The two best areas for communiting to Ocala are the very northern end and the very southern end, the middle is not as good. From the north, you already know about US 301, however you'll have a lot of traffic in sections of that road but should get there in 30 minutes. The very southern end where I live near, is about 35 minutes for us. Take Hwy 44 west through Wildwood and then get on I-75 and it's 26 miles to the Ocala Rte 200 exit. If you're working on the west side of Ocala around Paddock Mall, the interstate is the best route. For the hospitals and downtown, 301 would be the closest route.
With Tennis you're not far from Glenview in the northern area, which is the base for The Villages Tennis Club. The only times I go to the northern area, which would be convenient for me, is when I visit the VA Medical Facility, that is in the Mulberry Plaza area. Also the Lopez Golf Course is a quality course with a driving range and three tough nine hole layouts. Also, I find the best pizza at Sammy Joe's in Mulberry Plaza. We'll drive up there every other week just to get pizza, it's 11 miles from our place and we're only by 466A, not as far south as some villagers.
When I moved here in 2011 my village did not yet have a softball team, so I played for Calumet Grove, which about as far north as you can get. I found most of the players on the team in their 70's, I was the youngest. The next year the team disbanded because the coach retired and no one wanted to take over. I believe they still have a level 3 team, but it is an older area compared to where I live, so the original residents moved in about 15 years ago.
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