[Dahabs]

Originally Posted by Paporter

Unfortunately it’s all about making money for The Developer. There are no “gimmes” for residents, only potential buyers. They charge $64.00 a round, for non-priority members, to play on sub-par golf courses. You can go outside the bubble and play for much less or play on beautifully maintained courses for $64. To include May only shows the growing level of greed of The Developer. Let’s talk about the Developer’s mark up of golf equipment and clothing in the golf shops... insane!

Let me start by saying that I find the champ courses within the bubble overpriced. The conditions are generally ok but I find them often boring and repetitive, i.e., I often notice similar holes from one course to the next. My solution is to play outside the bubble both from a cost and course design perspective. I believe the rates are largely driven by supply and demand. Until the demand starts dropping the prices will continue to move upwards.

As for prices for golf equipment and clothing, I've noticed significant increases from most other retailers I buy from (mostly online). I suspect the ongoing trade war(s) have had their predictable impact on prices. I don't believe the "developer" is strictly to blame for this one.

[jbrown132]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Extending the winter rates through May is a defecto rate increase. And let's not forget that May used to have an AM, PM, and twilight rate, which was great. Now, no matter what time of the day one plays in May they are paying the maximum winter rate, even for twilight. May is my favorite month of the year to golf in the Villages. The days get long, the courses are typically way less crowded, the weather is ideal (the almost daily summer thunder and lightning storms and high humidity have not arrived yet), and the conditions are as good as any month of the year. May is the month I typically invite my golf buddies down for our annual week of marathon golf. I agree that the new rate schedule is a rip off. The winter rate for resident guests is so ridiculous, it looks like our annual tradition might have to change.

Also, the rates were raised by $6.00 at Glenview and Lopez from last year. Last year those courses charged the same rates as Hacienda Hills. Hacienda Hills rates were not raised. They probably couldn't justify that one since they tore down the golf shop, restaurant, and pool and are replacing them with a high-density multi-story apartment complex.

My last comments are that the new rates would be tolerable if May was not included in the winter rates, but only tolerable. Keep in mind that not jacking up the rates again from January through April this year would only soften the blow from the very large rate increases of last winter.

You are correct, it is a rate increase and every year it will continue to increase as supply diminishes and demand increases. The owners of these courses will continue jacking the prices until they find the breaking point where people say it’s to expensive to play here and housing sales diminish. It would not be so bad if the courses were kept in pristine condition but they are not. They never over seed, the greens are often slow and are never rolled, and by January there is little to no grass on the fairways or the rough. I learned about five years ago there are much better playing conditions and in some cases more reasonable rates outside the The Villages if you are will to drive a little.

[Tom53]

Originally Posted by stanley

For the lazy people................and there will be some.

https://www.golfthevillages.com/images/Winter2021.pdf

Lol, thanks!

[drcar]

I know this will be useless, but what the heck. This is not about course conditions, or what people see as "greed" from the developer, this is about economics 101. This year you are going to find prices going up in every business. For those who have not heard, minimum wage is going up to $10.00 per hour, that is over a 10% increase in the cast of wages for the employer. Most businesses can not absorb that without passing it along to the consumer. You will see every business everywhere increase the costs. This is not defending any changes in pricing but stating the facts of the costs of doing EVERY business.

So you can go back to blaming the "greedy developer." but in some cases economics comes into play.

[stanley]

Originally Posted by drcar

I know this will be useless, but what the heck. This is not about course conditions, or what people see as "greed" from the developer, this is about economics 101. This year you are going to find prices going up in every business. For those who have not heard, minimum wage is going up to $10.00 per hour, that is over a 10% increase in the cast of wages for the employer. Most businesses can not absorb that without passing it along to the consumer. You will see every business everywhere increase the costs. This is not defending any changes in pricing but stating the facts of the costs of doing EVERY business.

So you can go back to blaming the "greedy developer." but in some cases economics comes into play.

Exactly what I said in a previous post. Thanks

[Bill1701]

Originally Posted by John_W

That's a rip off, the snowbirds leave by the end of April. So the full time residents get to pay $64 a round for another month through May.

The snowbirds didn't leave until much later this year. Next year may be the same.

[forebubba]

Originally Posted by HIgolfers

Golf rates for Champ courses now posted in GOLFTHEVILLAGES

No change in rates from last year, but rates are though May 31 in 2021, unlike 2020 when they went until April 30.

I am a priority member. I love golf and it's about the only recreation I do. There used to be 3 seasons. Summer, winter and fall. Summer used to be May 1st till October 15th. They cut back the summer 2 weeks to September 30th. It used to be you could play 27 holes for the price of 18 if you started after 12.
Now 2 seasons that created a price increase.
I play championships 2 times a week all year. I think this year I'll take May off and play the execs just in protest.
The conditions in May are not that great as grass is recovering. Heavy maintenance starts on the courses.
The Villages no longer overseeds and therefore does not water. Cost savings big time. Last 2 years we have not had a freeze so we lucked out on conditions in the spring

[John_W]

Originally Posted by mcfirkle

Don’t play or go play off campus for half TV fees. Simples.

You know that isn't going to happen, so being smart isn't getting you anywhere. What will happen is the executive courses will stay busy a month longer.

[72lions]

If you are serious enough to be a priority member, you will likely play at least three times a week. That will cost you around $8000 a year. If your wife also plays that much, the cost is twice that. One option other than going off campus to a variety of courses, which is fine, is to join a club close by such as Harbor Hills Country Club. That $16,000 drops to about $5000 and allows you to participate in a variety of events throughout the year which are unavailable in the villages. The demand for teetimes in the villages will only continue to increase with the tens of thousands of residents moving in south of 44 and likely only having one or maybe two courses available to them down the road. And, if one wants to use their golf cart to get to established courses north of 44, the drive time will be tremendous.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by 72lions

If you are serious enough to be a priority member, you will likely play at least three times a week. That will cost you around $8000 a year. If your wife also plays that much, the cost is twice that. One option other than going off campus to a variety of courses, which is fine, is to join a club close by such as Harbor Hills Country Club. That $16,000 drops to about $5000 and allows you to participate in a variety of events throughout the year which are unavailable in the villages. The demand for teetimes in the villages will only continue to increase with the tens of thousands of residents moving in south of 44 and likely only having one or maybe two courses available to them down the road. And, if one wants to use their golf cart to get to established courses north of 44, the drive time will be tremendous.

But, they would know that going in....not for you to worry about.

[justjim]

It seems that on this site it’s the “better” handicap golfers that have issues with the championship course conditions rather than the “average” handicap golfers. As far as the costs to play here in The Villages, I personally find them to be in line with other retirement communities with golf courses. It’s certainly cheaper than on the coasts of Florida or in south Florida. That said, the main difference to me, as an average aging golfer, is the convenience of taking your own golf cart with your clubs directly to the course and having the ability to choose between 12 different pretty darn good championship golf courses. 40 nice executive courses to play too. For a guy who loves the game, It don’t get much better than this IMHO. Fore!

[72lions]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

But, they would know that going in....not for you to worry about.

One would hope so when researching the cost of championship golf, yet every year people complain about the high cost, conditions, reservation system, etc. I accept the fact that most move to TV for the lifestyle and for the majority who infrequently or never played golf "up north", free golf on the executives is an added lifestyle attraction. That said, I doubt the championship courses are a significant draw to TV for long-time golfers with low handicaps, except for the ability to reach multiple courses by golf cart. The developer must see it the same way. The housing boom continues in the absence of courses south of 44.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by 72lions

One would hope so when researching the cost of championship golf, yet every year people complain about the high cost, conditions, reservation system, etc. I accept the fact that most move to TV for the lifestyle and for the majority who infrequently or never played golf "up north", free golf on the executives is an added lifestyle attraction. That said, I doubt the championship courses are a significant draw to TV for long-time golfers with low handicaps, except for the ability to reach multiple courses by golf cart. The developer must see it the same way. The housing boom continues in the absence of courses south of 44.

My husband plays the championship courses 3 days a week year round. He has a 10 handicap. We chose TV because of the number of championship courses and the convenience of living close to the majority of courses. He rarely goes off site because of the extra 2 hours it builds into a round. The exception is when he can play Golden Ocala.

[Phpb2]

Executives in May. Off Campus 18’s in May!
Problem solved.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

,,. May is my favorite month of the year to golf in the Villages. The days get long, the courses are typically way less crowded, the weather is ideal (the almost daily summer thunder and lightning storms and high humidity have not arrived yet), and the conditions are as good as any month of the year. May is the month I typically invite my golf buddies down for our annual week of marathon golf. I agree that the new rate schedule is a rip off..

If I am understanding your thoughts on this, it seems that for you May is the best months for both weather and conditions. And how then you complain that the rates are not low during that nearly perfect month. I have no opinion on the matter, but if May is so great shouldn't it have the highest rates?