[John_W]

Originally Posted by Tom Frogge

...I'm planning on playing two CC per week year round and Execs 2-4 days...golf will be less than I pay now...what CC do you play regularly? While I plan to play them all..want a regular game or two per week..thoughts and suggestions appreciated

The biggest factor is where you live and how long a cart ride will you put up with. If playing a 90 minute executive round, would you drive more 20 minutes each way to play? I find that's about average. I live in Tamarind Grove, it's between St. James and Buttonwood off St. Charles. I play only the championship courses.

Glenview to the north is a 35 minute cart ride, Palmer is 20 min, Mallory and Havana are 15 minutes and Cane Garden is 10 minutes. Going in the opposite direction Evans Prairie is 10 minutes, Bonifay is 15 minutes and Belle Glade is 20 minutes. That my circle of play. In the last 7 years I've played Lopez 3 times, it's a 50 minute ride. Beautiful course with a driving range, but that's a long ride, especially the last time I got caught in a heavy downpour and lightning, which happens a lot in the summer. Tierra Del Sol is a 40 minute ride and I've played it twice, it's also only 18 holes. I have never played Hacienda Hills or Orange Blossom. Going over the bridge, and Orange Blossom would require an additional bridge, is a lot of traveling when I have so many nice course nearby.

You'll have favorites, my favorite nine is Alamanda at Cane Garden, my favorite 18 is either Kenya to Hemingway at Havana or Calusa to Tequesta at Bell Glade. You'll have plenty of time to explore, that's what's so nice about having so many choices close at hand.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Margaret McLeer

I totally agree, Residents should BE GETTING DISCOUNTED FEES on all the Championship courses during the months that the Snowbirds are here. Residents should go elsewhere and let the villages feel the loss all year. Same goes for priority fees. If you pay them, your cost to play should be greatly reduced not just $5 or $10 dollars! Problem is all residents need to speak up.

No one is forcing you to get a priority membership....
Why discount when snowbirds are here?

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Margaret McLeer

I totally agree, Residents should BE GETTING DISCOUNTED FEES on all the Championship courses during the months that the Snowbirds are here. Residents should go elsewhere and let the villages feel the loss all year. Same goes for priority fees. If you pay them, your cost to play should be greatly reduced not just $5 or $10 dollars! Problem is all residents need to speak up.

Why????? Because we live here??? Because you want cheaper golf???? Someone even posted the greens fee should be cheaper because "we pay taxes and frequent the restaurants". Where DON'T you pay taxes or eat out?????? As a New Years Day special, I'm offering some cheese to go with all these whines. I can play 170 rounds/year including the priority fee here for less than I paid at my club in NY----where I was lucky to get 30 rounds a year in.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Margaret McLeer

I totally agree, Residents should BE GETTING DISCOUNTED FEES on all the Championship courses during the months that the Snowbirds are here. Residents should go elsewhere and let the villages feel the loss all year. Same goes for priority fees. If you pay them, your cost to play should be greatly reduced not just $5 or $10 dollars! Problem is all residents need to speak up.

I disagree with you. I have golfed for more than forty years and the prices here are reasonable. Winter rates are always higher in vacation areas and that is true all over Florida.

No one is going anywhere. The golf here is much desired and someone is going to do it. THEY won't have ANY trouble filling the tee times, believe me.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Why????? Because we live here??? Because you want cheaper golf???? Someone even posted the greens fee should be cheaper because "we pay taxes and frequent the restaurants". Where DON'T you pay taxes or eat out?????? As a New Years Day special, I'm offering some cheese to go with all these whines. I can play 170 rounds/year including the priority fee here for less than I paid at my club in NY----where I was lucky to get 30 rounds a year in.

Bump. Much better answer than mine and so delighted to see the poster posting.

Happy New Year Doc.

[drcar]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Why????? Because we live here??? Because you want cheaper golf???? Someone even posted the greens fee should be cheaper because "we pay taxes and frequent the restaurants". Where DON'T you pay taxes or eat out?????? As a New Years Day special, I'm offering some cheese to go with all these whines. I can play 170 rounds/year including the priority fee here for less than I paid at my club in NY----where I was lucky to get 30 rounds a year in.

[birdiebill]

Originally Posted by Margaret McLeer

I totally agree, Residents should BE GETTING DISCOUNTED FEES on all the Championship courses during the months that the Snowbirds are here. Residents should go elsewhere and let the villages feel the loss all year. Same goes for priority fees. If you pay them, your cost to play should be greatly reduced not just $5 or $10 dollars! Problem is all residents need to speak up.

Priority members get a discount of $17 per 18 holes of Championship golf in the winter months of Jan-Apr, $12 per round in the fall months of Oct-Dec, and $7 per round in the remaining five months. Pretty good discount.

If a person plays 60 rounds per year evenly spaced among the 12 months, the priority fee pays for itself. More than 60 rounds, greater savings. I am a year around resident, play priority championship golf, wife does not play championship, my costs are fair.

[arickis]

We have been playing on the outside for years and there are bargains to be found. Using Golf Now, and The Golf 18 Network, you can golf for half of what the Villages charges. Good courses are out there. We played Eagle Ridge for $22.00 yesterday...excellent condition.

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by maggie1

The price of golf on The Villages championship courses during the "snowbird" season is absolutely obscene! While I understand that rates go up at most golf courses during the winter, why must it be so expensive for the residents of this community? We pay taxes, shop and eat at the local stores and restaurants, yet we receive no break on the greens fees until the summer when it's too darn hot to play. There are plenty of courses outside this venue that are reasonable, so I guess that's where I'll continue to find a game, because as a resident here I just can't see paying snowbird rates.

I totally agree! I have a friend that joined the Championship courses & I didn't & he still has to pay a fee when he plays but it's only a few dollars less than I pay. I really think I could play as much as he could & never reach what he pays to join. It's not a deal if you ask me. Like you, I go outside the bubble & get a lot better deals than here in TV. I know some people have their own idea's about how great it is to join a Championship course, but the money you think you save isn't that much. Guess I don't get it!

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

I totally agree! I have a friend that joined the Championship courses & I didn't & he still has to pay a fee when he plays but it's only a few dollars less than I pay. I really think I could play as much as he could & never reach what he pays to join. It's not a deal if you ask me. Like you, I go outside the bubble & get a lot better deals than here in TV. I know some people have their own idea's about how great it is to join a Championship course, but the money you think you save isn't that much. Guess I don't get it!

My husband is priority and plays the Championship courses 3 days a week. He definitely saves money. Rarely does he play outside of TV. He only plays outside for excellent courses. Disney, Celebration, Juliet Falls or Golden Ocala. He likes to take his golf cart, play, have lunch and be home in 5 hours. leaving her and driving 45 minutes to an hour is a waste of his time.

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by drcar

If we're going to compare golf to where we come from like NY. I came from Ohio & we probably had 50 golf course within 20 miles from where I lived. Where I lived we had 11 courses & none of them were over $25. per round & to join them they ran from $500. to $1,000. a yr. & you didn't have to pay extra when you came to play. Play all you wanted, 7 days a week, & as many times a day as you want & yes they were as nice or better than any Championship course here. Before we moved to TV my wife & I JOINED a deal where each one of us paid $200. to join 4 golf course & got to play Mon. thru Fri. Sat. & Sun. was $75. more. I understand why the people here are so defensive about the Championship courses here. You're not going to say anything bad about them after you joined, you're not going to bad mouth them. But to pay a fee after you paid for a membership isn't a deal. You pay a membership to play, not to pay again to play. You can say what you want about a membership, you're still adding to that membership, so in reality you're paying membership plus to play so it's adding cost to your golf fee & so it's not as cheap as you say it is. This is nothing to argue about, just have fun playing golf in TV.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

If we're going to compare golf to where we come from like NY. I came from Ohio & we probably had 50 golf course within 20 miles from where I lived. Where I lived we had 11 courses & none of them were over $25. per round & to join them they ran from $500. to $1,000. a yr. & you didn't have to pay extra when you came to play. Play all you wanted, 7 days a week, & as many times a day as you want & yes they were as nice or better than any Championship course here. Before we moved to TV my wife & I JOINED a deal where each one of us paid $200. to join 4 golf course & got to play Mon. thru Fri. Sat. & Sun. was $75. more. I understand why the people here are so defensive about the Championship courses here. You're not going to say anything bad about them after you joined, you're not going to bad mouth them. But to pay a fee after you paid for a membership isn't a deal. You pay a membership to play, not to pay again to play. You can say what you want about a membership, you're still adding to that membership, so in reality you're paying membership plus to play so it's adding cost to your golf fee & so it's not as cheap as you say it is. This is nothing to argue about, just have fun playing golf in TV.

Not arguing with you. My husband likes Palmer, Havana, Mallory , Cane and the 3 courses south of 466. He is happy golfing in TV. His club up North did not charge green fees but the dues and the food minimum were significantly more than 800 ayear.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

I totally agree! I have a friend that joined the Championship courses & I didn't & he still has to pay a fee when he plays but it's only a few dollars less than I pay. I really think I could play as much as he could & never reach what he pays to join. It's not a deal if you ask me. Like you, I go outside the bubble & get a lot better deals than here in TV. I know some people have their own idea's about how great it is to join a Championship course, but the money you think you save isn't that much. Guess I don't get it!

It's just simple math. You save $17 per round during the 4 winter months, $12 during the 3 fall months, and $7 for the 5 summer months. This works out to a weighted average of $11.58 per round through the year. A single priority membership at all 12 courses is $790, so the break even point is 68 rounds/ year. If you play 200 rounds, you save $1526 after paying the priority fee. If both you and your spouse play, the savings is much greater. Simple.

Now, if you go hunting (and driving), there are some bargains out there, and some reasonable courses as well, but you sacrifice convenience. For a top notch course, you will pay far more. People will complain about course conditions, but they aren't all that different outside the bubble, and the differences probably won't matter in the end to anyone but a 5 handicap or less. I played 3 rounds at Innisbrook last month and was not impressed. The main condition problem here is the wrong type of sand, especially in fairway bunkers. Personally, I prefer to support the community I live in, but to each his own.

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

It's just simple math. You save $17 per round during the 4 winter months, $12 during the 3 fall months, and $7 for the 5 summer months. This works out to a weighted average of $11.58 per round through the year. A single priority membership at all 12 courses is $790, so the break even point is 68 rounds/ year. If you play 200 rounds, you save $1526 after paying the priority fee. If both you and your spouse play, the savings is much greater. Simple.

Now, if you go hunting (and driving), there are some bargains out there, and some reasonable courses as well, but you sacrifice convenience. For a top notch course, you will pay far more. People will complain about course conditions, but they aren't all that different outside the bubble, and the differences probably won't matter in the end to anyone but a 5 handicap or less. I played 3 rounds at Innisbrook last month and was not impressed. The main condition problem here is the wrong type of sand, especially in fairway bunkers. Personally, I prefer to support the community I live in, but to each his own.

Exactly, my husband plays a minimum of 150 rounds. He feels the courses in TV are as good if not better than the cheaper ones outside of TV. We moved here for the convenience not to drive around looking for cheaper prices.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

If we're going to compare golf to where we come from like NY. I came from Ohio & we probably had 50 golf course within 20 miles from where I lived. Where I lived we had 11 courses & none of them were over $25. per round & to join them they ran from $500. to $1,000. a yr. & you didn't have to pay extra when you came to play. Play all you wanted, 7 days a week, & as many times a day as you want & yes they were as nice or better than any Championship course here. Before we moved to TV my wife & I JOINED a deal where each one of us paid $200. to join 4 golf course & got to play Mon. thru Fri. Sat. & Sun. was $75. more. I understand why the people here are so defensive about the Championship courses here. You're not going to say anything bad about them after you joined, you're not going to bad mouth them. But to pay a fee after you paid for a membership isn't a deal. You pay a membership to play, not to pay again to play. You can say what you want about a membership, you're still adding to that membership, so in reality you're paying membership plus to play so it's adding cost to your golf fee & so it's not as cheap as you say it is. This is nothing to argue about, just have fun playing golf in TV.

Sounds like there are plenty of courses with relatively cheap rates in that part of Ohio. Of course, they are IN Ohio, with Ohio weather. All courses, from private to resort to public (unless government owned) will tend to have a fee that the market bears. Try joining Muirfield Village for the rates you quoted, and they probably have a waiting list. Here, the market bears higher winter rates and somewhat higher greens fees inside the bubble. Bay Hill, Doral, TPC Sawgrass and Tiburon get a LOT more. It's all relative.