[golf2140]

Originally Posted by schotzyb

I recently asked the question on Golf the Villages website about the rumor that only the greens and T boxes would be overseeded this year due to low water levels. I just received a phone call from Tom Basso, Director of Golf Operations and he stated that the only course that the fairways will not be overseeded is Hacienda Hills and there is the possibility that it could be if we get some good heavy rains soon.

Schotzyb,

It's always great to read your posts. You are one of the most informed posters on TOTV. Thanks for the information.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by jebartle

Why not overseed Hacienda?....Why does rain requirement for that course differ from any of the other championship courses that will be overseeded....Hacienda seems to retain water, ex. Palms and Oaks have flooded but I would think, there I go again, thinking, that "that" would give them reason to overseed now....Go figure!

The problem is where they get the water for the course. Not every retention pond you see is available for golf course use. I was told the water for Hacienda is the pond near Freedom Pointe (not the one they are working on, though). Since that pond is low, they have to ration the water to overseed the tees and greens. There is not enough water there to do the fairways. Also, the pond cannot be pumped dry. They have to leave a certain amount in the pond. If we get more rain, there may be enough to do the fairways. Other courses have different sources of water.

[jebartle]

Originally Posted by mikeod

The problem is where they get the water for the course. Not every retention pond you see is available for golf course use. I was told the water for Hacienda is the pond near Freedom Pointe (not the one they are working on, though). Since that pond is low, they have to ration the water to overseed the tees and greens. There is not enough water there to do the fairways. Also, the pond cannot be pumped dry. They have to leave a certain amount in the pond. If we get more rain, there may be enough to do the fairways. Other courses have different sources of water.

Thank you

[MrMark]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

I was about to send my check for priority membership. Guess I will wait for a while and see the conditions. I also have no issue driving 30 minutes for better conditions even if the cost is slightly more. Wonder how many others will do the same.

The more of you who drive 30 minutes for marginally better conditions the easier for the rest of us to get Tee Times in the Winter. Go and good golfing somewhere else!

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by mhoerauf

The more of you who drive 30 minutes for marginally better conditions the easier for the rest of us to get Tee Times in the Winter. Go and good golfing somewhere else!

[Taj44]

Originally Posted by mhoerauf

The more of you who drive 30 minutes for marginally better conditions the easier for the rest of us to get Tee Times in the Winter. Go and good golfing somewhere else!

Yeah, and (outside the villages) we can probably play in 3 1/2 -4 hours, instead of 5 hours too!...

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Taj44

Yeah, and (outside the villages) we can probably play in 3 1/2 -4 hours, instead of 5 hours too!...

Don't just talk about it, do it......we appreciate your tee times.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by schotzyb

I recently asked the question on Golf the Villages website about the rumor that only the greens and T boxes would be overseeded this year due to low water levels. I just received a phone call from Tom Basso, Director of Golf Operations and he stated that the only course that the fairways will not be overseeded is Hacienda Hills and there is the possibility that it could be if we get some good heavy rains soon.

Bravo for going to the direct source for accurate information. Not only are we better informed, but the director of golf operations is better apprised about resident concerns. win-win. Thanks.

[ajbrown]

Hearsay and rumor is all I have, but maybe someone else knows....ADMINS, we need rumor tags, like the quote tags

Talking to the starters and ambassadors at Tierra yesterday I learned they have a well for water instead of relying on retention ponds.

[RUMOR]According to an ambassador, early on they were going to use ponds for watering, but the residents protested and prevailed so Tierra dug a well(s).[/RUMOR]

It got me thinking about the water shortages we experience and wonder why other courses do not dig wells? As someone with no knowledge of this type of engineering wells seem logical as central FL sits on top of underground rivers and lakes....

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

Hearsay and rumor is all I have, but maybe someone else knows....ADMINS, we need rumor tags, like the quote tags

Talking to the starters and ambassadors at Tierra yesterday I learned they have a well for water instead of relying on retention ponds.

[RUMOR]According to an ambassador, early on they were going to use ponds for watering, but the residents protested and prevailed so Tierra dug a well(s).[/RUMOR]

It got me thinking about the water shortages we experience and wonder why other courses do not dig wells? As someone with no knowledge of this type of engineering wells seem logical as central FL sits on top of underground rivers and lakes....

It is my understanding that even underground water supplies are regulated. Commercial use of wells is strictly controlled. They are required to get a permit for water usage. It's not like a commercial well can be dug and there's free water forever. I also believe that commercial well users are required to have a retention pond where runoff from well water is stored for use the next time. I believe that some areas also charge for the the amount of water taken out of the aquifer. The last time I heard a figure (this could be wrong) was that a commercial well can cost in excess of $10 an inch to drill.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

It is my understanding that even underground water supplies are regulated. Commercial use of wells is strictly controlled. They are required to get a permit for water usage. It's not like a commercial well can be dug and there's free water forever. I also believe that commercial well users are required to have a retention pond where runoff from well water is stored for use the next time. I believe that some areas also charge for the the amount of water taken out of the aquifer. The last time I heard a figure (this could be wrong) was that a commercial well can cost in excess of $10 an inch to drill.

Absolutely there is a limit to how much they can pump from the aquifer. That is the main reason they are limited at Hacienda from my understanding. They cannot pump enough from the aquifer to augment the water in the retention pond to do more than tees and greens on that course. South of 466, they have a complicated water system that allows them to transfer water from several sources to keep the courses green. But even there, there are restrictions. One consideration is that homeowners have priority for the reclaimed water, so the more we water our landscaping, the less water is available for the golf courses.

[gfreese]

After golfing in the Villages for 5 years and viewing the course conditions in the winter months and blaming the poor conditions on the lack of water I began to take notice of the practice of overseeding.
Last year in
Feb. I notice that there was 2 sizes of grass in the fairways, some grass was long (sprouting in the fall) and a lot of very small grass just starting to grow.
These 2 length of grass was the result of poor initial soil contact seed to ground (not water) when the frost came and killed the Bermuda the seed not germinated fell to the ground and sprouted.
I have spent a lot of time researching how to overseed fairways and the practice used in the Villages is not recommened for sucess.
There are several ways ---1 is to earate then put seed down--another is to drop seed and chain drag the fairway so seed falls thru the thick Bermuda both will help seed get good ground contact---they are still using the same practice so don't expect better fairways this winter.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by gfreese

After golfing in the Villages for 5 years and viewing the course conditions in the winter months and blaming the poor conditions on the lack of water I began to take notice of the practice of overseeding.
Last year in
Feb. I notice that there was 2 sizes of grass in the fairways, some grass was long (sprouting in the fall) and a lot of very small grass just starting to grow.
These 2 length of grass was the result of poor initial soil contact seed to ground (not water) when the frost came and killed the Bermuda the seed not germinated fell to the ground and sprouted.
I have spent a lot of time researching how to overseed fairways and the practice used in the Villages is not recommened for sucess.
There are several ways ---1 is to earate then put seed down--another is to drop seed and chain drag the fairway so seed falls thru the thick Bermuda both will help seed get good ground contact---they are still using the same practice so don't expect better fairways this winter.

Why don't you share this with TV golf course maintenance professionals? Country Club Administration at 352-753-3396

[chuckster]

Gee and all this time I thought the Bermuda didn't die but went dormant in the winter to recover in the spring........live and learn ........I agree, you should share this with the golf courses.........