[cunch]

Palmer is the only course in decent condition. I have been playing outside for less money an more grass! They really need to address the poor conditions. I have been here one year. I am curious if this is normal?

[l2ridehd]

It will change and they will address the problem when no one shows up to play. As long as they can fill the tee times, why make investments? Everyone should take a week and either go off campus or don't play. Then the problem will get fixed.

[schotzyb]

Played Tierra Del Sol today. Not in very good shape at all. Lots of diseased spots on the greens. I t is becoming more and more evident that unless something changes all the courses other than Palmer will be in the same sad shape as Cane Garden and we all know how bad it is.

[Taj44]

Sorry to hear that. I really like the layout at Tierra. Hacienda has been crappy all winter, Mallory and Cane are like playing on bedrock with not enough grass. That leaves few courses to choose from. Of course they always blame it on environmental conditions - "not enough rain", etc., but they always manage to find enough water for Palmer. I agree, if conditions are better outside for the same $$, its worth the trip. The only way it will get fixed is if enough people complain and/or they lose money because people are going outside to play.

[Taj44]

Originally Posted by katezbox

http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension/wil...s_dorsalis.php

I think these guys are the culprits

Interesting!...thanks for posting.

[schotzyb]

Originally Posted by Taj44

Sorry to hear that. I really like the layout at Tierra. Hacienda has been crappy all winter, Mallory and Cane are like playing on bedrock with not enough grass. That leaves few courses to choose from. Of course they always blame it on environmental conditions - "not enough rain", etc., but they always manage to find enough water for Palmer. I agree, if conditions are better outside for the same $$, its worth the trip. The only way it will get fixed is if enough people complain and/or they lose money because people are going outside to play.

I'm sure they are blaming it on the lack of rainfall but what are they saving all the water in the retention ponds for? From what I see the ponds may not be full but they are a long way from being empty too. What are you saving it for? A rainy day?

[waterman1952]

I must say this is all very disturbing to me since i was seriously looking into buying in TV because of my interest in having lots of golf available but if the conditions are that bad why bother.

[katezbox]

Originally Posted by waterman1952

I must say this is all very disturbing to me since i was seriously looking into buying in TV because of my interest in having lots of golf available but if the conditions are that bad why bother.

Waterman,

If you haven't visited, I would recommend doing so to allow you to make your own judgment on the courses. I have played at courses both better and worse than the ones here ... This thread IMO is to give golfers heads up on which courses are in the best condition. I doubt any of us would say that the conditions are so bad that we regret our decision... JMO - apologies in advance to others who have posted who don't feel the same..

[Taj44]

Katezbox, that is a good point. I don't regret my decision at all, and I am an ardent golfer. There are always some of The Villages courses that are in decent condition, but I get annoyed that "all" of the courses are not in good shape. We kind of have to pick and choose. I realize that the environment does come into play, but as schotzyb said, why aren't they using the rain in the retention basins? If there isn't enough water to put on the courses, then why aren't they building additional retention basins? They didn't overseed the fairways at Hacienda this winter which I think was a crime. But if they can get the big bucks like at Palmer, they can maintain a course in prisitine condition. Go figure.

We have friends who live in a nearby country club community that only has one golf course. If there is a problem with that course, they are forced to go outside to play. At least here, if some of the courses are not up to my standards, there are always other courses here that are very playable. I like having the options. But I've been appalled at how bad they let some of the courses go (Orange Blossom in winter of 2009-2010), Hacienda (winter of 2010-2011). I hope this doesn't portend the future at full build-out. At that point, we'll have all bought our houses, and there won't be incentive to keep the courses in good shape as there is when they're trying to sell real estate.

[Bogie Shooter]

Run, run the sky is falling!

[Mikeod]

There are reasons for the course conditions. Last fall was very dry, followed by a really cold November and December, both of which affected the overseed process. Palmer was overseeded first and got the benefit of a little rain shortly after overseeding, resulting in a good take of the seed. Other courses were overseeded later, and didn't get the benefit of any rain. With the water shortage, watering was prioritized to the tees and greens, with less to the fairways. Remember, the irrigation water to your homes is from the retention ponds as well and has priority over the golf courses. So, with a dry season, and more homes to irrigate, and restrictions from the water authority, as well as unseasonable cold,this golf season was hit with a double whammy. Less water available and lower temperatures that affected the overseed sprouting. The decision to not overseed Hacienda was due to water being available to support overseeding tees and greens only. Courses north of 466 have been around a lot longer and have the benefit of more mature turf, thus better conditions this winter than those south of 466, except Palmer. Another consideration is the amount of play these courses get. The winter population is much larger than the summer, and the courses get a lot of play during a period when the normal turf is asleep and we rely on overseeding to maintain playing surfaces.

Now we are in a transition period where the overseed has to be eliminated so the bermuda can take over. One way to do this is to reduce watering so the heat kills off the annual grasses. The soil temps have just now reached a point where the bermuda will awaken and flourish. Look for steady improvement over the next several weeks. And look for more consistent conditions as the turf matures.

The seasonal residents never see the courses in their best condition, as they are constructed with warm season grasses and play really well in the heat of the summer.

[red tail]

Originally Posted by mikeod

There are reasons for the course conditions. Last fall was very dry, followed by a really cold November and December, both of which affected the overseed process. Palmer was overseeded first and got the benefit of a little rain shortly after overseeding, resulting in a good take of the seed. Other courses were overseeded later, and didn't get the benefit of any rain. With the water shortage, watering was prioritized to the tees and greens, with less to the fairways. Remember, the irrigation water to your homes is from the retention ponds as well and has priority over the golf courses. So, with a dry season, and more homes to irrigate, and restrictions from the water authority, as well as unseasonable cold,this golf season was hit with a double whammy. Less water available and lower temperatures that affected the overseed sprouting. The decision to not overseed Hacienda was due to water being available to support overseeding tees and greens only. Courses north of 466 have been around a lot longer and have the benefit of more mature turf, thus better conditions this winter than those south of 466, except Palmer. Another consideration is the amount of play these courses get. The winter population is much larger than the summer, and the courses get a lot of play during a period when the normal turf is asleep and we rely on overseeding to maintain playing surfaces.

Now we are in a transition period where the overseed has to be eliminated so the bermuda can take over. One way to do this is to reduce watering so the heat kills off the annual grasses. The soil temps have just now reached a point where the bermuda will awaken and flourish. Look for steady improvement over the next several weeks. And look for more consistent conditions as the turf matures.

The seasonal residents never see the courses in their best condition, as they are constructed with warm season grasses and play really well in the heat of the summer.

i live on hacienda golf course and my irrigation water is the same water as our drinking water. so there must be other reasons for the poor conditions.

[chuckster]

As was explained, in particular to Hacienda, there is a limited amount of irrigation water available. It happens to be gray water not drinking water and is pumped into the large pond on the palms (near #5 and #7) daily to be run through the irrigation system nightly. Once again drinking water (which is in the residential irrigation systems NORTH of 466 and NOT South of 466) is not used on Hacienda Golf Course. In addition Hacienda does not have a deep well water source available as is the case I believe (could be wrong) at Tierra.

This was the explanation given to me.......hope this helps.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by red tail

i live on hacienda golf course and my irrigation water is the same water as our drinking water. so there must be other reasons for the poor conditions.

My reference was directed mostly to the homes south of 466 since most of the negative comments regarded Mallory, Cane, and Havana. Hacienda is a unique situation as it doesn't have the water resources other courses have, and there were restrictions placed on drawing from the aquifer to augment rainfall and retention pond water. Going into the fall season, the plan was to also overseed the par 4 holes on the executive courses, but that was shelved with the lack of rainfall as well.

[cunch]

Played Spruce Creek yesterday. Nice grass! Why am I paying for a Priority Membership?