[clekr]

Played Kenya/Hemingway today. I can't decide if they plan to bring in bulldozers or goats. They have obviously stop maintaining it to any golf course standard.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by clekr

Played Kenya/Hemingway today. I can't decide if they plan to bring in bulldozers or goats. They have obviously stop maintaining it to any golf course standard.

That place had gotten so bad that my group just stopped going there altogether. I'm not here May-September, but the guys told me that over the summer the conditions improved dramatically.
We played it a few times in the autumn and it wasn't bad. It was way better than I had ever seen it.
I haven't been on it since before Christmas.

I can't figure out why some of the championship courses are in decent shape even through the winter months, and some are terrible. I'm hearing from multiple sources that Palmer is a mess. We played Laurel Valley when it first reopened and it was good, but I'm hearing it's awful right now.

I could blame the season's combination of poor growing conditions and overplay, but why some courses are much better than others is a complete mystery. Same climate, same amount of play. Totally different conditions.

Mystifying.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Laker14

. I'm hearing from multiple sources that Palmer is a mess. We played Laurel Valley when it first reopened and it was good, but I'm hearing it's awful right now.

I could blame the season's combination of poor growing conditions and overplay, but why some courses are much better than others is a complete mystery. Same climate, same amount of play. Totally different conditions.

Mystifying.

Palmer is a disaster, especially considering the both Laurel & Riley Grove have been "renovated" over the last 18 months.

Part of the issue, is supposedly the different water withdrawal permits. North of 466 (Glenview/OBH/Lopez) are operating under a different permit, that allows them to use more water.

In some respects, that's a red herring. Water isn't the only thing that makes a golf course green. I've managed golf courses under strict water withdrawal provisions and it simply means you have to use other methods to keep your golf course is good condition (read that, as more expensive measures).

Those that suggest it's "just the winter months" are again, making excuses. There's nothing much different about this winter, than any other winter. Golf courses are designed to operate in the wide variety of weather they're likely to expect, given the climate they're located in.

Any idiot can manage turf conditions, with unlimited water availability, but unlimited water usage is a vestige of the old days. Any dope can manage a golf course conditions, when the weather is perfect for growing. When you hire amateurs to manage your turf, you get what's going on in TV right now. When you have a captive audience who will pay for mud greens, why spend the money to hire professionals?

[txfan]

And yet they charge full price as if these are true country clubs.

There isn't much incentive to keep them up when they have a captive audience due to the convenience of being golf cart-accessible inside the bubble.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by txfan

And yet they charge full price as if these are true country clubs.

There isn't much incentive to keep them up when they have a captive audience due to the convenience of being golf cart-accessible inside the bubble.

What it costs, per round, to play these courses, is not close to what it costs to play at a well-kept private course.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Laker14

What it costs, per round, to play these courses, is not close to what it costs to play at a well-kept private course.

Comparing a Private Country Club to a golf course in The Villages, is like comparing The Kansas City Chiefs, to a high school football team.

& if you play golf 2-3 times per week, your per round cost at most country clubs, would be less than you'd pay to play TV "Championship" courses.

[waynet]

Evans Praire is also in awful condition. Both of the groups I play with took it off of our rotation. I feel bad for the bartenders and wait staff. After golf we tend to spend a good amount of money and tip very well. Maybe if all the large groups also took evans off their rotation someone would take notice

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by waynet

Evans Praire is also in awful condition. Both of the groups I play with took it off of our rotation. I feel bad for the bartenders and wait staff. After golf we tend to spend a good amount of money and tip very well. Maybe if all the large groups also took evans off their rotation someone would take notice

Based on my experience and what I read on here, Evans Prairie, Havana, Palmer, Belle Glade, Cane Garden & Hacienda, should be off everyone's rotation.

Which would lead to a scarcity of Tee Times at Mallory, Glenview, TDS & Lopez (no one cares about Southern Oaks).

It's a lose - lose situation.

[John Mayes]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Based on my experience and what I read on here, Evans Prairie, Havana, Palmer, Belle Glade, Cane Garden & Hacienda, should be off everyone's rotation.

Which would lead to a scarcity of Tee Times at Mallory, Glenview, TDS & Lopez (no one cares about Southern Oaks).

It's a lose - lose situation.

I’m not sure it’s accurate to say “no one cares about Southern Oaks”. Their tee sheet is pretty full each day unless the weather is bad.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by John Mayes

I’m not sure it’s accurate to say “no one cares about Southern Oaks”. Their tee sheet is pretty full each day unless the weather is bad.

I suppose some folks who live in the southern area care about it, as they don't have many options.

[John Mayes]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

I suppose some folks who live in the southern area care about it, as they don't have many options.

That’s pretty dismissive. The course gets lots of participants from all parts of TV’s. I get that you don’t care for the course but that opinion doesn’t seem to be shared by most.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by John Mayes

That’s pretty dismissive. The course gets lots of participants from all parts of TV’s. I get that you don’t care for the course but that opinion doesn’t seem to be shared by most.

It's not much of a golf course, but it was brilliant marketing by TV.

"Who will want to live next to the highway?"

"Probably no one."

"Hey wait, I have a great idea!"

"Lets stick some flags into the ground next to the highway, call it a golf course and charge people extra to live next to it!"

I played it once, when it first opened. Shot 75 from the Golds. Not because of talent, but because it's ridiculously easy and if you know how to hit a stinger ... the ball will roll & run for 100 yards.

[John Mayes]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

It's not much of a golf course, but it was brilliant marketing by TV.

"Who will want to live next to the highway?"

"Probably no one."

"Hey wait, I have a great idea!"

"Lets stick some flags into the ground next to the highway, call it a golf course and charge people extra to live next to it!"

I played it once, when it first opened. Shot 75 from the Golds. Not because of talent, but because it's ridiculously easy and if you know how to hit a stinger ... the ball will roll & run for 100 yards.

Oh well……to each their own.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by John Mayes

That’s pretty dismissive. The course gets lots of participants from all parts of TV’s. I get that you don’t care for the course but that opinion doesn’t seem to be shared by most.

👍//////

[wamley]

We played Hemingway to Kilimanjaro yesterday and it's interesting how many greens they roll the little grass there is into the mud on the greens. Makes for a very unpredictable putt speed from green to green at least. Tough to pay $74 for these conditions and use my own golf cart too. Easily equals over $100pp on a private course that have great greens.