[barbnick]

This post is months old. How about some new information

[sloanst]

I don't play Villages courses in season. IMHO, they aren't worth the cost especially when the conditions are average at best.

[DARFAP]

You played awful or the course was awful?

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by daddymac1127

Please note that it is winter time in the Villages. There hasn't been much rain although we have had many cloudy days. We just had a significant freeze. Lastly, the snowbirds have arrived. Therefore slot of stress has been put onto the golf courses. Remember if you were up North there would be no golf.

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Agree there is a lot of stress on golf courses, but it appears that TV management does not want to invest in keeping courses in good shape during the winter.

Played Spruce Creek last week for <$40($13 less than my priority member price) and included a cart. It was such a pleasure to play on green(rye over-seeded) grass and not grass that is water colored.

I wonder what cost is to over seed greens and fairways especially considering price we pay in the winter. Unfortunately there are too many Village golfers who can go elsewhere in protest of mediocrely maintained golf courses.

[Laker14]

Yes, there is a lot of stress on the courses. Lots of play, and the winter season doesn't encourage fast growth and recuperation of grass.

However, it befuddles me how some courses can be in so much worse condition than others, all withing a few miles of each other. Glenview and Tierra's greens are always way better than Cane's, and Havana's are really bad. And it's that way every year.

We play "preferred lies" everywhere, and it's very common to not be able to find any grass to hold the ball up off the hardpan. Very challenging.

[vincefodera]

The villages courses have become significantly worse within the last 10 years, I have played off site a few time and they make these courses look really bad, for the price of golf here and using your own cart it's really a shame however they know that it's convenient and people will play anyway.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Yes, there is a lot of stress on the courses. Lots of play, and the winter season doesn't encourage fast growth and recuperation of grass.

However, it befuddles me how some courses can be in so much worse condition than others, all withing a few miles of each other. Glenview and Tierra's greens are always way better than Cane's, and Havana's are really bad. And it's that way every year.

We play "preferred lies" everywhere, and it's very common to not be able to find any grass to hold the ball up off the hardpan. Very challenging.

I agree----although as I understand it, the courses south of 466 have water restrictions that do not apply to the most northern courses. Also, the USGA discourages "preferred lies", since it chews up the remaining good turf, as well as being contrary to the fundamental principle of "playing the ball as it lies". For those that are a big fan of overseeding, it is controversial. Many top rated courses in the southern states no longer overseed as it is thought to delay the re-emergence of the Bermuda grass in the spring and makes for very uneven greens when the transition is taking place. On the other hand, it makes for a better playing surface during the winter and looks better.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I agree----although as I understand it, the courses south of 466 have water restrictions that do not apply to the most northern courses. Also, the USGA discourages "preferred lies", since it chews up the remaining good turf, as well as being contrary to the fundamental principle of "playing the ball as it lies". For those that are a big fan of overseeding, it is controversial. Many top rated courses in the southern states no longer overseed as it is thought to delay the re-emergence of the Bermuda grass in the spring and makes for very uneven greens when the transition is taking place. On the other hand, it makes for a better playing surface during the winter and looks better.

Interesting points: I'd not heard about the difference in water restrictions. Also never heard that about the USGA discouraging "preferred lies" due to the effect on remaining turf. I have to think about that. Off the cuff it seems to me that if you don't move the ball, you are just further destroying the crap that your ball is sitting on. Not sure why that would be preferable to moving the ball and giving that area a chance to heal. Sounds thin to me, but like I say, I'd have to think about that. What are your thoughts on that theory?

Of course I assumed they find it contrary to the fundamental principle of "playing it where it lies". Up north, in the summer, where the ball actually lies on (or in) grass, I'd prefer to play it as it lies. In The Villages, in winter, there is just so little grass under the ball,rather than hear everyone complain about it, and watch a steady succession of skulled shots, and unraked bunkers, we just move 'em and move along.
In many, if not most cases, you can't find any grass to put the ball on anyway.

I'm not as serious about the game as I once was. I barely play at all up north, in summer due to other interests. I play in winter in TV 2x/week on championship courses, and 1x/week on executive. It's nigh on impossible to practice off of the kind of turf one finds on the courses. Nearly all of the practice ranges are off mats. I find the less hitting I do off mats, the better I play on the courses. So, I'm less inclined to follow the dicta of the USGA than I once was. Most of those people who make up the rules are playing nicer courses than I'll ever see.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Laker14

I'm not as serious about the game as I once was.
So, I'm less inclined to follow the dicta of the USGA than I once was.

No one in The Villages is good enough to be a stickler about USGA rules, play it as it lies.

The Gold & Black tees on the championship courses are always in great shape.

No one is receiving a check at the end of the round.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by barbnick

This post is months old. How about some new information

Men's day was at Havana today. Compared with 4 weeks ago, the greens were greatly improved---better than Bonifay, Evans, Mallory and Belle Glade. A month ago there were thousands of weeds on every green, today almost none. They were much smoother today, almost as if.....dare I say it......they were rolled.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by b1ll649

I find it amazing that most every course within 10 miles of The Villages is able to maintain their course in fairly good condition for a little over half the price we charge. As a priority member, I pay more here than I would at all surrounding courses and they provide a cart. Non-priority Villagers are ask to pay about $70 to play here and they use their own cart. I've noticed that my priority group always gets the preferred time and course this year every time we play (3 times a week). Could it be that there are more and more villagers leaving for better and cheaper courses than any previous year?

Agree and do feel that owners of the champ courses can charge more due to the oldest economic theory, supply and demand. We played Spruce Creek for less than $40 which included a cart.

Hopefully warmer weather is going to help. In January we went away for a week and came back to brown grass everywhere. Went away last week and came back and found green grass coming back.