[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by The Mountaineer

Today I played El Diablo, as I have for all of my 4 winters in The Villages. 7 tee shots were either on the green or the fringe. I had FIVE 3-putt greens. The greens are like putting on miniature cobblestones. Bare spots. Sparse grass. Bumpity putts. Silver Lake and Hill Top are in respectable shape. El Diablo greens are like a shabby unkempt cousin. I was a golf caddy for 10 years in West Virginia, as a teenager and a collegian, so I know the difference between well-kept greens and poorly managed greens. I know the hurricane was tough on Villages greens, but Silver Lake was battered badly and has recovered. Am I the only one noticing how El Diablo greens are because of their condition? I shot a 34 despite the atrocious putting conditions so it's not like I'm the world's worst golfer.

What's really sad is that this course was closed for a long time to "redo" the greens. I don't know what they're doing when they say they redo the greens but they often are worse after the redoing. It seems that The Villages loves to waste money rebuilding greens as opposed to maintaining them.

They also closed Mira Mesa for a long time to rebuild the greens. I was hoping that they'd completely redesign the ninth green there as it is an OK green for a 100 yard wedge shot, but the hole plays 180 yards. I've hit a few perfect shots into that green and every time, have been over it. I'd fix my ball mark on the front edge of the green and pitched the ball from behind it. And once again after closing the course for rebuilding, the greens are as bad as ever.