Deplorable conditions

[arickis]

Golfed yesterday at Pimlico. Every green was a disaster. Course should not be open. I am posting a picture of one of the greens that was not as bad as the others! I am also sending the pic to mitch.leininger@districtgov.org. We should all let Mitch know that we are not satisfied with his performance!

[Bay Kid]

Pretty...bad....

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Pretty typical of The Villages when it comes to golf. Even the so called championship courses are in terrible shape.

What's so troubling to me is that The Villages does so many things so well but can't seem to maintain golf courses.

[alwann]

I don't blame course superintendents for poor conditions if they've been given a budget appropriate for the maintenance and turf health. I suspect that is the case here, considering the executive courses are operated by the Community Development District and the Sumter Landing Community Development District, which hold the purse strings pretty tight.

[Shbullet]

xxx

[Topspinmo]

Jesus, over 650 golf holes and not satisfied with few? Maybe some more time on practicing might over come the obstacles?

[waynet]

A few? You must not play golf.

[Topspinmo]

A few? You must not play golf.


These courses down here like playing at Augusta compared cow pastures I played in okieland.

[HORNET]

How much did they charge to play? ( free )

[DrBrutyle109]

That doesn’t mean that the conditions should be bad because they were worse where you came from

[DrBrutyle109]

I played Mira Mesa late on Sunday. Greens were so bad I just hit into them and walked up and picked up my ball. I may have been spoiled being I was a member at a private club in upstate NY, but I came here lured by the fact I could play championship AND executive type courses. I’m not trying to be offensive, BUT I really do think if you’re going to use golf as part of the LURE to live here, you should keep the courses in at least “decent” shape. Just sad as I was trying to get my life long friend and partner to move here so we could again play together. Again, just sad.

[jjp2532]

Golfed yesterday at Pimlico. Every green was a disaster. Course should not be open. I am posting a picture of one of the greens that was not as bad as the others! I am also sending the pic to mitch.leininger@districtgov.org. We should all let Mitch know that we are not satisfied with his performance!

I agree and had written to Mr. Leininger last week. He replied that he wasn’t getting complaints, so if people are unhappy he needs to know. Yankee Clipper was in good shape so it can be done.

[JJRago]

I agree. Churchill and Belmont aren't much better either.

[phansen2246]

$160 a month?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

How much did they charge to play? ( free )

Ummmm..... not exactly. The price of golf is included in our amenity fee.

[schrdr]

Did you also notice that they are making the greens about 5 feet smaller

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

A few? You must not play golf.

Right! No overseed? No play

[jbrown132]

Golfed yesterday at Pimlico. Every green was a disaster. Course should not be open. I am posting a picture of one of the greens that was not as bad as the others! I am also sending the pic to mitch.leininger@districtgov.org. We should all let Mitch know that we are not satisfied with his performance!

This is the same story every year. The Villages golf courses in winter offer horrible playing conditions both on the executive as well as the championship courses at ridiculously high prices. Twelve years ago when I first came to The Villages, in the fall they would over seed the greens and the fairways and for two weeks there were no carts allowed on the fairways only in the rough. As the Bermuda became dormant the rye would come in and the playing conditions were pretty good. After a few years they stopped this practice saying the rye interfered with the Bermuda coming back in the spring. Not true, it was all about money as this is a practice at many other courses in Florida. Add to this the fact they never roll the greens and keep them on the slow side in order to help pace of play. This is what happens when you have a captive audience. They can do just about anything they want to and there is nothing you can do about it except play outside the bubble.

[nick demis]

Golfed yesterday at Pimlico. Every green was a disaster. Course should not be open. I am posting a picture of one of the greens that was not as bad as the others! I am also sending the pic to mitch.leininger@districtgov.org. We should all let Mitch know that we are not satisfied with his performance!

Maybe you should be grateful that you can play golf this time of the year. 90% of the states are playing hockey on the courses. Including Texas and Louisiana.

[mrf6969]

Golfed yesterday at Pimlico. Every green was a disaster. Course should not be open. I am posting a picture of one of the greens that was not as bad as the others! I am also sending the pic to mitch.leininger@districtgov.org. We should all let Mitch know that we are not satisfied with his performance!
Those photos could have come from some of the greens at Mallory over this weekend.

[ken.yotz]

So it's up to us to complain? What a copout. Get off your duff and look.

[kendi]

You know life is good when the conditions of a golf course is what you choose to complain about.

[stan the man]

Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs has a total population of about 125,000. Total golf courses - about 100. Conditions generally excellent.

[Ken D.]

And what does it cost on those California courses?

[richs631]

Golfed yesterday at Pimlico. Every green was a disaster. Course should not be open. I am posting a picture of one of the greens that was not as bad as the others! I am also sending the pic to mitch.leininger@districtgov.org. We should all let Mitch know that we are not satisfied with his performance!

Some courses are in bad shape but to call the deplorable is a bit overboard. Try golfing at some other pay courses and you’ll be thanking the villages for keeping the courses in great shape. We have become so spoiled. No other developer can come close to what you get for free. Just waiting for the bombardment from those who say it’s not free.

[cassjax2]

Do you have any idea how many lazy people drive onto and around the greens? We see it every day. Out of 4 golf carts there will be 3 of them driving up to the green instead of staying on golf cart paths. This is snowbird season and it happens every single year.

[b0bd0herty]

Define "appropriate." I do not think it means what the purse holders think it means.

[arickis]

So Mitch Leininger said that he is not getting any complaints??? Here is his email again, so everyone can let him know that we are not satisfied with his performance. If you do not tell him about your experience, nothing will change. Take a picture and post it. He must be held accountable or nothing will change. His email again is mitch.leininger@districtgov.org

[drcar]

Played Lopez today, VERY good conditions, playing Cane tomorrow, also VERY good conditions!

[Donaz1]

I walk when ever I can. However, I would not mind paying ($5) if the budget is the problem. Since I am hearing the same poor conditions on some of the championship courses, budgets do not seem to be the problem. Back in the Phoenix area, I never played courses that were in this poor of condition.

[Neils]

The poor conditions are great to help me excuse my poor golf skills !!

[Bay Kid]

So Mitch Leininger said that he is not getting any complaints??? Here is his email again, so everyone can let him know that we are not satisfied with his performance. If you do not tell him about your experience, nothing will change. Take a picture and post it. He must be held accountable or nothing will change. His email again is mitch.leininger@districtgov.org

Flood him with emails about your concerns. Good luck.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Some courses are in bad shape but to call the deplorable is a bit overboard. Try golfing at some other pay courses and you’ll be thanking the villages for keeping the courses in great shape. We have become so spoiled. No other developer can come close to what you get for free. Just waiting for the bombardment from those who say it’s not free.

Some of the conditions deserve to be called deplorable. In general course conditions in The Villages range from mediocre to deplorable. I have played other courses outside The Villages and they range from good to deplorable. None of these courses, except for the new ones would be considered in great shape, and they are not "FREE". The cost of golf is included in our amenity fee. It's possible that they don't have enough money to properly maintain the executive courses because of that but I've seen some practices that make no sense whatsoever.

What's surprising and irritating to me is that everything else in The Villages is first rate. The rec centers, pools, tennis courts parks, flowers and everything else are extremely well done. For a community that places so much emphasis on golf you'd think that they would make more of an effort to maintain these "free" golf courses a bit better.

[Edjkoz]

I agree and had written to Mr. Leininger last week. He replied that he wasn’t getting complaints, so if people are unhappy he needs to know. Yankee Clipper was in good shape so it can be done.

I wrote to Mr Leininger yesterday regarding the horrific conditions at Belmont. This morning a received a response from him outlining their plans to 8mprove conditions. I hope he can pull it off

[mike234]

mitch has replied. the courses should acknowledge the poor green conditions, before we pay for them. how? cut the price for playing, that would be a good acknowledgement of the crappy greens. and when picking what courses to play, don't put in the ones you know are not good. if you get shut out, then so be it, unless you want to get aggravated about it. harbor hills is waiting for our money. they should be embarrassed to charge full price for the conditions they are in, particularly Havana. Belmont should be closed until further notice. what a disgrace the greens are....
it's one thing that they are bad, but they won't acknowledge that fact

[DARFAP]

Not free. Amenity fee...

[mike234]

what is very unfair, is that the only way of knowing the conditions of the courses, is from these comments or by playing the course. the operators of these courses should tell us the conditions of these course before signing up......that is totally disrespectful to us.
and the fact that they don't acknowledge the conditions is a slap....shame on us!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kevinwitgen@yahoo.com]

Have you seen Havana CC conditions lately??? My large group played there last Friday. By FAR, the worst condition I have seen any course in a very long time. Green unbelievably bad shape.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

When the lowest bidder gets the contracts and no new companies without commercial experience can get the bid because it is on a point system (one being proof of commercial experience) which is much easier than residential, you expect less quality from them.

I can't say for sure but that is what I suspect is the problem. Rather than handing our maintenance to contractors, I'd prefer to se it done in house. Not only do contracts often go to the lowest bidder, but those contractors have to make a profit. By doing it in house the money that makes up the contractor's profit could be put to use on maintaining the golf courses. Also in house people are usually more concerned about the results.

I also don't understand this redoing of the greens every couple of years. If greens are properly maintained they should have to be resodded. Some of the best greens I've ever played have been some of the oldest. The Country Club in Brookline, MA has possibly the best greens that I've ever putted on and they haven't been redone in a hundred years.

[Aw Man]

Golfed yesterday at Pimlico. Every green was a disaster. Course should not be open. I am posting a picture of one of the greens that was not as bad as the others! I am also sending the pic to mitch.leininger@districtgov.org. We should all let Mitch know that we are not satisfied with his performance!

I totally disagree.
We played Pimlico on Feb 6th.
The course and greens were very playable.

If you want country club course conditions, join one.

[richs631]

Anybody who complains about the course conditions in The Villages has not played many pay courses. Try playing at most pay courses and you’ll give the villages an A+

[RICH1]

Looks like a Fungus.... don't track that home

[Scbang]

It might be that redoing the green is tax deductible but maintenance of it is not..Perhaps..

[tvbound]

I view it as being all relative. Playing in poor winter conditions, is still a whole lot better than not being able to play at all. :(

[TSO/ISPF]

As Forest Gump would say, "That's all I can say about That".

[Bogie Shooter]

It might be that redoing the green is tax deductible but maintenance of it is not..Perhaps..

Do you know who owns the exec courses?

[John_W]

I view it as being all relative. Playing in poor winter conditions, is still a whole lot better than not being able to play at all. :(

Back in Baltimore we generally stopped playing a little after Halloween, snowing on Thanksgiving was fairly normal. My last winter there was 2010/2011. The day after New Year's Day was forecast for 50 degrees. I hadn't played in probably six weeks, so I asked my neighbor, but he didn't want to play.

I went out to Geneva Farms my favorite course and when I arrived I think everyone else had the same idea. The parking lot looked like the busiest day in August, there was hardly a spot left.

The golf pro was running the desk, the check-ins, the pro shop, and was the starter all himself. I paid my $37 and instead of giving me a cart key, he said I'll bring you your cart. I went back to my car and I was putting my golf shoes on when the pro raced up in a cart and said, this is your cart, your group is on the tee. I didn't have time to putt, I barely had time for a practice swing. I was with 3 guys in the 20s to 30s who were all good players.

As it was, it was never sunny, it was cloudy and a high of 46, not great but better than most days. Here, it would of been a day that I would of cancelled.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Jesus, over 650 golf holes and not satisfied with few? Maybe some more time on practicing might over come the obstacles?

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