PGA Tour Event in The Villages?

[Papa_lecki]

Would you be excited if The Villages built a PGA Caliber course (and maintained it) BUT, there would be a PGA event hosted here every year?

[rustyp]

Yes - I could airbnb my house for a week and make a fortune while I go on vacation.

[Papa_lecki]

Yes - I could airbnb my house for a week and make a fortune while I go on vacation.

Tax free, the Augusta exemption (google it, its a thing)

[rustyp]

Tax free, the Augusta exemption (google it, its a thing)

Yes i did know that. Also the average rent during the tournament is $1000+ a night. During tournament week 50000+ people infiltrate Augusta.

We're in the money - we're in the money. Oh happy days will be in The Villages again.

[TSO/ISPF]

Never happen. Did the LPGA ever play at Nancy Lopez course ?

[Papa_lecki]

Never happen. Did the LPGA ever play at Nancy Lopez course ?

Agree, for it to happen, first a course would need to built for it, what we have are too short.
And, the course would need to be maintained, VERY NICELY. The PGA makes sure of it.

Greens fees, for us for the other 50 weeks, would be in the hundreds of dollars.

[Keefelane66]

With recent posts on many Championship courses I doubt any will meet the minimum standards of the PGA.

[Mleeja]

The infrastructure of The Villages could not support crowds coming to a professional tournament.

[Papa_lecki]

The infrastructure of The Villages could not support crowds coming to a professional tournament.

Well, I think we all agree, a PGA caliber course does not exist yet, so if a new one was to built, the infrastructure could come with it. Mainly parking and space on the course for hospitality tents.

Also, would need a real club house and lockers for the players.

[Pairadocs]

Would you be excited if The Villages built a PGA Caliber course (and maintained it) BUT, there would be a PGA event hosted here every year?

YEARS ago, when we first purchased our lot for future building, THAT was a major advertising line... that when the "new" Arnold Palmer course was finished, the V's WOULD be hosting major PGA tournaments. You know how that went, I think we had ONE LPGA event, a senior tour stop, once. Not much done on it in the last 20 years, so don't count on much in the future. Florida offers a LOT of appropriate courses to the PGA and LPGA.

[Bogie Shooter]

Would you be excited if The Villages built a PGA Caliber course (and maintained it) BUT, there would be a PGA event hosted here every year?

Not sure who you mean when you say The Villages? The Developer or the Districts. The Developer builds houses not golf courses….the districts are you and me…..sorry “I’m out!”

[retiredguy123]

I wouldn't rent my house to strangers and I wouldn't want the traffic and crowds. Mark me down as a definite NO.

[rustyp]

Not sure who you mean when you say The Villages? The Developer or the Districts. The Developer builds houses not golf courses….the districts are you and me…..sorry “I’m out!”

The Developer builds/built all the golf courses. The Developer retains ownership of all the championship courses. The Developer turns over the executive courses to the districts over time.

[BrianL99]

Would you be excited if The Villages built a PGA Caliber course (and maintained it) BUT, there would be a PGA event hosted here every year?


$8M - $12M to build a course.

$3M/year to maintain it.

$8M - $12M from a Title Sponsor.

All in a demographic that's the antithesis of the PGA Tour's target.

Not likely.

[Papa_lecki]

$8M - $12M to build a course.

$3M/year to maintain it.

$8M - $12M from a Title Sponsor.

All in a demographic that's the antithesis of the PGA Tour's target.

Not likely.

The Villages Open, Presented by AARP

[Bogie Shooter]

The Developer builds/built all the golf courses. The Developer retains ownership of all the championship courses. The Developer turns over the executive courses to the districts over time.

Yes, I knew that.

[Babubhat]

LIV tour playing at Orange County national in March. Close enough

Orlando | LIV Golf (https://www.livgolf.com/events/orlando)

[tvbound]

For all the reasons already mentioned, not a chance in heck it will ever happen.

[rustyp]

Not sure who you mean when you say The Villages? The Developer or the Districts. The Developer builds houses not golf courses….the districts are you and me…..sorry “I’m out!”

Yes, I knew that.

???

[Bogie Shooter]

???

If I must,
The Developer is in the business of building houses, with golf courses as an amenity……kinda like building rec centers.
For them to jump into building a professional golf course is a joke.

[Velvet]

Yes, from what I understand the golf courses were secondary to serving as a water management plan during hurricanes etc. absolutely ingenious, in my opinion. Win, win both ways.

[rustyp]

If I must,
The Developer is in the business of building houses, with golf courses as an amenity……kinda like building rec centers.
For them to jump into building a professional golf course is a joke.

Oh nice try - are the houses of professional golf course quality ? FYI - My opinion is our rec centers are world class - second to none.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Never happen. Did the LPGA ever play at Nancy Lopez course ?

The LPGA Tour had an event at Tierra Del Sol golf course a few years back. I think it was only one year but that's pretty common for that tour.

[Garywt]

People think there is traffic now…

A lot of work, money, people and fun. In a prior life I worked on a course that hosted a LPGA tournament every year. The crowds were crazy as was the traffic etc. Could be fun to have one though.

[La lamy]

NO WAY. Crazy uptick in amenities fee just to over-maintain a golf course year round for one weekend. :grumpy:

[Papa_lecki]

NO WAY. Crazy uptick in amenities fee just to over-maintain a golf course year round for one weekend. :grumpy:

Probably not, the course would be a Championship course (it would have to be a new course, nothing that’s built would suffice), so the Developer would own it.

The greens fees on that course would be in the hundreds of dollars.

[Priebehouse]

Agree, for it to happen, first a course would need to built for it, what we have are too short.
And, the course would need to be maintained, VERY NICELY. The PGA makes sure of it.

Greens fees, for us for the other 50 weeks, would be in the hundreds of dollars.

They could build the new course right next to the Costco!

[deputydoc]

No place for all the parking

[bowlingal]

NO!!!!! enough traffic and people

[Rwirish]

Let’s maintain the courses already here.

[NoMo50]

NO WAY. Crazy uptick in amenities fee just to over-maintain a golf course year round for one weekend. :grumpy:

None of your amenity fee goes toward the building/maintenance/upkeep of the championship courses.

[MidWestIA]

Do you mean like would I pay a annual subsidy to get it NO I can drive to plenty in FL

[jarodrig]

NO !!! We don’t need to add to the already horrendous congestion in this area !

[jimschlaefer]

Can't see it. Don't want it. Didn't move here to have to put up with 10's to 100's of thousands of tourists clogging up everything from circles to restaurants to bars to amenities over the course of a couple of weeks a year. Any discussion is even a non-starter for me (and I play golf, even have attended PGA tournaments).

[RichardMichael]

would a LPGA event be a better fit ?
a bit smaller ... but provide a very positive spotlight on our great community here.
just my thought.:ho:

[Steve]

YEARS ago, when we first purchased our lot for future building, THAT was a major advertising line... that when the "new" Arnold Palmer course was finished, the V's WOULD be hosting major PGA tournaments. You know how that went, I think we had ONE LPGA event, a senior tour stop, once. Not much done on it in the last 20 years, so don't count on much in the future. Florida offers a LOT of appropriate courses to the PGA and LPGA.

Yes, Walgreens sponsored a Senior LPGA event (I don't even know if their is still such an organization) at Lopez, but apparently it was a one-off. The National "Shoot Your Age" Tournament was held at Palmer back in 2005 or 2006, I think, and it featured Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Otherwise, I don't think these courses would qualify to hold a "Hooters Tour" event.

[tvbound]

Yes, Walgreens sponsored a Senior LPGA event (I don't even know if their is still such an organization) at Lopez, but apparently it was a one-off. The National "Shoot Your Age" Tournament was held at Palmer back in 2005 or 2006, I think, and it featured Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Otherwise, I don't think these courses would qualify to hold a "Hooters Tour" event.

"...Senior LPGA event (I don't even know if their is still such an organization)..."


There is at the amateur level at least, which actually held their 2022 Open Championship in a place - which is a long ways from here. lol

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2022/u-s--senior-women-s-amateur.html#!latest

U.S. Senior Women's Amateur
Anchorage Golf Course, Anchorage, Alaska
JULY 30 - AUGUST 4, 2022

[JGibson]

I would rather have a LIV event.

[DONS999]

Innisbrook and the Copperhead coarse have had a major tour event every year north of Clearwater . They are land locked and have figured it out

[HORNET]

Don’t need any more non- villagers ripping up the place

[kkingston57]

.0001 chance of this ever happening. Even a title sponsored (Honda) tournament had problems for years getting golf courses that the PGA would accept. Without Jack Nicklaus this tournament would have ended years ago.

[La lamy]

None of your amenity fee goes toward the building/maintenance/upkeep of the championship courses.

Noted. Thank you.

[dewilson58]

Would you be excited if The Villages built a PGA Caliber course (and maintained it) BUT, there would be a PGA event hosted here every year?

:1rotfl::1rotfl:

NONE of out courses are long enough or challenging enough.

There is "not one" fairway bunker in the right location.

[ljmarenco@aol.com]

Only if the LPGA tournament was played as well!!!

Would probably be cheaper to maintain the courses!


There should be an explanation as to why so many are in such poor condition.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

:1rotfl::1rotfl:

NONE of out courses are long enough or challenging enough.

There is "not one" fairway bunker in the right location.

That's because these courses are built to allow people to enjoy golf and fool themselves into thinking that they are better than they are.

You're right in that many of the bunkers are simply decorative. They are there to make it look like a gold course. Even some green side bunkers are so far out of play that they are just decorations.

[WingedFoot78]

Who would support the course for the other 51 weeks of the year?

[Pairadocs]

If I must,
The Developer is in the business of building houses, with golf courses as an amenity……kinda like building rec centers.
For them to jump into building a professional golf course is a joke.

Exactly, and, as an aside, exactly what would the benefit to the ordinary, retired, individual living here be ? Living in Florida, we have reasonable access to PGA and LPGA tournaments, some with in a hour's drive. But simply for the "excitement" and for the few who would move out of their own homes to gain a profit for the few nights of the tournament ? Sure does not seem worth it to disrupt a peaceful (?) retirement community. One the other hand, I suppose if we owned a small business, a restaurant, etc., perhaps the $$$ would be a significant enough lure... doubt this would ever happen, but if it did, would the number of tournaments grow to 3, 4, a year ? Enough that residents regret ever moving here. Oh well, as one person signs their comments: Most of the things I worry about never happen anyway..... Amen !