[UpNorth]

Originally Posted by Indy-Guy

Below is a link to the website of the company that designed and built most of the golf courses in The Villages and also many in central Florida.

CEC Golf Design Group - Apopka, FL

Also a link to the courses that they have designed and built.

Completed Desgin Projects

Perhaps many of you will find this interesting.

Yes interesting. Looks like they designed nearly all the holes in The Villages. Some people are under the impression that Arnold Palmer, Nancy Lopez and other tour professionals are responsible for the layouts that are named in their honor.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by RockyMountainMan

I've been in the Villages for 8 years and about 3 or 4 years ago the Championship Courses stopped overseeding the fairways in the winter with rye or bluegrass. The fairways were beautiful and the courses were a pleasure to play. Since then, they do not overseed and by this time of the season the Bermuda grass is devastated...hence the terrible conditions. I inquired at one of the country clubs and the Pro there said they don't overseed any more because they had to shut the courses down for a week so the rye grass could grow which is true. So what...stagger the overseeding and shut the courses down as necessary. At least then we would have some great conditions. I think the real reason they don't overseed is quite obvious...MONEY...as usual!

I don’t think money is the driving factor in stopping the overseed and don’t think the few days lost in the process is either. For almost every spring when they overseeded for the winter, the transition to the base bermuda grass was terrible. For several weeks there was a mix of both grasses and the overseed shaded the bermuda hindering its recovery. Researching other southern courses showed potential benefit in not overseeding since the bermuda recovered more quickly.

Another option I’ve seen used is to overseed, then withhold water in the spring to kill the overseed quickly. Works best in more arid areas where rain doesn’t short circuit the program. Of course, conditions were terrible until the bermuda took over. Sort of damned either way.

[RuthA]

A little befuddled at those who criticize people who complain about the condition of our golf courses and answer with a curt reply to "be thankful you get to play at all". Personally, I don't think it is unreasonable to complain about the sorry condition of many of our golf courses since golf is touted as the main drawing card of life in The Villages. Yes we need rain badly but there is no excuse for keeping the mowers going during a drought and mowing what grass there is down to a nub. The Villages Director of Golf told me recently that they mow the fairways at 5/8" height. What a joke. Never, ever seen the fairways with that much grass. Usually @ 1/8" or less. Also way too much sand in the bunkers contributing to buried lies etc. The layouts are exceptional but the course conditions of nearly every one is abysmal. The exceptions are Palmer, Lopez, Tierra del Sol, Hacienda and Glenview. We can do better and should demand better but, apparently, all the "family" cares about is MONEY. Only courses I ever played on with dyed fairways and greens.

[wildjac]

Played Turtle Mound Monday........greens conditions were disgraceful! No excuses are acceptable. If you're still collecting amenity fees......you should still be taking care of the courses!

[birdiebill]

Apparently unknown to some is that the Bermuda grass here goes dormant and does not grow at all in the cooler temperatures of the winter. If you overseed with rye, when spring comes the rye and the emerging Bermuda grass have to compete for the same water, sunlight, and fertilizer. This slows the growth of the Bermuda and makes it more susceptible to disease.

Also March, April and May are the three driest months in this part of Central Florida. Grasses do not do well without water.

[eyc234]

: Oh my, too much grass, too little grass, too tall grass, too short grass, greens too slow, greens too fast, grass is brown, ground too hard, ground too soft, not enough sand, too much sand, sand too wet and sand too dry. Is not golf a game that you play in the conditions that are for the most part established by mother nature on the day you are playing? That is part of the challenge. Have to go with what Brooks Koepka says, "quit your b___hin and play golf". Good golfers that enjoy the game adapt to course conditions. If you can not or do not want to then do not play! I have had many good days and bad days on courses all over the world and in hundreds of conditions but can truly say that my score was determined by me not the course. Hit 'em long and straight and enjoy everyday that you can play.

[bagboy]

I had to laugh at a couple of recent posts. One complained about a bad lie in the fairway due to short grass, and now too much sand in the traps.

[karostay]

Originally Posted by stan the man

Same people responding. ?? Same responses.

I see that

[davem4616]

Originally Posted by neilbcox

Played Bonifay yesterday and the greens were in great shape but the rest of the course was hard and dry...need more water!

Played Roosevelt today and it should be closed down. This is the worse I have ever seen this course!

Where is our CDD management???

okay, ya got your wish for more water

what else ya got?

[cathell62]

Think about it.....I recall in the recent past we had to pay higher fees if we watered our yards. If the courses use more water during the drought we've had, DO YOU WANT TO PAY HIGHER FEES AGAIN?

I know I don't, therefore if you don't like it, don't play or accept the condition and quit complaining!

Originally Posted by neilbcox

Played Bonifay yesterday and the greens were in great shape but the rest of the course was hard and dry...need more water!

Played Roosevelt today and it should be closed down. This is the worse I have ever seen this course!

Where is our CDD management???

[Dave@TV]

Originally Posted by davem4616

I've noticed many of the retention ponds are really quite low

perhaps the 'save the turtle' folks have complained and there's now a limit on how much water can be taken from those ponds daily

I was told a couple of years ago that the golf courses are limited in their watering just like we are - to two days per week.

[eyc234]

I have a real complaint, today I played and there was water in the sky falling on me. There was water on the grass and the wind was blowing. I had to hit my ball out of a wet sand trap. The grass in the fairway was turning a different color from the rough and the dirt was wet and stuck to my club when I hit a great wedge shot. Please tell me who I complain to so I can have this fixed. I really, really want to keep playing but it is so calming and relaxing I must be doing something wrong.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by RockyMountainMan

I've been in the Villages for 8 years and about 3 or 4 years ago the Championship Courses stopped overseeding the fairways in the winter with rye or bluegrass. The fairways were beautiful and the courses were a pleasure to play. Since then, they do not overseed and by this time of the season the Bermuda grass is devastated...hence the terrible conditions. I inquired at one of the country clubs and the Pro there said they don't overseed any more because they had to shut the courses down for a week so the rye grass could grow which is true. So what...stagger the overseeding and shut the courses down as necessary. At least then we would have some great conditions. I think the real reason they don't overseed is quite obvious...MONEY...as usual!

So, you THINK the real reason is money? Blah, blah, blah, blah. You really don't know anything about how to run a golf course, do you? Didn't think so.... All you crybabies and whiners always think it's The Developers fault when you see something you don't like or something doesn't go your way.

[gardnerthomas838]

Course should be closed. Tee boxes like dirt, and greens are infected with some type of weeds. If you like putting through bumps, this is your type of course.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by eyc234

I have a real complaint, today I played and there was water in the sky falling on me. There was water on the grass and the wind was blowing. I had to hit my ball out of a wet sand trap. The grass in the fairway was turning a different color from the rough and the dirt was wet and stuck to my club when I hit a great wedge shot. Please tell me who I complain to so I can have this fixed. I really, really want to keep playing but it is so calming and relaxing I must be doing something wrong.

Developers' fault. Call 1.800.Morris