TV Country Club Memberships? Worth it?

[Boomer]

I have been looking at this info on the TV website but I need a little clarification, and what better place to ask questions than right here on TOTV.

As I read it on TV's site, the only way to get a priority pool membership is by purchasing a golf membership. Am I correct? (We will never be worthy of championship golf.)

And what are the benefits of a priority pool membership? I know they are for the country club pools, but what's the difference? Is it poolside food and bar service? Anything else?

We have not bought yet, but this is something I want to know about. If we do buy, it would be a second home. We do not want to own a rental. We just want to have something available whenever we can get there. We would be snowbirds, sort of, or is it snowdrops when you come and go whenever? (Or maybe I would just be a snowflake.) ...but I digress.

Soooo....Not good golfers. But I am really good at hanging out at swimming pools. (slathered in sunscreen, of course. -- I would be the pale woman in the black swimsuit from the Lands End catalog. I would be wearing a big hat and huge sunglasses, and reading a book.) So please tell me about this membership thing. I am trying to figure out if it would be worth it to have one, considering that golf is not a priority for us. It does not look like the pool part can be bought separately. It looks like it's an add-on. (I hope I am wrong.) And is there anything else that might make it worth springing for the whole shebang anyway? --like could we take visitors to the championship courses, as long as we went along? (we would hurry)

Thank you.

Boomer

[golfnut]

Priority pool membership is $200 for a single $260 for a couple for one year, it's on the TV website under membership enhancements. You will have to wait for someone else to tell you the benefits, myself after being in TV (Seasonal resident) for almost 5 years I have yet to go the any of the pools.......GN

[villages07]

Boomer,

If you would only be occasional residents, priority membership (pool only or golf) would not be worth it.

They do offer pool only memberships ... this gives you access to the country club pools. Several of the older CC pools have a lot of character (shape, jacuzzi, tiki bar, etc) but they are basically pools. The newer CC pools aren't much different than Village pools. Also, CC pools are for all-ages.

There are 52 non-Country Club pools in the Villages ... adult (over 30), Family (all ages), and Sports (residents only); if you were to buy anywhere south of 466 (and all new building is S of 466) there is an abundance of pools. In older sections, there are not as many closeby pools.

So, for the pool part, a priority membership is probably not a good investment. It all depends on where you buy.

For golf, you (and your guests) can still play the champ courses...priority members pay less each round and get priority for tee times. But, you can still play them. Again, doesn't sound like a priority membership would be to your benefit.

Best way to figger all this out is to come down and visit. Somewhere close to a 3rd Friday of the month so you can make an incognito appearance at Crispers.

[imbrennan]

What sort of time do you all meet at Crispers?

[collie1228]

Boomer, I was similarly confused when we were on our Lifestyle Preview visit. At that time I asked if I could buy the country club pool membership without purchasing the golf package, and my realtor said "yes". He showed me that every resident has a free lifetime memberhip in the country clubs, and have access to the restaurants. But there are "membership enhancements" also available to every resident, which are (1) priority pool membership, (2) championship golf membership, and/or (3) a combined pool and tennis membership. We spent a day at Lopez enjoying the pool, poolside restaurant and bar, and thunderstorm light show (it was mid-July) and thought a pool membership might be worth the annual fee. We did learn that the poolside restaurant is open to any resident, but that the pool is guarded by a pleasant dragon lady who checked everyone out carefully before allowing entry to the pool area. The TV website, under golf, has the details and annual fees. I don't know what other benefits there might be to a country club pool membership - other than the poolside bar service. I still haven't made up my mind if I want to pay a couple hundred dollars annually for the pools - the local neighborhood pools look pretty good to me.

[zcaveman]

I would think that the only benefit of the priority pool pass is that you are at a pool that serves food and drinks and in the case of the Lopez pool you are in a restricted area. Us peons are not allowed past the priority pool trespass sign.

[Boomer]

When I had looked at TV's site under golf, I saw the priority things that are called enhancements to the memberships. I had assumed the memberships had to do with the championship courses only and then the other stuff was added to those.

Sometimes I either read too fast or I read too much into something and make it far more complicated than it really is. (Or maybe it is just that I am a total dingbat and should just face facts about that.)

Now that I look back at TV's site, I can see what I missed on the first read. (Do not start reading something from the middle part. It often does not work out.)

Anyway, thank you for your help. You clarified things for me. :oops:

Boomer

[alemorkam]

Just a reminder that country club pool membership comes with priority memberships. The only way to use the HOT TUBS in the villages is with country club pool membership. Also a little side note. If you purchase a family Priority membership to all country clubs it INCLUDES pool memberships PLUS your trail fees. So if only one of the two plays the championship courses and the other plays the executive courses, it is better to buy a family priority members.

[zcaveman]

Just a reminder that country club pool membership comes with priority memberships. The only way to use the HOT TUBS in the villages is with country club pool membership. Also a little side note. If you purchase a family Priority membership to all country clubs it INCLUDES pool memberships PLUS your trail fees. So if only one of the two plays the championship courses and the other plays the executive courses, it is better to buy a family priority members.

Unless only one plays golf. The priority pass only gives executive trail fees to the priority member. If you are a duo (married or otherwise) and only one of you has the priority pass, the other person has to purchase executive trail fees at a lesser price than a non-priority person but not half of what a priority person pays.

Go to thevillages.net and access the trails fees pdf to see the cost.

[alemorkam]

What I am saying is that it is cheaper to purchase a Family Priority membership, even if only one plays the championship courses and the other plays only the executive course, AND uses the priority pools.

The Familiy priority membership pays the executive trail fees and priority pool fees for both members of the family.

I know this because my wife only plays executive courses, and also uses the Hot Tubs at Glenview and Hacienda. And it is cheaper for me to purchase a FAMILY priority membership which covers everything. Otherwise I would have to pay for priority membersship for me, trail fees for my wife, as well as paying for priority pool membership, which is more than a family priority membership.:coolsmiley:

[Ooper]

[QUOTE=alemorkam;225141]The only way to use the HOT TUBS in the villages is with country club pool membership.[QUOTE]

I believe the hot tub at the South Side Pool is available to anyone, not just those with priority memberships.

[alemorkam]

OK I stand corrected. The only way to use a Country Club hot tub is to be a priority member. Orange Blossom, Hacienda, and Glenview hot tubs.

[billcolley]

Can you be a priority member at one championship course and use the pools and hot tubs at all the clubs? Also, would it give you priority tee times at all clubs or just the one you join?

Thanks

[villages07]

Bill.... priority membership allows you to use all the country club pools;

I believe, but am not absolutely sure, that your priority for tee times only applies to the courses you pay for.

What I don't know, and others certainly will know....if you request Mallory and you are priority at Havana, will you get preferential tee times at Mallory over other requestors who are residents but not priority.

[Bogie Shooter]

Priority Information:
http://www.golfthevillages.com/championship-golf/

[sschuler1]

imbrennan - we are all meeting the 3rd Friday of every month at Crispers at 3 pm. Tomorrow...see ya there?