happy.
Comment at 5/21/2011