[cabo35]

Contacted Orange Blossom today(Wednesday) to find out conditions. No restrictions except for two holes where you had to exit at 150. Tomorrow(Thursday) expected to be no restrictions.

[rubicon]

Played Cane Garden this AM (1/26) Greens fast despite the heavy rain last night. Favor Palmer's although I agree the additional cost irritates a fair amount of villagers but you have to agree Palmer's is usually in good shape.

[cabo35]

Played Orange Blossom this morning. (Thursday). Schotzyb is exactly right. Fairways were very good. Green and thick. Most greens were in good shape. A few were not. All were playable. Rough is tough. Keep it in the green. No restrictions in spite of recent rain. Rubicon...I agree with you on Palmer. I was definately impressed with the condition of the Orange Blossom fairways. Hadn't played there in a couple of years until I read conditions posted here. Glad I did.

[schotzyb]

Glad that my assessment of Orange Blossom was accurate and to your lacking. Playing Hacienda Hills tomorrow but not by choice. We have a group of 16 players that play a different course every Friday. Just so happens that Hacienda was up next on the list. No big deal: where else can you play Golf in January in shorts?

[schotzyb]

Our group played Hacienda today and even though the fairways have not been overseeded and were brown, it was a very enjoyable round. Greens were in very good condition and the ambassadors were passing out questionaire forms to allow you to voice your opinion of the course.

[cabo35]

Played Tierra Del Sol yesterday (Sunday) Fairways only fair. Greens - some OK many thin and bare in spots. Have seen it in better shape than its in right now.

Played Palmer this morning (Monday) Good condition all the way around - Cherry to Laurel. Greens were fast.

[ajbrown]

Palmer's greens are so good right now that even the practice green by the first tee at Riley Grove (The Himalayas) is good enough to practice on and alot of fun!

[graciegirl]

Well, the hard ground with no grass cushioning helps my miserable game on the short courses. My poor tee shots keep moving along. I can't get any loft this week, but my putting is better than it has been for awhile.

Golf is not a matter of life and death, it is much more important than that.

(I have a sign on my wall that says that anyway)

[schotzyb]

Played Cane Garden today. Fairways really, really spotty. Not good at all. Both the rough and fairways are hard as concrete. Greens were overall in pretty decent shape, but the course still goes to the bottom of my list for ones to play.

[cabo35]

Played Jacaranda to Alamanda Tuesday, 2/2. Schotzyb once again has it right. Fairway and rough hard, some thin green grass. Greens were just ok. I like Cane Garden but not now. Course conditions around the Villages are constantly changing. I keep hearing positive reports about Glenview. I hope to keep checking in to hear what posters have to say about what courses are and who is declining. Thanks for the input.

[Bogie Shooter]

Article in todays Daily Sun 2/3 regarding course conditions, on Sports page.

[cabo35]

I have heard unconfirmed reports that certain courses get a larger watering allotments. Allegedly, Palmer, Lopez and Glenview top the list. Further, I heard that Havana has now joined that elite list. Personally, I thought the fairways and most of the greens at OB were as good as any.

Any info or opinions floating around out there?

[schotzyb]

Don't know how true it is but in talking with an Ambassador at Orange Blossom, he stated that their watering restrictions were different because they are in Lake County instead of Sumter.Don't really see how that could be since they are so close together but that is what we were told during our round about a week ago.

[FLBuckeyeIII]

Originally Posted by schotzyb

Don't know how true it is but in talking with an Ambassador at Orange Blossom, he stated that their watering restrictions were different because they are in Lake County instead of Sumter.Don't really see how that could be since they are so close together but that is what we were told during our round about a week ago.

The Ambassador is right, courses like Palmer have more water and money available than courses like Cane Garden and Mallory. TRUST ME, every superintendent wants the best looking course since his job is dependent on course ratings by the higher ups. But water restrictions and budgets hold these courses back and there is only so much they can do. Mallory and Cane actually have to share water from each other. One course will get more water on certain days while the other will be short and vice versa.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by schotzyb

Don't know how true it is but in talking with an Ambassador at Orange Blossom, he stated that their watering restrictions were different because they are in Lake County instead of Sumter.Don't really see how that could be since they are so close together but that is what we were told during our round about a week ago.

It also depends on where the water comes from. The southern courses have interconnections to several retention ponds and can share water. Others, like Hacienda, have limited resources. I believe Hacienda can draw only from the retention pond near #9 on the Palms course and from the aquifer, which is limited.

Palmer also gets less play than the other courses, primarily because of the greens fee difference. Less play usually begets better conditions, especially from cart traffic.