[par]

What's up with The Villages Country Club rates? The green fees here are more than outside The Villages on comparable and better courses. I bring my own golf cart and pay a trail fee here. Example; after the October rate hike I played 18 holes at the LPGA in Daytona, $28.00 with golf cart & GPS. Here at Havana $39.00 no cart, with cart $49.00!

[jebartle]

Originally Posted by par;***656

What's up with The Villages Country Club rates? The green fees here are more than outside The Villages on comparable and better courses. I bring my own golf cart and pay a trail fee here. Example; after the October rate hike I played 18 holes at the LPGA in Daytona, $28.00 with golf cart & GPS. Here at Havana $39.00 no cart, with cart $49.00!

We certainly agree! You can play at Arlington Ridge for $34, which includes, cart, breakfast buffet, and lunch buffet, and course is in excellent condition!

[l2ridehd]

It is probably to encourage off campus play during the most busy months. If you can play for less elsewhere, on just as good a course, with less crowds, then it makes a lot of sense to do that.

[chuckster]

Originally Posted by par;***656

What's up with The Villages Country Club rates? The green fees here are more than outside The Villages on comparable and better courses. I bring my own golf cart and pay a trail fee here. Example; after the October rate hike I played 18 holes at the LPGA in Daytona, $28.00 with golf cart & GPS. Here at Havana $39.00 no cart, with cart $49.00!

I'm confused, if you bring your own cart to a championship course you don't pay a trail fee. You pay 10.00/person for 18 holes if you rent a cart. Trail fees only apply to exec. courses. At least that's what I thought. Very confusing. Maybe I need more popcorn...

[ijusluvit]

Originally Posted by par;***656

What's up with The Villages Country Club rates? The green fees here are more than outside The Villages on comparable and better courses. I bring my own golf cart and pay a trail fee here. Example; after the October rate hike I played 18 holes at the LPGA in Daytona, $28.00 with golf cart & GPS. Here at Havana $39.00 no cart, with cart $49.00!

Hey. this is reality. The company(s) operating the TV country clubs are trying to make a profit. They have a captive audience of thousands, many who don't really care about playing a few bucks more when they can easily drive their own cart from their garage to the first tee. Because there are quite a few decent courses relatively close to TV, they must offer lower prices to compete.

Don't be shocked or upset. Take advantage! Get a foursome together and play Mission Inn, Deer Island, Spruce Creek Links, Eagle Ridge, Stone Creek, Arlington, Sarabene, Harbor Hills, Baseline, Silver Springs Shores, Stonecrest, Continental, Juliette Falls, Spruce Creek Preserve, Royal Oaks, or Lake Diamond. Those are just some of the good courses, near enough and cheaper.

[John_W]

You only pay a trail fee if you use your cart on an executive course, you can walk the executive courses for free. For the championship courses you can get a 'Priority Membership'. In the summer most championship courses are only $19 after 11:00, which is actually when I like to play. So I get a six month membership which runs out the end of April, which is when the winter rates stop. Havana would of only cost you $29 as a priority member. I even refined it a little more. Since I live in the southern section I got a 3 course membership for Havana, Mallory and Cane for $490 for six months, so I can play any of those three courses for $27-$29. Come January 1st these winter rates will be even higher, in the $47 range but as a member I'll will only pay about $32.

[schotzyb]

We play an "off campus" course every Saturday. There are as previously mentioned some excellent courses within a short distance of the Villages. I too am a priority member but find that I am still paying less on the outside courses than I am on The Villages courses. Also mentioned earlier is some like Arlington Ridge have some nice perks such as a free buffet lunch with your round.

[hedoman]

What the market will bear...... Try getting a tee time, they ain't hurting for players and in a short time the competition for times will get out of control. I play many of the off campus courses in my Friday group. Summer Glen group rate was $20!!!!! Yes, they have attractive rates and some of the courses are in as good of shape but the 30 to 40 minute drive to get to some of them (other than Stonecrest or Spruce Creek South etc.) is a pain..... Hate going out of the "bubble"

BTW Bonifay is STUNNING!

IMHO

[mrdills]

I just don't get it, like John W says you pay 81.66 a month for 6 months for Preferred membership for three golf courses. Thats almost 3 free green fees at off campus courses plus the courses are cheeped that 33.00 Why would you do that if you have so many off campus courses that are much cheaper. I was just wondering. shocked:

[graciegirl]

..bh

[par]

$32.00 Plus your $82.00 per month "priority fee" using your own cart. $47.00 for a resident. If you add a portion of "priority fee" of $15.00 it comes to $47.00. Also if suddenly you had a health issue and couldn't play You won't get reimbursed. It happened to a few people in our golf group who had a yearly membership..

[John_W]

Originally Posted by mrdills

I just don't get it, like John W says you pay 81.66 a month for 6 months for Preferred membership for three golf courses. Thats almost 3 free green fees at off campus courses plus the courses are cheeped that 33.00 Why would you do that if you have so many off campus courses that are much cheaper. I was just wondering. shocked:

Since I just moved here in July, I'm not worn out yet on Mallory, Havana or Cane, plus with 27 holes you can get different layouts making it like six different golf courses. Maybe by next winter I'll start playing off campus and save some money and not get a membership.

Back in Maryland my two favorite courses were 17 miles and 36 miles from my house. I paid $32 senior rate at one course and $37 senior at the other. I also had to put my clubs and shoes in my car drive there, pay tolls to one course, unload and drive their 14 mph carts. Here, I'm ready to play with my golf shoes on as soon I leave my garage. I can get to Cane Garden proshop in 7 minutes, it's nice having your own cart with everything you need, so that's another reason I like playing in TV.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by John_W

I can get to Cane Garden proshop in 7 minutes, it's nice having your own cart with everything you need, so that's another reason I like playing in TV.

Ditto!

[coach]

I play the Championship courses in June, July & August by using the $6 after 5 o'clock promotion. Pay $6 and play all the holes you can from 5:00PM til dark. I usually can play at least 11-13 holes. It is a great deal and lots of fun.

[ijusluvit]

Originally Posted by mrdills

I just don't get it, like John W says you pay 81.66 a month for 6 months for Preferred membership for three golf courses. Thats almost 3 free green fees at off campus courses plus the courses are cheeped that 33.00 Why would you do that if you have so many off campus courses that are much cheaper. I was just wondering. shocked:

Again, REALITY! There are literally thousands of golfers in TV who profile as follows: 1) Their buddies are all priority members and I must join as well, or we cannot get the exact tee times we like. It's kind of a status thing, like owning the place. It's Cool! 2) Their clubs are on their cart; balls, tees, glove and hat in the dash. The first tee is just down the road. 3) Where else can they be a member of one or more country clubs, get the tee times they like and play green fees that are 'similar' to places they have to drive to. (In fact, back in Jersey they paid 3 or 4 times higher fees to play!). OR... "I'm retired and I don't really give a**** what golf costs."

More REALITY...The management could raise prices steadily and, I'm afraid, rather steeply, and other than some grumbling, NOTHING would change. I honestly think the Developer keeps a lid on prices. How can complaints be taken too seriously when you can walk the exec courses for free? I know folks in communities throughout the country. I've never heard anyone describe a better deal on golf than at TV.
(ps. pleeeeeze don't show this post to the Developer)