Lifestyle Preview Visit - Golf Cart or Not?

[JohnN]

I vote yes, absoutely, on getting a golf cart. My lovely spouse (51% of the vote here) says it's not needed when we visit. Any help out there?

[Halle]

I would definitely get a golf cart. We did on our Preview visit and really enjoyed it.You will get a better feel for what a golf cart community is all about.

[graciegirl]

John:

We had intended to rent a golf cart on our visit a week ago but changed our mind because it was chilly. Your two rounds of golf include a cart so it won't be needed for that and we really zipped around, (I think) quicker in the car. We finally gave up on anyone showing us anymore houses than the two or three hours initially given us by a rep and took to going to open houses for new and resales ourselves, and then would just go and look in windows and walk around yards of the new homes listed. I think it would have slowed us down if we had used the golf cart.

I was a manufacturers rep in years past and I have pretty good navigation skills, but THE VILLAGES were a bit of a challenge initially and traveling by golf cart takes a little longer, so I think it bears some thinking.

Just my opinion.

GracieGirl

[punkpup]

We just had a Lifestyle Preview and I reserved a cart beforehand without hesitation! We drove around in a cart last year and our hosts drove us around in their cars whenever necessary which was infrequent. This year we drove a car from Miami and used it a couple of times but went everywhere else in the cart. Lots of fun toolin' around in the cart.

[Peggy D]

Golf carts are fun and I agree its a good way to get a feel for what a golf cart community is like. However, the rented ones are so slow. Someone said they do 14 mph. That's tough when everyone else is doing 20 mph or better!

We will be in TV in 16 days (but who's counting) and won't be renting a golf cart.

Either way, you'll have a great time.

[redwitch]

I'm probably going to be the odd man out here and say no. I don't have a golf cart but did use my friend's while she was out of town this week. The tunnels are intimidating, the routes you have to take are circuitous. Once living here and knowing TV better, then I'd say go for it, but for an initial visit, I think you're better off in a car on surface streets.

The carts are fun when you have time to get from A to B via C, Z and F but can be frustrating if you want to get somewhere a little quicker. The nice thing is if you get lost, many will stop and help and they don't honk or yell if you stop because you're confused.

[trumbull]

Been there three two times twice on lifestyle and once renting for a week. You definitely want the golf cart for the total experience.

[KathieI]

Hi JohnN:

I have never been on a preview but from the first time I visited, I rented a cart. That's the whole fun of TV, and am so glad I did. At first, only drove around the local streets to get a feeling of the lifestyle and home sites, but then got very brave and drove to LSL, although I was in Virginia Trace, so that wasn't far, but it was the greatest and most convincing thing that TV was where I wanted to live.

Have a great time and hope you enjoy yourselves.

Kathie :redface:

[Indy-Guy]

Previous post about cart rentals.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/smf/index.php/topic,3602.0.html

[fizzbyn]

We've been to TV twice. The first time we weren't ready to buy a home so we rented a golf cart and just had fun the whole week (and fell in love with the place). The second time we planned to buy so we needed faster transportation to get from one place to another. Whether to rent a golf cart or not might depend on why you are visiting TV.

[Just Susan]

We rented a gas cart, not from The Villages, but a recommended provider, in April. It was stinky, bumpy, cold, windy and slow. The paths were circuitous and the tunnels scary. Perhaps it is an aquired taste but neither my husband or I liked it. We rented the cart for a week and used it twice. The best thing about it was parking. The rest...let's just say we will be keeping a car when we move to TV.

[jerseygirl008]

Hi JohnN - Heres my 2 pennies: We were there for a whole 7 days. (Wanted to stay for the 7th, called the sales office and said I was negotiating on a home purchase and they quickly extended us one more night, which was cool). We used the cart . . . once to pick it up, once to return it, and twice in between. Otherwise, there was just not enough time to get where we wanted to go fast enough. As others posted, it is tricky trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B. Several times had to pull over and ask for help. One nice man said, "just follow me, I'm going near there", so we did and that was nice. Rentals are gas, loud, backfiring, jerky. We should have taken ours back to swap for another - but, no time for that.

So, bottom line for us. It would have been better to rent it for only, say, three days and then dedicate those days to using the cart. And you can rent by the day. However, I did like the GC experience. You get to chat with lots of people along the way, especially when asking for directions from one side of the street to the other. (And those dang round-abouts). I got to see TV from the seat of the GC which is a whole 'nother perspective; one I really liked more than I thought I would.

Hope this helps.

[Cajungirl]

I agree with everyting Redwitch said. I would never use a golf cart when unfamiliar with routes, etc. Friends loaned us theirs and used it once. Once too many. Although most people were very friendly and helpful, I felt too vulnerable. My opinion only.