$142,452 for balls for pickleballers?

[kcrazorbackfan]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

[shut the front door]

You should see the amount they spend on softballs. We get 2 brand new balls for every game.

[Pugchief]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

Golf courses are waaaaaaay more expensive to maintain than PB courts.
Why don't swimmers have to supply their own chlorine? :shocked:

[HappyTraveler]

Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?
1 - Some golfers are particular about which brand of balls they use.
2 - Many golfers would probably leave the course with them.
3 - Golf balls are more expensive and they get "lost"

Pballs
1 - Not brand specific
2 - We leave the balls at the courts
3 - They don't get "lost" (but, some eventually crack)

[Topspinmo]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

IMO for the millions villages spends on golf course maintenance and over 700 holes to play I wouldn’t be calling out activities I know nothing about? But, that me…. :ho::ho:

[Kenswing]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

You should see what they spend on coffee.

[Lisanp@aol.com]

They do provide balls (and clubs) for the putting courses…

[Chamo]

Exactly stop complaining about what you don’t get. Enjoy life with the time you have left. And you don’t get 2 new softballs ������ every game. You get one stop it.

[CarlR33]

Working within operations and maintenance of other companies it’s staggering what things can cost now to maintain and I am not paying for it. Sounds simple on paper but what is the price?

[kansasr]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

Because you don't share you golf balls with other players

[bobmarc]

Obviously, like me, you don't play pickleball.

[kendi]

Maybe because golf ball are not hit at other people. Supplying pickle balls ensures no one gets hurt from harder balls that some might naively bring to the court.

[New Englander]

If you think Pickle Ball's are expensive, you should see what they spend on themselves. :22yikes:

[banjobob]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

AS I recall , horse shoes , bean bags, bocce balls ,pickleball paddles etc. are all furnished at the facilities , pickle balls are probably thr mpst used, lost, stolen etc. Golf balls would be impossible to supply , considering the those lost and in the water at every golf couurse. Plus all golfers has plenty of their own favorite brand.

[wamley]

I think its because pickleball is an amenity as is Bocci ball, shuffleboard, tennis, pool tables, the simming pools. The pickleball is also being used by many people and are only replaced when worn out or broken.

[Bill14564]

Not a pickleball player but live close enough to a rec center to know the courts get used a lot.

$143,000 for either 563 doz/month or 5,400 doz/year (the calculator says those are not the same). Yearly total of either 81,072 or 64,800 pickleballs with a price between $1.75 and $2.20 each.

The best price I could find on the internet, even buying in bulk, was $2.50 which makes this look like a pretty good deal.

Using 81,072 pickleballs for a year means replacing 222 balls every day which sounds like a lot.

46 rec centers with pickleball courts and six courts each make 276 courts. 222 balls per day means replacing less than one ball per day for each pickleball court.

I have no idea what the expected life of a pickleball is but given how much use the courts seem to get, I'm a little surprised there aren't even more lost, stolen, stepped on, or worn out in a day.

[garrykolb]

+1 for all the factual answers about pickleball being an amenity and the difference between golf and pickleball. Plus, $145K annually comes out to 87 cents per year per person across The Villages. You can't even get a soda or a cup of coffee for $0.87. The amount of computing power used to maintain this thread cost more than $0.87. Time to move along.

[justjim]

As somebody once said, “if you are going to dance, somebody has to pay the fiddler”. Lots of different activities in TV and lots of “fiddlers” to pay.

[Rodneysblue]

Golf courses are waaaaaaay more expensive to maintain than PB courts.
Why don't swimmers have to supply their own chlorine? :shocked:

Because the pools are salt water. 🤣

[Marathon Man]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

Why the comment? You have lived here for quite a while, you already knew this. A little pot stirring perhaps?

[jimjamuser]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?
The same could be said for tennis balls for tennis players.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?
1 - Some golfers are particular about which brand of balls they use.
2 - Many golfers would probably leave the course with them.
3 - Golf balls are more expensive and they get "lost"

Pballs
1 - Not brand specific
2 - We leave the balls at the courts
3 - They don't get "lost" (but, some eventually crack)

If that was completely true (or even mostly true) you wouldn't need to spend over a hundred thousand dollars on replacements this year. Fact is, those balls aren't always left at the courts, and many people take them home.

[Pugchief]

Maybe because golf ball are not hit at other people. Supplying pickle balls ensures no one gets hurt from harder balls that some might naively bring to the court.

This is nonsense. Dura Pballs, which TV has been supplying as long as I've been here, are probably the hardest ball on the market.

And if you don't think golf balls are hit at other people, we have obviously never played golf together. :loco:

[michgary]

As every one knows, or should know, tennis players bring their own tennis balls. They often play with older balls that do not bounce well. Until someone coughs up a can.
Pickle balls must be the dirtiest objects in TV. Never washed and played with for months, with sweat and snot all over them.
You can wipe off your own golf ball every hole.

[Laker14]

+1 for all the factual answers about pickleball being an amenity and the difference between golf and pickleball. Plus, $145K annually comes out to 87 cents per year per person across The Villages. You can't even get a soda or a cup of coffee for $0.87. The amount of computing power used to maintain this thread cost more than $0.87. Time to move along.

thanks for doing that math for me.

At least some part of the value of every home in TV is favorably impacted by the availability of pickleball as an amenity. Probably even more than 87 cents.

[Topspinmo]

The same could be said for tennis balls for tennis players.

Tennis balls are provided in equipment shack if you like playing with old flat tennis balls that lost air months and years ago. So, that’s why avid golfers don’t want play with old golf balls and advanced tennis players don’t play with flat balls…..:wave:

[Topspinmo]

As every one knows, or should know, tennis players bring their own tennis balls. They often play with older balls that do not bounce well. Until someone coughs up a can.
Pickle balls must be the dirtiest objects in TV. Never washed and played with for months, with sweat and snot all over them.
You can wipe off your own golf ball every hole.

The present pickleballs they are buying don’t last very long before they get soft or crack. Ruff surface applied courts surface increase wear factor. The Vulcan pro balls are little softer should last longer and retain bounce. Duralast 40s are about as expensive and are harder plastic which can in-cure defects like out of round, gets soft it heat and brittle cracks in winter which makes them unplayable in short time. So in theory they might be saving money in long run and getting better product… we should appreciate village recreation effort trying to supply better product.

[HappyTraveler]

If that was completely true (or even mostly true) you wouldn't need to spend over a hundred thousand dollars on replacements this year. Fact is, those balls aren't always left at the courts, and many people take them home.
Obviously, I can't speak for the conduct of every player in this giant place.
But, I play probably 150 times per year and none of the those in the groups I play with take the balls for themselves.

The balls do eventually wear-out, however. Meaning, they crack and have to be tossed. With the huge volume of players here annually, that would account for most of the loss. People don't need to steal them....because there are always balls at the courts to play with.

[JMintzer]

This is nonsense. Dura Pballs, which TV has been supplying as long as I've been here, are probably the hardest ball on the market.

And if you don't think golf balls are hit at other people, we have obviously never played golf together. :loco:

Golf balls are not INTENTIONALLY hit at other people, unlike Pickleballs, which most certainly are...

[Pugchief]

The present pickleballs they are buying don’t last very long before they get soft or crack. Ruff surface applied courts surface increase wear factor. The Vulcan pro balls are little softer should last longer and retain bounce. Duralast 40s are about as expensive and are harder plastic which can in-cure defects like out of round, gets soft it heat and brittle cracks in winter which makes them unplayable in short time. So in theory they might be saving money in long run and getting better product… we should appreciate village recreation effort trying to supply better product.

Yep. Never understood why they used Dura balls, which are inferior to many other brands. Dura is hard to see due to yellow color vs neon green and they are not durable. Franklin or Vulcan is the way to go.

[LonnyP]

Yep, its a beautiful thing to think about when we pay our amenity fees.

[Worldseries27]

why the comment? You have lived here for quite a while, you already knew this. A little pot stirring perhaps?
couldn't agree more. Like tossing a hand grenade in the room. I'd love to see how a dollar is divided amongst all the sports activities

[MandoMan]

Golf courses are waaaaaaay more expensive to maintain than PB courts.
Why don't swimmers have to supply their own chlorine? :shocked:

Some supply their own uric acid.

Golfers play with their own balls. They don’t share. Pickleballers share balls in a foursome. So who supplies the balls? What if one or two people don’t have any? What if some guy leaves before the others and takes his with him? Plus, pickleballs are easily scratched. Some people don’t like scratched balls.

[Bill14564]

couldn't agree more. Like tossing a hand grenade in the room. I'd love to see how a dollar is divided amongst all the sports activities

Take a look at the budget for amenities portion of the Sumter Landing CDD. This does not list each of the activities but some high-level numbers are:

Total amenities budget: $146.7M
Community Watch: $8.4M (5.4%)
Golf: $4M. (2.7%)
Pool Maintenance: $3.5M (2.4%)
Recreation Supplies: $0.4M (0.27%)

Pickleballs are probably part of the Recreation Supplies which might also include Bocce balls, corn hole bags, table shuffleboard sand, pool noodles, water weights, etc. At $142K the pickleballs account for 1/3 the Recreation supplies or 0.097% of the overall amenities budget.

[La lamy]

The same could be said for tennis balls for tennis players.

There's tennis balls in the shed at our courts. But people usually prefer to bring their own.

[Worldseries27]

take a look at the budget for amenities portion of the sumter landing cdd. This does not list each of the activities but some high-level numbers are:

Total amenities budget: $146.7m
community watch: $8.4m (5.4%)
golf: $4m. (2.7%)
pool maintenance: $3.5m (2.4%)
recreation supplies: $0.4m (0.27%)

pickleballs are probably part of the recreation supplies which might also include bocce balls, corn hole bags, table shuffleboard sand, pool noodles, water weights, etc. At $142k the pickleballs account for 1/3 the recreation supplies or 0.097% of the overall amenities budget.
thank you for that prescient information. Proves how off the mark the original point was.

[MrFlorida]

Our club uses green pickleballs, so we bring our own. Don't blame us.

[Dexterconfetti]

Do you mow the fairways, greens, fix sand traps? Do you re-cover billiards tables regularly? Do you provide your own Mahjong set every time you play?
Just asking…amenities are there for all of us. If you choose not to join an activity, that’s on you.

[rsmurano]

This amount is peanuts/rounding error compared to the cost of:

* golf course maintenance and repair
* hiring all employees at golf course starter shacks and ambassadors
* maintenance of ALL pools
* cost of nightly entertainment for a month

[Topspinmo]

Yep. Never understood why they used Dura balls, which are inferior to many other brands. Dura is hard to see due to yellow color vs neon green and they are not durable. Franklin or Vulcan is the way to go.

Rec department tried about 6 years ago with engage balls (which I’m sure they got good deal with bulk order?) which was better than duralast 40s, but old guard Pickleball community complained and they switched back to dura last with month or two. Different younger crowd now maybe they will accept better balls? Still got lot of old crowd influencers that may muck up the change?

[coconutmama]

Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?
1 - Some golfers are particular about which brand of balls they use.
2 - Many golfers would probably leave the course with them.
3 - Golf balls are more expensive and they get "lost"

Pballs
1 - Not brand specific
2 - We leave the balls at the courts
3 - They don't get "lost" (but, some eventually crack)

Unfortunately not everyone leaves the pickle balls in the courts. We have seen people steal them. Yes, it is stealing

[Greatlawn]

Time for user fees? Amenities for all is like the pigs in Animal Farm saying, "Everyone is equal but some are more equal than others."

[Bill14564]

Time for user fees? Amenities for all is like the pigs in Animal Farm saying, "Everyone is equal but some are more equal than others."

In what way are some more equal than others today? The amenity fees appear to cover the costs of the different amenities. Some cost more, some cost less, but all get what they require.

User fees would really create a "some more equal than others" situation. We all live here, we are all entitled to the same amenities, we all can participate in what we want, BUT ONLY IF we can afford the additional user fees. We are all equal but those who can afford it would be more equal than others.

[Topspinmo]

Unfortunately not everyone leaves the pickle balls in the courts. We have seen people steal them. Yes, it is stealing


I consider those people equal to the people who don’t pickup after their pets. _____ fill in blank with appropriate word. No morels or thinking they are entitled. And then they’re those that will do what they want regardless.

[jedalton]

ok, how about buying me some golf balls?

[star50]

I agree.

[Mleeja]

This discussion comes up every year! Get over it! The amount spent on pickleballs is a rounding error in the overall budget.

Check out three golf balls with a $9.00 deposit. When you get done with your round of golf, turn in your golf balls back to the starters shack. You only get three per round. If you lose them, you are done for the round, plus you do not get your deposit back!

[VictoriaGrace]

Seriously? Pickleballers don’t supply their own pickleballs?

Hmmm 🤔. Why aren’t golf balls supplied to golfers?

That is a great question!!

[fdpaq0580]

Do we get a discount for buying in bulk?

[fdpaq0580]

I thought "pickleballs" was a deep fried Southern appetizer.

[Pugchief]

Rec department tried about 6 years ago with engage balls (which I’m sure they got good deal with bulk order?) which was better than duralast 40s, but old guard Pickleball community complained and they switched back to dura last with month or two. Different younger crowd now maybe they will accept better balls? Still got lot of old crowd influencers that may muck up the change?

Most of the folks I play with dislike the Duras, especially in the early morning when low light makes visibility more difficult. Hopefully "the old guard" will be accepting.

[Howdy]

Coffee Grounds are supplied to every Recreation Center & the Coffee is available from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM 365 days ...that is 12+ hours a day....so far so good...

News Flash : The Coffee is Supplied by None Other Than...You Guessed it: Paid to .........

The " Morse Family " Countless Thousands of $$$$$$$$ shhhhhh a well kept secret.

Yes Indeed they have every angle covered !! :a040:

The Villages Restaurant's Booze ???? They have to have a supplier....???? " ________________ " ........ Fill in the Blank.....

[kcrazorbackfan]

Why the comment? You have lived here for quite a while, you already knew this. A little pot stirring perhaps?

Nope, never knew that. I don’t play pickleball, knees won’t allow it.

[Altavia]

Nope, never knew that. I don’t play pickleball, knees won’t allow it.

Supplies are provided for each activity at the Rec Centers: Pickleball, Tennis, Platform Tennis, Beach Tennis , Volleyball (beach & pool), Basketball, , Bocci, Shuffle Board, Cornhole, Archery, Air Gun, Ping Pong, Putt n Play, ...

[Howdy]

Supplies are provided for each activity at the Rec Centers: Pickleball, Tennis, Platform Tennis, Beach Tennis , Volleyball (beach & pool), Basketball, , Bocci, Shuffle Board, Cornhole, Archery, Air Gun, Ping Pong, Putt n Play, ...

You left out the " Ground Coffee " for the Coffee Drinkers who frequent the many, many Recreation Ctrs. = $$$$$$$$$ open from " 7:00 AM till 8:00 PM " year after year, the source of the supplier is a well kept secret along with the suppliers of the other items...shhhh.: :mornincoffee: :22yikes:

I wonder if there was ever an " Audit " Hmmmmmm, I wonder :throwtomatoes:

[Topspinmo]

ok, how about buying me some golf balls?

Nope, you lose too many….:1rotfl:

[Topspinmo]

You left out the " Ground Coffee " for the Coffee Drinkers who frequent the many, many Recreation Ctrs. = $$$$$$$$$ open from " 7:00 AM till 8:00 PM " year after year, the source of the supplier is a well kept secret along with the suppliers of the other items...shhhh.: :mornincoffee: :22yikes:

I wonder if there was ever an " Audit " Hmmmmmm, I wonder :throwtomatoes:

Being I don’t drink coffee need to start charging for coffee at all rec centers? See how that works ? If one don’t participate in activity they think others should have to pay.. :highfive:

[Howdy]

Being I don’t drink coffee need to start charging for coffee at all rec centers? See how that works ? If one don’t participate in activity they think others should have to pay.. :highfive:

The Recreation Centers are clueless when it comes down to checking " ID's " ... the very idea of charging for coffee is 100% impossible.

Basically a Village ID is a Joke...rarely enforced . Whoever is in charge of the Recreation Centers his/her title General, Colonel, President, Chief, Top Dog, CEO, is doing a Lousy Job & should be demoted to forecasting the weather on any given day.
Maybe just maybe that person could justify His/Her Florida " Minimum Wage ". :22yikes:

[HappyTraveler]

The Recreation Centers are clueless when it comes down to checking " ID's " ... the very idea of charging for coffee is 100% impossible.

Basically a Village ID is a Joke...rarely enforced . Whoever is in charge of the Recreation Centers his/her title General, Colonel, President, Chief, Top Dog, CEO, is doing a Lousy Job & should be demoted to forecasting the weather on any given day.
Maybe just maybe that person could justify His/Her Florida " Minimum Wage ". :22yikes:
I don't agree with you about IDs. They DO get checked periodically and more so in the high season. Thus far, there is no reason to check them more often and it would be overkill.

(I can't believe this thread is still 'alive'.)