[Indy-Guy]

Lets take a look at this whole thing that you are calling over regulated. Most things are done for a reason and lets take a look at it.

First most people that purchase at Stonecrest and other places close to The Villages state that they get more home for their money (which they do) and don’t want to pay for The Villages lifestyle. So The Villages has regulations that will insure that they don’t come in and use the amenities that are The Villages lifestyle that they didn’t feel was worth paying for.

If you live (have a drivers license or ID) in the surrounding counties you are not able to get a guest pass. This does several things. It keeps The Villages amenities for the people and guest of those who live here and not for the people who live in the surrounding communities. Example for the last several years the executive courses were unattended after 5:30PM so during the Spring, Summer and Fall during daylight savings time you could play up to sundown on a first come first serve basis. Well this last Spring they kept the Ambassadors on the courses till sundown. I asked why are you guys still here and they said that there was a problem with people coming in from neighboring communities and playing our courses. Why were they doing this because there was no one there to check them or charge them. I remember seeing a guy pull up to Heron and saw his Stonecrest plate on the front of his car he got out pulled out his pull cart and walked on like he owned the place.

I played golf with a foursome a couple of months ago and one of the guys said he lives at Del Webb. I asked him what kind of shape their course was in his answer was he didn’t know he always plays down here with his buddy. Now you are asking me how he gets on here. I didn’t have to ask he was a snowbird and his drivers license shows his address and state up North. If the flood gates were open and they didn’t have the regulations then it would be even harder to get a tee time this time of the year or any time of the year.

Yes the program is that you show you Villages ID and guest pass with drivers license when you check in at the pro shop then you show them again at the starters shack. This is done because some time ago people would come over with their buddy and go into the golf shop show their Villages ID pay for the round of golf walk out the door and hand the starter slip to their buddy who lives near by and then he would go to the starter shack and play a round and the resident would go home since he wasn’t play golf. So this is the way that they know the same person who checks in at the pro shop is the same person who enters the golf course.

Lets address the cost of play. You state that your Stonecrest friend had to pay $70.00 and your Virginia friend payed less. Your Virginia friend paid $10.00 less than your Stonecrest friend. Oh sorry that’s right you stated that your Virginia friend paid for it all or you wouldn’t have played Palmer this time of the year since it was prime season. Perhaps that is part of the problem the more you play the courses then the better you know the system.

You state that at Stonecrest they know your friend by name at the club house. Of course they do they only have one golf course and if you play several times a week then they should know your name. My guess is that if I played only at Cane Garden the 2-3 times a week that I play they would know me by name. I play the 7 different championship courses that I can get to within a 15 min. golf cart ride from my home. Most of the people who check me in know me by face and call me by name when I give them my Villages ID. I don’t expect them to know me when I walk in the door as I know they have many people who come through there daily. If my wife is with me I don’t want them to know me by name as she would think I play way to much golf.

I have no problem with people who have chosen to purchase at Del Webb, Storecrest, Spruce Creek and others. They come to The Villages and use the town squares, restaurants and shopping areas. The more money they spend in The Villages the more new things we will get. It’s a win win situation. Good for them and good for The Villages.

I have to admit that till you know the system many things seem to not make sense. After one is here for a while and uses the amenities then the knowledge of the program will increase and you will just walk up and go with the flow. I for one understand that these regulations are in place for reasons. These regulations are in place because people have taken advantage of the system and sought out the loop holes. If people have a question about the regulations simply walk into the pro shop and ask. Don’t go between 7:30 AM and 9:30 AM or between 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM because that is when they are busy checking in golfers for the wave tee times. The rest of the time they will have plenty of time to answer your questions. Also go to your recreation center and talk with the people there they will all be happy to answer your questions about regulations.