I am a would-be golf instructor. I live in Long Beach, CA. I actually live very near the Lakewood Golf Course, in Lakewood, which is an L.A. County-owned golf course, which is leased to "American Golf Co." I asked the lessee if I could rent space on the driving range, that I could give lessons to students which I procured myself (from ads in golf magazines and the internet). They told me "No," basically. Thus, I contacted lessor, L.A. Co. Dept. of Parks and Rec., and their personnel initially told me "No" as well, but did send me a copy of the lease and supporting documents upon my request.
I read through the lease and NOWHERE does it provide for a monopoly or exclusive use of the lessee on the driving range at the Lakewood golf course. MOREOVER, the lease requires anyone (even the lessee and its employees) who would want to be a golf instructor first be "approved" by the "Director" of L.A. Co. Dept. of Parks and Rec. (Apparently, a quality control measure.) Thus, I tried to contact the "Director" and find out what he wants me to show him to be deemed "approved" to give my lessons to my students at the Lakewood golf course driving range and practice facilities. However, my contact messages (some by email, some by phone) did not reach the Director, and the lower level personnel of L.A. Co. Parks and Rec. just told me to "get lost," basically. Apparently, there is some sort of "status quo" that I am upsetting.
So I contacted an attorney, but the attorney informed me that the cost of the litigation (Action for Declaratory Relief?) would be too costly to make it worth my while to pursue the matter. Thus, I will have to take on the matter myself, or just forget about my right to access the driving range and give my lessons.
Can anyone offer me some advice and guidance in this matter?
And just to be complete:
1. There is no way that the lessee is going to be hurt by my giving my lessons to my students (which I procured from magazine ads and off the internet myself).
2. The lessee and lessor will both stand to profit from the extra driving range traffic I would bring to them -- as I haver only once or twice in over two years time seen a golf pro giving lessons at the Lakewood Golf Course driving range, and I have NEVER seen the driving range completely full of customers. Basically, I am not only willing to pay for my golf balls and for the ball used by my student(s), but to pay and additional rental fee for the space(s) I need on the driving range. I would even offer them an appropriate percentage of the lesson fees! They can't lose, they can only profit.
3. There is no way to give golf lessons in the area without access to a driving range. I get the same story from the operators of every golf course -- they just don't want anyone but their own pros to have access to the facilities they own or lease. But it isn't like golf courses and driving ranges are on every street corner -- they are few and far between.

