[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Suggesting that people move if they don't like the golf course conditions, doesn't really fly with regards to the executive courses. We are promised "FREE" golf for life. While we all understand that it really isn't free golf and that we pay for it with our monthly amenities fee we shouldn't have to put up with inferior conditions.

If you play the championship courses, you always have the option of voting with your pocketbook and playing outside The Villages. However, for those of us that play mostly on the executives, that is not an option.

We pay our fee every month and I believe that we should be able to expect reasonable conditions. Many of the executive courses are in reasonable conditions, but many are substandard and we should not have to tolerate that.

I suppose we can complain to the administration, but what other power do we really hold? if we decide to withhold our amenity fee, we will be taken to court and fined.

Not to turn this political, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that this demonstrates the capitalist versus te socialist economic system.

Anyroad, I really don't know what can be done other than complain. I think that the only thing that might change things is if home sales begin to dwindle and it is decided that it's because of the executive golf course conditions.

[MrGolf]

Well said

[stan the man]

I really love when people tell me to move if I don't like it.. Well I'm not moving I do my part I do not rake the traps I do not fix ball marks on the green and I complained constantly. The people that tell me they played in Scotland,and loved the course conditions there, then maybe they should move to Scotland. So in my little way I'm trying to make the courses look like Scotland I drive close to the green as I possibly can the ambassador is just someone with no power. I followed the tire tracks of carts that were there before me, Hoping it will make it grass free And make it more of a challenge. I take forever to look for A lost ball. You have no trouble recognizing me as there are many many "me people" out there

[Mikeod]

It's frustrating to read these posts about the executive courses. In 2010, I joined a group called the Executive Golf Advisory Group that met with representatives of GMS and the district to discuss conditions and policies on these courses. About a year later, the name was changed to Executive Golf Improvement Group and our status was changed to avoid problems with Florida's Sunshine Law. But we still had the attention of GMS and the district. The members were assigned a group of courses to monitor and had the contact information of the facility manager and district/GMS person responsible so problems could be addressed immediately if necessary for safety or at our meetings. In our quarterly meetings, we presented areas of concern and never had a problem getting them addressed.

Unfortunately, the group disbanded in 2016. One reason was that members, who inspected the courses on their own time, eventually became tired of the commitment. Solicitation of new members (even posted here) was inadequate. And new leadership was not forthcoming. I think we lost an opportunity to have some input in the maintenance of these courses at that point.

Perhaps the group could be reinstated.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by tmbromley

I've been here for 4 years now and things would be better if the management would aerate the greens on all the courses at the same time and not taking a month or more to do it. We understand but when you spread it out it just seems like it takes forever to get em right! Then just about the time they're perfect in two weeks they start it all over again and we have really nice betmuda greens only about two weeks or so after each aeration all because they won't do them all at the same time. Then after they aerate them the second time for about two weeks we have nice Bermuda greens only to have them seeded with rye and so the best greens are in the winter which is totally different than Bermuda grass. It's pretty rediculous. Overseeing the greens heavily this far north in FL is just plain bad policy. If they overseeded very lightly the greens would come back quickly in the spring but they don't get the spring spurt because it takes so long for the rye to completely die out. Just poor management! Really kind of sad and the golfers pay and never hardly experience really good Bermuda greens. It's done by a management that doesn't care about the golfer but only having green grass so the Villages can sell real estate. Sad indeed! Who wants piece meal aeration for over a month? It's nuts! Same thing every darn year!

Have you considered how much more equipment and personnel you would need to aerate 34 9's of championship courses all "at the same time"????

[swooner]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Have you considered how much more equipment and personnel you would need to aerate 34 9's of championship courses all "at the same time"????

And that all of the courses would be closed at the same time! Brilliant suggestion!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by stan the man

I really love when people tell me to move if I don't like it.. Well I'm not moving I do my part I do not rake the traps I do not fix ball marks on the green and I complained constantly. The people that tell me they played in Scotland,and loved the course conditions there, then maybe they should move to Scotland. So in my little way I'm trying to make the courses look like Scotland I drive close to the green as I possibly can the ambassador is just someone with no power. I followed the tire tracks of carts that were there before me, Hoping it will make it grass free And make it more of a challenge. I take forever to look for A lost ball. You have no trouble recognizing me as there are many many "me people" out there

So. You can play them the way they are or complain to someone with power to effect change..

Golf here in The Villages is unlike golf any place I have known. There are very few annoying leagues. There are very few husbands teaching wifes. YAY! Most people are old enough and responsible enough to keep the pace of play, sand and repair their divots, not walk in a putting line, not holler out in your back swing and complain to the people who can do something about it. If all else fails there are other options. Thank goodness homes are easy to sell at a profit.

[bbrizendine]

I agree, terrible today

[bbrizendine]

verticutting and grooming are part of green cutting maintenance. It takes more effort so guess what !

[bbrizendine]

This is a great community of folks. Amazing looking grounds, residents keep their homes immaculate. i have never seen one piece of litter. Ever! Amazing course layouts and green contour. As good as anywhere in the country. You walk up on any green in this complex to putt and it's like putting on the worst no budget muni you have ever been on. I don't get it. Not only do we deserve better, we need to demand better.
And yes I mean Palmer as well.

[bbrizendine]

Exactly. I"m not talking about rocket science, just verticutt and groom 2 or 3 times a year. What other questions do you have even though you weren't a maintenance guy in 40 years.

[graciegirl]

We have lived in Golf Course Communities for most of our lives. I am not playing now but my husband plays 18 holes, four days a week and has in his lifetime enjoyed playing at many well known golf courses in this country and abroad.

My question as to how was golf, how did you play to him is always answered with something positive.

I just asked him...Henry, how are the greens lately?

His answer was this; "Pretty good, they just aerated them and sanded them and they are coming back pretty good".

He doesn't play the executives.

[tmbromley]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Have you considered how much more equipment and personnel you would need to aerate 34 9's of championship courses all "at the same time"????

Hey, the Villages contracts this out so get the people in and do it. This is a big project but it could be done, we are not building a piano. This is aeration not constructing a house or a new rec center. It could easily be done over two weeks at most.

The main problem for our greens is the amount of heavy over seeding. Looks great but it robs the Bermuda of the spring growth spurt because it takes rye grass so long to die. It's still growing on some greens that have been aerated a month ago. It's not necessary and this past year we really never had a frost on many of the courses. It should be done if they must very lightly like they do at other championship courses in north Florida like Ponte Vedra for example. But you have to know something about grass to understand this issue. You also have to know something about contracting out the aeration and what it really takes to get it done. This could be done a little easier if the maintenance wasn't always contracted out but that's the way they do it here, doesn't mean it's the best way for us just the least expensive for them.

So if you don't like the greens here and you think they could be better what's the answer? The greens eventually get nice here and the courses that got aerated in early May are in good shap now so that kind of proves my point.

No way to prove the other point which is the issue of heavy overseeding cause they have no idea of changing because they don't care what the golfers think! The want to sell real estate - that's number one and real pretty greens in the winter is the way they feel is their best option for doing that. Courses like Ponte Vedra are all about the golfing experience and so they have to do it right to keep the business - not so in the Villages. Get it...that's why all this yapping about our greens isn't going to get us anywhere. It's been going on ever since I've been here and I don't see any change as ZERO. The only place you might see improvements is in the fairways since they didn't overseed them because of the water restrictions - maybe. If they don't do it again this year with the rain we've had it might really start getting better on the new courses below 466A. Yet to be determined.....the fairways of Tierra and Hacienda are really nice. We shall see. Bout all we can hope for, sad to say.

Any of you guys ever talk to the superintendents? I have...

[OhioBuckeye]

Well, don't like to say to much about this because I don't think any of us really know what's going on. To me I don't play the Championship course very much, because I guess I got used to playing up north where the courses up there only cost $20. play with cart. When I do play down here in TV I normally play off campus. The courses are lots cheaper especially when I'm already paying $150. a month amenities. As far as the greens I'm sure our monthly amenities only go so far & golf isn't the only thing they have to maintenance & I'm sure it only goes so far. I'll stay on the par 3 courses. Not all of the Championship courses are like the one shown in the picture, so if the greens are bad there, go play another one!

[collie1228]

I play championship course twice a week with a neighborhood group. We don't play Evans Prairie as it's just a little too far from us, but we regularly play all of the other courses in TV. In the past two weeks we have played Palmer, Cane, Havana and OBH, and found all to be in pretty good condition. On yesterday's round at OBH we were especially impressed with the lush fairways and nice, medium speed greens. Obviously these courses have benefited from all of the recent rain.