[JimJohnson]

Originally Posted by Happinow

Moving South with less traffic?? Please share where that may be. Others may want to follow....

I also think all of Florida has the opportunity to have great greens. Moving south would only help if the management put more time and money into maintenance. We need that here.

[Shbullet]

Originally Posted by JimJohnson

I also think all of Florida has the opportunity to have great greens. Moving south would only help if the management put more time and money into maintenance. We need that here.

You are absolutely correct

[Polar Bear]

Southern Star this week. Green conditions fair-to-good. Far from perfect. Far from deplorable.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

I would be in favor of closing two per month and let them rest & repair. 12 months of play is tough on them.


Up North, courses got winter rest.

This is actually a great idea. Have a rotating closure of ALL greens, including the Club/Championship courses. There's what, 40 Exec and 12 Championship at the present time? So here's what you can do:

Close Nancy Lopez for 2 weeks to upgrade, maintain, repair, and rest the greens. While Lopez is closed, close Mira Mesa, Turtle Mound, and Okeechobee. Notice that's pretty spread out. A CC course up top, with the 3 execs at totally different locations, so that golfers still don't have to go too much further to visit one of the other ones in the area.

Then have them all stay open for a week, before closing the next CC and 3 execs for 2 weeks. And keep doing this, rotating with enough spreadout to minimize complaints of distance from someone's "usual haunt."

Any course that shows more wear and tear than 2 weeks can repair, would stay closed until it has a chance to rest, but while that one is closed, only two other execs would be closed during that rotation, not three.

By the end of the season, all courses should be ready to reopen in much better condition than they were before the process begun.

[MrGolf]

I meant the courses, not the roads. After all, this has been the winter season and this is Florida. If you are looking for less road traffic, shoot for Arkansas or Iowa. Rumor has it their golf courses might have less traffic as well.

[sheena0904]

Originally Posted by Tomterrif

In my experience it is not ball marks causing the problem, it is large grassless spots in the greens, incompetent and poorly timed aeration, mindless operation of equipment damaging the greens, and lack of grass care. On one course I saw three greens damaged by leaking fluid... you have to wonder if the operator was half asleep... pure amateurism. I agree they are on the way to busting the bubble. In general the greens north of 466 seem to be in better shape than those to the south... have no idea why

So how and what would you do differently? Have you ever thought that the soil conditions are night and day from North of 466 to South of 466? Or the longer the course has to mature the better shape it will be in? The Villages was/is being North to South correct?

[Mikeod]

Posting displeasure about the executive course conditions here amounts to venting with no expectation of improvement. These complaints need to be brought to the district directly just like you would complain to the city or town council. Since the problem involves courses over many of the residential CDDs I don’t think it would be effective going through them.

As far as the difference between courses above 466 and those below, consider that above 466 (plus the Pimlico group, I believe) the maintenance budget is a function of the AAC, which has been involved for many years. The budget for those below has only recently become the responsibility of the district since the sale of the amenities by the developer.

[Shbullet]

Originally Posted by Mikeod

Posting displeasure about the executive course conditions here amounts to venting with no expectation of improvement. These complaints need to be brought to the district directly just like you would complain to the city or town council. Since the problem involves courses over many of the residential CDDs I don’t think it would be effective going through them.

As far as the difference between courses above 466 and those below, consider that above 466 (plus the Pimlico group, I believe) the maintenance budget is a function of the AAC, which has been involved for many years. The budget for those below has only recently become the responsibility of the district since the sale of the amenities by the developer.

Since people have been venting on this website, even tho I agree its not the ultimate method of getting expected improvement, they have closed down 3 executive courses and I believe another 2-3 will be closed for repairs in the near future. Uneccessary venting, I agree with dosent help, but because the problem has negatively influenced so many golfers that I think this forum has given them a feeling of some satisfaction with the expectation that something will get done about it. Slowly there will be improvement but softening the problem gets nothing done.

[MrGolf]

Agree with your comments. In addition to posting on this thread I have been in touch with executives. Their response as you have pointed out resulted in closing of several exec courses. It is anticipated that when more of the seasonal folks depart over the next 4 weeks we will see others clos as well.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I think it helps to know you're not alone, when you feel you have a valid complaint. You express it in a community, and get feedback. You can decide for yourself if the feedback is useful - whether it validates your concern, or offers a different perspective you might not have had before, that changes your mind.

If you get enough feedback that convinces you to take action, you can then go more confidently into a dialogue with the appropriate parties.

[Shbullet]

Well said!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Shbullet

Since people have been venting on this website, even tho I agree its not the ultimate method of getting expected improvement, they have closed down 3 executive courses and I believe another 2-3 will be closed for repairs in the near future. Uneccessary venting, I agree with dosent help, but because the problem has negatively influenced so many golfers that I think this forum has given them a feeling of some satisfaction with the expectation that something will get done about it. Slowly there will be improvement but softening the problem gets nothing done.

Sandhill closed until further notice Thread from 2008

I just said to the good golfer and reasonable person in our family who golfs 18 hole courses here four days a week, I said "lot of complaints on TOTV about the courses being in bad condition". He said "they're right, there are patches that could be easily fixed but aren't". I am not golfing these days due to a hitch in my get along.

Apparently you are right Shbullet. I apologize.

[Shbullet]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Sandhill closed until further notice Thread from 2008

I just said to the good golfer and reasonable person in our family who golfs 18 hole courses here four days a week, I said "lot of complaints on TOTV about the courses being in bad condition". He said "they're right, there are patches that could be easily fixed but aren't". I am not golfing these days due to a hitch in my get along.

Apparently you are right Shtbullet. I apologize.

Oh GG there's no need for apologies, if you could ask another member of your family that golfs the executives, I think you would really get a earful. Also, at no point have I complained about the courses, I have merely been a advocate of those that have used this forum for there concerns about the courses, without having their concerns "softened".

Still friends GG....oh and by the way, Im Shbullet not sht...hopefully that wasn't a short abbreviation purposely thrown my way,,lol

[MrGolf]

There is a new piece of equipment called Air2G2 built by a Jacksonville company that shoots air into the greens and avoids the old way of aeration. You can play on the greens immediately after it’s completed

The Air2G2, which is painted blue, looks like just another greens mower. Except instead of blades, it’s got three large circular pads beneath its midsection. They’re 2 feet apart and each pad has one injection point. The pads are pressed down on the turf, then compressed air is injected into the ground. It reaches as far as 12 inches underground in two blasts, breaking up compacted turf.

◼ Watch: The Air2G2 in action

In use, the Air2G2 moves slowly, injecting air, advancing 3 feet and injecting air again, and so on. It leaves behind only a few holes — approximately 2 percent as many as traditional aerating, Jones figures — and play may resume immediately.

[Paporter]

Originally Posted by gqd7806

Don't forget how hard it is to get a tee time this time of year. Over developed already for the FROGs. Looking for my next investment/home. U can have this congested mess.

R, X Villager.

Here goes 90% of the problem in The Villages, the developer allowing people to buy investment home(s) to rent out during the “season”. And people moving out of their homes and renting them out during season, just to make money! The renters are the problem, they have no vested interest in keeping the courses, picking up dog poop, allowing children to drive golf carts and, respecting our way of life! People can not be allowed to rent their homes out less than 6 months! I see advertising for weekly and biweekly rentals, what we have is a vacation club, not a retirement village(s)!