[Papa_lecki]

I know this post will be crucified…..

But, if the districts picked ONE executive in each “area” (i.e. north of 466; 466 to 466A; 466a to 44, south of 44) and charged $20 or $25 a round, BUT the courses get an extra level of maintenance, basically, they are awesome courses.
Maybe tee times are spaced out an extra minute or two.

Would you support it? Would you pay to play that course?

You still have the others you pay for the trail fee. They would be maintained as they are now, some good some bad. They may not be the most interesting courses, but the conditions would be REALLY good.

[fdpaq0580]

We already pay for maintenance. This "green fee for better conditions" is just a toe in the door for green fees at all courses, or the end of free golf. Those who use carts already pay trail fees. If the current landscapers cannot do the job, do what the homeowners do, fire them and get someone else who will do a better job for less.

[Keefelane66]

There should be better oversight of golf course maintenance by Village Admistrator’s. Also an advisory of residence to call attention on conditions. Ambassadors on courses should enforce RULES and managers should back their decisions.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

There should be better oversight of golf course maintenance by Village Admistrator’s. Also an advisory of residence to call attention on conditions. Ambassadors on courses should enforce RULES and managers should back their decisions.

Agree with your statements, but if you voted yes for green fees, I believe you might want to rethink gifting more $ for those who are showing they aren't up to the task. Just my opinion.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

I know this post will be crucified…..

But, if the districts picked ONE executive in each “area” (i.e. north of 466; 466 to 466A; 466a to 44, south of 44) and charged $20 or $25 a round, BUT the courses get an extra level of maintenance, basically, they are awesome courses.
Maybe tee times are spaced out an extra minute or two.

Would you support it? Would you pay to play that course?

You still have the others you pay for the trail fee. They would be maintained as they are now, some good some bad. They may not be the most interesting courses, but the conditions would be REALLY good.

No, it would contradict the premise these executive courses were built on. We pay for them in our amenities. Either all executive courses are “improved” or none.

[ThirdOfFive]

Not trying to shoot down the idea of finding a way to better maintain the executive courses, but it is fair to point out that these types of discussions seem to happen every year about this time. Time, fewer people on the courses and more rain in the next few months will go a long way toward rectifying the situation.

Nevertheless it is a fact that some of the executive courses seem to be maintained better than others. Rather than selective maintenance, here are some ideas of better overall maintenance of the executive courses, keeping in mind that the cost of just about everything has gone up and course maintenance is no exception:

1. Charge a bit more for trail fees, say 10% more for motorized carts and raise the cost of pull carts from $1 to $2 per cart.
2. Close each course for scheduled maintenance on a regular basis (once every two weeks?)
3. RIGOROUSLY enforce the rule of no unauthorized motorized carts on the course (Seeing people violate that rule is becoming more and more common).
4. Do maintenance as a preventative rather than a restorative. Allowing a course to go downhill to the point where it needs (say) $100,000 in repairs over two weeks while the course is closed is ridiculous if the same amount (or probably much less) spent in routine maintenance on an open course is the other option.
5. Have the “ambassadors’ (as others have suggested) be more than just smile-and-wave guys and have them actually ENFORCE rules. Pushcarts on greens—cigarette butts negligently cast onto the course—unfilled divots—unprepared ball marks on greens—etc. etc., could all be minimized by better rule enforcement.
6. Allow more time between tee times. Even one more minute between tee times, when spread over a year, means significantly less traffic on the courses.

There are most likely a lot of other things that could be done to improve playability and minimize major repairs. Unfortunately the powers-that-be seem all too hesitant to upset the status quo, unless there is absolutely no other choice.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Not trying to shoot down the idea of finding a way to better maintain the executive courses, but it is fair to point out that these types of discussions seem to happen every year about this time. Time, fewer people on the courses and more rain in the next few months will go a long way toward rectifying the situation.

Nevertheless it is a fact that some of the executive courses seem to be maintained better than others. Rather than selective maintenance, here are some ideas of better overall maintenance of the executive courses, keeping in mind that the cost of just about everything has gone up and course maintenance is no exception:

1. Charge a bit more for trail fees, say 10% more for motorized carts and raise the cost of pull carts from $1 to $2 per cart.
2. Close each course for scheduled maintenance on a regular basis (once every two weeks?)
3. RIGOROUSLY enforce the rule of no unauthorized motorized carts on the course (Seeing people violate that rule is becoming more and more common).
4. Do maintenance as a preventative rather than a restorative. Allowing a course to go downhill to the point where it needs (say) $100,000 in repairs over two weeks while the course is closed is ridiculous if the same amount (or probably much less) spent in routine maintenance on an open course is the other option.
5. Have the “ambassadors’ (as others have suggested) be more than just smile-and-wave guys and have them actually ENFORCE rules. Pushcarts on greens—cigarette butts negligently cast onto the course—unfilled divots—unprepared ball marks on greens—etc. etc., could all be minimized by better rule enforcement.
6. Allow more time between tee times. Even one more minute between tee times, when spread over a year, means significantly less traffic on the courses.

There are most likely a lot of other things that could be done to improve playability and minimize major repairs. Unfortunately the powers-that-be seem all too hesitant to upset the status quo, unless there is absolutely no other choice.

Here ya go……let us know what the response was.

Mitch Leininger, GCSAA
Director of Executive Golf Maintenance

Tamara Rolle
Administrative Assistant to Executive Golf Maintenance

Dalton Parker
Supervisor of Executive Golf Maintenance

Jack Winters
Supervisor of Executive Golf Maintenance

Contact Us
Executive Golf Maintenance
1026 Canal Street
The Villages, FL 32162
Phone: 352-674-1885
Fax: 352-674-1805

[Keefelane66]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Here ya go……let us know what the response was.

Mitch Leininger, GCSAA
Director of Executive Golf Maintenance

Tamara Rolle
Administrative Assistant to Executive Golf Maintenance

Dalton Parker
Supervisor of Executive Golf Maintenance

Jack Winters
Supervisor of Executive Golf Maintenance

Contact Us
Executive Golf Maintenance
1026 Canal Street
The Villages, FL 32162
Phone: 352-674-1885
Fax: 352-674-1805

Well that’s 4 people getting paid to much for what we’re setting it’s quite obvious they never get out of the office

[Bogie Shooter]

This weeks District Bulletin has info on executive courses.
https://www.districtgov.org/PDFView/...20230330001301

[billethkid]

No!!!!!!!!!!!!

Demand current courses be kept to a better than current standards. Too many of the executive courses are at a laughable unacceptable condition.

We are already paying for that!

___________________________________________

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

But, if the districts picked ONE executive in each “area” (i.e. north of 466; 466 to 466A; 466a to 44, south of 44) and charged $20 or $25 a round, BUT the courses get an extra level of maintenance, basically, they are awesome courses.

So you are talking $20 to $25 for 9 holes which are almost all par threes?? That would be $40 to $50 for 18 holes.

You can play the most expensive championship course - Southern Oaks - for $72.50 and the cheapest - Orange Blossom Hills - for $52.50.


https://www.golfthevillages.com/images/Winter2023.pdf

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

Well that’s 4 people getting paid to much for what we’re setting it’s quite obvious they never get out of the office

Or, do they ever come in? Old covid protocol. Just check in by phone.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

I know this post will be crucified…..

But, if the districts picked ONE executive in each “area” (i.e. north of 466; 466 to 466A; 466a to 44, south of 44) and charged $20 or $25 a round, BUT the courses get an extra level of maintenance, basically, they are awesome courses.
Maybe tee times are spaced out an extra minute or two.

Would you support it? Would you pay to play that course?

You still have the others you pay for the trail fee. They would be maintained as they are now, some good some bad. They may not be the most interesting courses, but the conditions would be REALLY good.

"They would be maintained as they are now"? You mean mostly unplayable? Why should we continue to pay at all
for abject failure and continuing decline of our courses? Why should we continue to employ managers who have demonstrated they can't (or won't? ) do the job? What do the big leagues do if the team is not winning? Fire the manager.
And, I am really curious about the origin of this "trial balloon" to see if we all could be tempted to throw money at this to get it fixed. I wouldn't be surprised to find the decline of conditions wasn't allowed to happen as a scheme to make more money, but then I'm a suckered for a good cosiracy.

[RayAmb]

Can’t help but reply ! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR IDEAS ABOUT TAXES AND GOVERNMENT NORTH OF FLORIDA! The Villages have done fine for 30 years and here you go. Give us a break. You have no idea…..

[Papa_lecki]

Originally Posted by RayAmb

Can’t help but reply ! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR IDEAS ABOUT TAXES AND GOVERNMENT NORTH OF FLORIDA! The Villages have done fine for 30 years and here you go. Give us a break. You have no idea…..

First of all, I don’t think the operators of the Villages are trolling TOTV to get ideas on how to run things.
Not sure what you’re talking about.

This is the ultimate Free Market Idea.
The current system is very New York/Californiaish. We are paying a government agency a fee (i.e. a tax) and they are taking care of golf for us.

There are hundreds of posts here about bad Executive Golf Conditions. Most suggestions are to complain to the Development Districts and have the government make the courses nicer/more playable.
What happened at Palmetto? Government shut if down and is cleaning it up.

What this suggestion is, if you want GREAT executive conditions, let the free market decide, let the user pay.

The NORTH OF FLORIDA approach is to ask big government to pay.