Volusia in dreadful condition.

[Albany]

Played yesterday. Volusia gets a lot of play because folks who bought "down south" don't have enough golf courses to choose from, and Volusia is just about the closest executive for these golf-deprived buyers. Volusia has one of the nicest layouts in The Villages, including elevation changes which is unusual. It has always been in decent condition. Until now. The first tee is unbelievably un-maintained and unkempt. It's just a warning that the course itself is the same. The greens are now unplayable, huge areas with no grass and not maintained to any degree of acceptability. In fact the greens are quite similar to the greens at Havana, before they finally closed it (months after they should have.) It just doesn't seem that the condition of Volusia is solely the fault of heavy play. The entire track is unmaintained. Very concerning and disappointing, add another course to the list of golf course management debacles.

[alwann]

You're preaching to the choir.
This is the guy to preach to. Mitch.Leininger@districtgov.org

I think he already knows. The question is, when will something be done about it? So many other execs are on life support.

[kansasr]

Played yesterday. Volusia gets a lot of play because folks who bought "down south" don't have enough golf courses to choose from, and Volusia is just about the closest executive for these golf-deprived buyers. Volusia has one of the nicest layouts in The Villages, including elevation changes which is unusual. It has always been in decent condition. Until now. The first tee is unbelievably un-maintained and unkempt. It's just a warning that the course itself is the same. The greens are now unplayable, huge areas with no grass and not maintained to any degree of acceptability. In fact the greens are quite similar to the greens at Havana, before they finally closed it (months after they should have.) It just doesn't seem that the condition of Volusia is solely the fault of heavy play. The entire track is unmaintained. Very concerning and disappointing, add another course to the list of golf course management debacles.

Actually, with all 7 executive closures north of 44, we actually have the lowest number of lots per executive hole of golf down here south of 44, so don't blame us!

Lots/Exec
224 - The Villages
222 - North of 466
234 - South of 466
219 - South of 466A
211 - South of 44

This does not include the 3 pitch and putt courses down here.

[Mleeja]

I play Volusia today and it is not as bad as the OP makes it sound. The greens are a C/C- but are puttable. I don’t recall the first tee being in bad shape. It needed mowing but all tees and greens needed mowing. But that’s ok if you want to bad mouth the course. It keeps folks from making tee times and opens it up for others.

[Rainger99]

Actually, with all 7 executive closures north of 44, we actually have the lowest number of lots per executive hole of golf down here south of 44, so don't blame us!

Lots/Exec
224 - The Villages
222 - North of 466
234 - South of 466
219 - South of 466A
211 - South of 44

This does not include the 3 pitch and putt courses down here.

I heard that Red Fox and Gray Fox were also closed.

[tophcfa]

Played yesterday. Volusia gets a lot of play because folks who bought "down south" don't have enough golf courses to choose from, and Volusia is just about the closest executive for these golf-deprived buyers.

It’s amazing how many southern Villagers are named El Niño!

[MrChip72]

I played 5 executives last week including Volusia and Volusia was in better shape than 2 of the 5.

Try playing on Roosevelt/Truman right now. It makes Volusia look like PGA course conditions in comparison.

[Tvflguy]

….some folks here expect excellent conditions for THEM. Our view is that we’d certainly like that as well, but Reality is that almost all tee times are booked on Execs, even in Snowbird season now. Non-stop play. And the weather in winter here and drier conditions lately doesn’t help.

So I guess we appreciate the things we have here on TV, even tho perfection is not possible.

[Vermilion Villager]

Actually, with all 7 executive closures north of 44, we actually have the lowest number of lots per executive hole of golf down here south of 44, so don't blame us!

Lots/Exec
224 - The Villages
222 - North of 466
234 - South of 466
219 - South of 466A
211 - South of 44

This does not include the 3 pitch and putt courses down here.

Something makes me think the OP was up for hours thinking how he could work bashing South of 44 into his golf rant.:mornincoffee:

[jbsnarkin]

I guess the people “up north” never come “down south” to play a golf course. Last time I checked my activities fees, and my trail fees don’t limit us “down south” to just play courses south of 44

[CODYCAT]

Seems to be a golf dispute. Dixie will rise again. There are new golf courses opening soon in the south.

[UpNorth]

Practice putting and chipping greens next to Volusia are closed and in terrible shape. Amazing that they can't even keep these areas alive and playable.

[bobmarc]

And yet most of the Championship courses are fine. Played Lopez this week and greens were excellent. Did El Nino skip them? And don't tell me it's because we pay to play them....last I knew the execs cost $4 to play for a great majority of players. I'd imagine without doing the math the income from ALL the execs is pretty good too so the budgets for care should be there.

[kansasr]

I heard that Red Fox and Gray Fox were also closed.

Yes, indeed, apparently Red Fox and Grey Fox have been closed for several weeks and will be closed for several weeks more. Although you'd never know it from anything I've been able to find.

[AlanC]

Volusia greens have been iffy for a while. Played many times on Tuesday play day.
I think these greens have come to the end of their useful lives, maybe prematurely?
Partly to blame may be shoddy, rushed Village half ass green construction at the start(poor soil, type of greens, etc) and maintenance shortfalls. Regardless, the course is still playable if you don't take your putting seriously.

[Topgun 1776]

Anyone that believes heavy play is the reason the greens look so bad....I have a bridge I'd like to sell you in the Sahara!!! STOP telling yourself that!!! There are many courses that have MUCH heavier play and the greens are immaculate!!! Marsh View and Richmond have 4 people every 7-8 minutes and they are pristeen compared to Volusia or Truman!!! Golf greens are meant to be walked on...BUT they must be maintained!!! Maintenance wasn't done, pure and simple!

[dano121]

Perhaps (Honest) reviews of the poor quality golf courses in TV will shake up the Developer (Costing potential sales} to build facilities before building thousands of homes.

[lpkruege1]

Played yesterday. Volusia gets a lot of play because folks who bought "down south" don't have enough golf courses to choose from, and Volusia is just about the closest executive for these golf-deprived buyers. Volusia has one of the nicest layouts in The Villages, including elevation changes which is unusual. It has always been in decent condition. Until now. The first tee is unbelievably un-maintained and unkempt. It's just a warning that the course itself is the same. The greens are now unplayable, huge areas with no grass and not maintained to any degree of acceptability. In fact the greens are quite similar to the greens at Havana, before they finally closed it (months after they should have.) It just doesn't seem that the condition of Volusia is solely the fault of heavy play. The entire track is unmaintained. Very concerning and disappointing, add another course to the list of golf course management debacles.

The issues can be fixed. Simply stop driving all over the fairways and right up to the greens. Use the 90 degree rule. Everyone FIX your blasted divots. Most are par 3s. Why do feel you need to drive on them at all? A little common sense could go a long way. We all need to do better and NOT just blame those from the south, and No, I'm not from south of 466A.

[tophcfa]

We all need to do better and NOT just blame those from the south, and No, I'm not from south of 466A.

It’s just a refreshing change to have somebody else to blame besides snowbirds.

[phylt]

Played Volusia yesterday - it's our favorite golf course in TV. Best views and fun holes especially the #3 par 4. Yes, most of the greens were not good. Some were OK, but about 5 had bare areas and heavy bumps/past aeration. Greens poor, definitely due to disease or such, not overuse.

Yes, we all want and expect perfection but reality...

[Topspinmo]

Poor deprived golfers, I guess you’ll have find somewhere else in world that has many golf courses/holes. Good luck with that. I would also think you play the conditions of course. Bad conditions makes it more challenging and may improve your game it there any room for improvement?

[Topspinmo]

It’s just a refreshing change to have somebody else to blame besides snowbirds.

It’s snowbirds, notice how nice it is now. :shocked:

[HIgolfers]

The issues can be fixed. Simply stop driving all over the fairways and right up to the greens. Use the 90 degree rule. Everyone FIX your blasted divots. Most are par 3s. Why do feel you need to drive on them at all? A little common sense could go a long way. We all need to do better and NOT just blame those from the south, and No, I'm not from south of 466A.

People are not driving golf carts on the greens so you can’t blame the poor state of the greens on that.

It is clear that for months there was no supervision of the condition of executive golf courses. Finally, after the complaints became loud and clear, something is being done. But it is going to take a long time for these courses to recover.

[justjim]

My wife/ladies played Volusia Monday of last week. She said only a couple of greens were poor and two or three tee boxes were in bad shape. I played Volusia three weeks ago and it was in better shape than most of the other executive courses. Sweetgum was “sweet” this past Friday.

[Normal]

Actually, with all 7 executive closures north of 44, we actually have the lowest number of lots per executive hole of golf down here south of 44, so don't blame us!

Lots/Exec
224 - The Villages
222 - North of 466
234 - South of 466
219 - South of 466A
211 - South of 44

This does not include the 3 pitch and putt courses down here.

True, there is way more golf in the southern section. The middle portion between 466 and 466 A gets trampled on by those from the North and the South. The middle section of courses gets the most play.

[UpNorth]

People are not driving golf carts on the greens so you can’t blame the poor state of the greens on that.

It is clear that for months there was no supervision of the condition of executive golf courses. Finally, after the complaints became loud and clear, something is being done. But it is going to take a long time for these courses to recover.

True. The conditions are NOT due to people not fixing divots or repairing ball marks. Blame the weather if you want, but the real reason is simply poor management.

[coleprice]

Actually, with all 7 executive closures north of 44, we actually have the lowest number of lots per executive hole of golf down here south of 44, so don't blame us!

Lots/Exec
224 - The Villages
222 - North of 466
234 - South of 466
219 - South of 466A
211 - South of 44

This does not include the 3 pitch and putt courses down here.

Golfers shopping for homes in The Villages should NOT purchase a New Home in the Southern Areas, which lack enough Executive Golf Courses. Rather, they should buy a pre-owned home in the Middle or Northern areas which have plenty of Executive golf courses nearby. Also, the Bond is usually paid off on homes in the North and middle areas, plus you are MUCH CLOSER to Shopping & Restaurants.

[rsmurano]

This post as well as all the other posts about golf course greens don’t make sense. These golf courses aren’t in terrible shape because of the residents from south of 44. This is ridiculous! Every day of the winter here with the snowbirds here, you can’t find any open golf course tee times during the day, every course is booked from morning to night. All courses have the same foot traffic during the winter, no 1 golf course has any more foot traffic. How can there be if every course is booked?
But, you have some courses that are in terrible shape and the course right next to it, can have excellent greens. IMO, it’s either the maintenance crew or bugs that make every course unique, not more south of 44 residents.