[JGVillages]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

So I have a question.

Having been in the golf course business, I'm baffled by The Villages approach to golf course maintenance.

Two of the biggest problems facing golf course managers all over the world, is the cost of equipment and the difficulty of staffing (the other is weather).

Because in much of the world, golf is "seasonal", it's difficult and costly to maintain staff, particularly when you have to layoff 75% of your staff, during the off season. The Villages does not face this dilemma.

Because the golf courses are so localized, a 1st Class General Superintendent (read that as highly paid) can probably manage a staff of 8-10 "local superintendents".

The cost of equipment to maintain a golf course, is a big deal. Should a course buy its own "rolling equipment", even if it's only going to be used a dozen time per year? Should a course buy its own Aeration equipment, both hollow-tine & deep, when a course is only going to be aerated twice a year? How many Power Rakes can we justify? How large of a "sod farm" should we have?

With over 50 Executive Golf courses to be maintained, The Villages could use that equipment, 365 days/year.

The same theory goes for heavy-equipment, given The Villages always seems to be renovating 4-6 courses.

So my question is, has The Villages ever managed their own golf maintenance and/or renovation projects? If not, why not? The "economies of scale", seem to dictate that approach, does it not?

Just a window from the outside looking in, but it seems that The Villages golf operations could be much more efficient, productive and professional, if it were all centralized, under professional leadership and direction. Am I missing something?

I have been here for18+ years. In my opinion the Director of Golf Course Operations 18 years ago and developed the Tee Time System, which is an excellent system. Unfortunately his educational expertise was not related to golf, and wasn’t the person to properly handle golf course future development and maintenance. In addition The Villages courses have been constructed by one contractor that completed the projects within the budget the Developer allowed, which in many areas were below USGA standards, thus contributing to ongoing maintenance issues. Some of the north’s Championship course renovations, ie: Lopez greens not originally built to USGA Spec’s, revealed the less expensive construction. For me I believe The Developer has done a spectacular job with the ammenities and their quality offered to the residents. The exception seems to be in the quality of Villages Golf Courses, which in my belief was initiallyThe Developer’s lack of GOLF expertise to hire the contractors and employees necessary to job they believed would happen, thus contributing to the ongoing maintenance issues.