[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by waynet

the Morse family does not want to spend the money. Everything is done on the cheap.

Deep breaths Gracie, Deep breaths.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan

Just received this response from the golf administration:::

Thanks for taking the time to share your concerns and thoughts. What we are experiencing (and we are frustrated as well) is a more intense and prolonged transition period than normal. May and June will always be challenging months with transition, followed by aerfication, but this year in particular, it�s been more challenging than any we can remember. Our contractors are working diligently to return all the courses to acceptable condition ASAP, several have already made it back, and the others are well on their way. I can assure you that accountability is in full measure with our contractors. Good news, this should all be behind us soon. We appreciate your patience and support, and certainly understand your frustration and concern.

What is the Golf Admin's email address............I would like to send an email and I think others should as well.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

What is the Golf Admin's email address............I would like to send an email and I think others should as well.

Golf The Villages

You can find other golf information at this site.
Golf The Villages

[waynet]

when I stated the Morse family did not want to spend the money the conversation was about the golf courses and nothing else. Please keep to the topic. We were not discussing Rec centers.

[Bogie Shooter]

Just taking pot shots at each other............................

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by waynet

when I stated the Morse family did not want to spend the money the conversation was about the golf courses and nothing else. Please keep to the topic. We were not discussing Rec centers.

You did say "everything". Just took you at your word. And the point was that if they spend the money to create the likes of Eisenhower, why would they decide to skimp on the feature that attracts the majority of new residents, the golf courses? Doesn't make sense.

[Mikeod]

There are some posters that feel golf administration does not care about the course conditions because we are a captive audience. I'd like to give my experience.

For the last five years, I've been a member of a resident group that meets quarterly with representatives of GMS, and the Director of Executive Golf Maintenance. At those meetings, we report on our evaluation of course conditions, and suggest improvements to the courses or procedures. Our reports are also sent to the facility managers responsible.

During my time with the group, we have seen several maintenance companies lose their contract or have it not renewed because of issues. At the same time, we have seen companies that produced good results get more contracts and/or more courses to handle. So these companies are required to produce results or risk losing out. With regard to the current problems, I received a response to my evaluation of the sorry state of Bogart and Bacall that indicated the contractor has even reached out to national experts for help. Since in April, these courses were graded as excellent, and I don't believe the contractor has forgotten how to maintain a course, there is something else going on. Some greens display the signs of disease, rather than just poorly growing grass.

At all our meetings, I have found these people to be engaged in the conversations, receptive to our comments, and follow through on our suggestions. As an example, the district is discussing waiving the spectator fee for the executive courses, a suggestion we brought up in April.

I cannot agree that these people don't care. My experience is the opposite. BTW, if you ever find Eric Van Gorder in his office, I would be shocked. And you may find Erik Greulach touring almost any championship or executive course every week. A claim that they sit in the office all day is not factual.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by mikeod

There are some posters that feel golf administration does not care about the course conditions because we are a captive audience. I'd like to give my experience.

For the last five years, I've been a member of a resident group that meets quarterly with representatives of GMS, and the Director of Executive Golf Maintenance. At those meetings, we report on our evaluation of course conditions, and suggest improvements to the courses or procedures. Our reports are also sent to the facility managers responsible.

During my time with the group, we have seen several maintenance companies lose their contract or have it not renewed because of issues. At the same time, we have seen companies that produced good results get more contracts and/or more courses to handle. So these companies are required to produce results or risk losing out. With regard to the current problems, I received a response to my evaluation of the sorry state of Bogart and Bacall that indicated the contractor has even reached out to national experts for help. Since in April, these courses were graded as excellent, and I don't believe the contractor has forgotten how to maintain a course, there is something else going on. Some greens display the signs of disease, rather than just poorly growing grass.

At all our meetings, I have found these people to be engaged in the conversations, receptive to our comments, and follow through on our suggestions. As an example, the district is discussing waiving the spectator fee for the executive courses, a suggestion we brought up in April.

I cannot agree that these people don't care. My experience is the opposite. BTW, if you ever find Eric Van Gorder in his office, I would be shocked. And you may find Erik Greulach touring almost any championship or executive course every week. A claim that they sit in the office all day is not factual.

Good info - thanks. There is SOMETHING going on at many of the execs. Disease? Hope they figure it out because it is real bad right now.

[shirart]

I was waiting to golf at an executive course last Saturday and the discussion came up among five or six people including a worker about the poor condition of most of courses especially the bad greens. Well someone had a comment on the recirculated water that is used from saved rain water etc....Russ mentioned that he thought it looked like a fungus..... and that's what the group agreed it looked like to them. Could it be a fungus growing in the water that is being sprayed onto the courses. Has that possibility been eliminated by the Course Management people???? Just another thought. This is the worst I've seen them since I moved here in 2011.

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by mikeod

There are some posters that feel golf administration does not care about the course conditions because we are a captive audience. I'd like to give my experience.

For the last five years, I've been a member of a resident group that meets quarterly with representatives of GMS, and the Director of Executive Golf Maintenance. At those meetings, we report on our evaluation of course conditions, and suggest improvements to the courses or procedures. Our reports are also sent to the facility managers responsible.

During my time with the group, we have seen several maintenance companies lose their contract or have it not renewed because of issues. At the same time, we have seen companies that produced good results get more contracts and/or more courses to handle. So these companies are required to produce results or risk losing out. With regard to the current problems, I received a response to my evaluation of the sorry state of Bogart and Bacall that indicated the contractor has even reached out to national experts for help. Since in April, these courses were graded as excellent, and I don't believe the contractor has forgotten how to maintain a course, there is something else going on. Some greens display the signs of disease, rather than just poorly growing grass.

At all our meetings, I have found these people to be engaged in the conversations, receptive to our comments, and follow through on our suggestions. As an example, the district is discussing waiving the spectator fee for the executive courses, a suggestion we brought up in April.

I cannot agree that these people don't care. My experience is the opposite. BTW, if you ever find Eric Van Gorder in his office, I would be shocked. And you may find Erik Greulach touring almost any championship or executive course every week. A claim that they sit in the office all day is not factual.

Thanks for the info. As far as your comment about a "claim they sit in their office all day", I suppose you're referring to my post where I questioned whether or not they get out on the courses much. That was not a claim but a question I.e. "I wonder". For the record, there are a few posters on board, usually not in the golf thread, that like to twist posts around and insinuate posters are saying something that they had no intention of saying. Up until now, I didn't think you were one of those. The reason I asked that question, is I worked at a job for years where managers spent the majority of their time at a desk, and relied on subordinates for information about field conditions, a system that I found to be less than perfect.

[shirart]

Could it be a FUNGUS that is in the recirculated water that is used on the courses. I see Russ mentioned it in his question about the conditions being so horrible. Has the golf administration ever considered it or have they had the water tested? Just another thought on the matter. I agree the Executive Courses are terrible...I don't golf the Championship Courses so I can't comment on those. Hope the solution is close at hand.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by mikeod

There are some posters that feel golf administration does not care about the course conditions because we are a captive audience. I'd like to give my experience.

For the last five years, I've been a member of a resident group that meets quarterly with representatives of GMS, and the Director of Executive Golf Maintenance. At those meetings, we report on our evaluation of course conditions, and suggest improvements to the courses or procedures. Our reports are also sent to the facility managers responsible.

During my time with the group, we have seen several maintenance companies lose their contract or have it not renewed because of issues. At the same time, we have seen companies that produced good results get more contracts and/or more courses to handle. So these companies are required to produce results or risk losing out. With regard to the current problems, I received a response to my evaluation of the sorry state of Bogart and Bacall that indicated the contractor has even reached out to national experts for help. Since in April, these courses were graded as excellent, and I don't believe the contractor has forgotten how to maintain a course, there is something else going on. Some greens display the signs of disease, rather than just poorly growing grass.

At all our meetings, I have found these people to be engaged in the conversations, receptive to our comments, and follow through on our suggestions. As an example, the district is discussing waiving the spectator fee for the executive courses, a suggestion we brought up in April.

I cannot agree that these people don't care. My experience is the opposite. BTW, if you ever find Eric Van Gorder in his office, I would be shocked. And you may find Erik Greulach touring almost any championship or executive course every week. A claim that they sit in the office all day is not factual.

Thank you for this information and your objectivity.

[waynet]

Mikeod,do you know if the championship courses have the same organization?

[Jaguarj4]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Played Heron this morning in my normal Men's day exec scramble (with fellow TOTVer BarryRX). We had a non-heated debate between us regarding the condition of the greens. For years I've been reading about 1. too much play 2. not enough rain 3. not fixing ball marks et. al.


But we've had at least adequate rainfall for the past two years. The exec's are almost free of golfers from 12:00 to 5:00PM every day. Ball marks don't cause the kind of problems that I see on many of the greens.


At least 6 of the greens today had what I'll refer to as fungus growth issues. At least that is my opinion. And the majority of the problem was in the first 5-6 feet of the edges of the greens. Hardly any 'good' grass in these areas. I know that they closed Southern Star for over a month to try and fix the same type of grass condition.


I'm going to contact golf management to see if I can get a handle on what the issue is. I don't see this too much on the championship greens but the vast majority of execs have issues at this time.


I often play at non-TV courses and a couple of them have switched to champions Bermuda grass. It's almost perfect. I'm wondering if it's time for a switch here.


Stone Creek Golf Club - Ocala, FL


Champion Turf Farms | Specializing in Bermudagrass Greens Since 1966

I have played several execs and champs in the past 2 months. They are all in less than acceptable condition. When I was here last summer I was impressed with the several courses I played and it was a factor in moving here. Something has changed in the maintenance and I hope we see some recovery soon.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by waynet

Mikeod,do you know if the championship courses have the same organization?

I don't know. But I strongly feel that there should be a similar group for them. At first I thought the lack may be because the developer owns all of them whereas the execs are part of the amenities. But all execs below 466 (except for the Pimlico group) are still owned by the developer and our group still evaluates and discusses them.

One of the benefits of our group, IMO, is that we are on the courses regularly, so we can communicate issues we see right away. Even with best intentions, I don't think the pros or GMS hierarchy can cover the courses as completely as the residents. A group of experienced (think greens committee experience) residents for each championship course could mean more eyes looking for areas that need attention. I know our group has great relationships with the pros with oversight of our courses.