[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by JGVillages

Public, private, or semi-private, if the category is "top 100" none of The Villages championship layouts would or should necessarily qualify. I have been in Florida for 27+ years and have played all 3 of these course categories extensively. The Villages layouts are OK and their conditioning are OK- at best so the top 100 is not gonna happen.

Here are the criteria golf digest uses to rank courses:
February 2015



1. SHOT VALUES
How well do the holes pose a variety of risks and rewards and equally test length, accuracy and finesse?


2. RESISTANCE TO SCORING
How difficult, while still being fair, is the course for a scratch player from the back tees?


3. DESIGN VARIETY
How varied are the holes in differing lengths, configurations, hazard placements, green shapes and green contours?


4. MEMORABILITY
How well do the design features provide individuality to each hole yet a collective continuity to the entire 18?


5. AESTHETICS
How well do the scenic values of the course add to the pleasure of a round?


6. CONDITIONING
How firm, fast and rolling were the fairways, and how firm yet receptive were the greens on the day you played the course?


7. AMBIENCE
How well does the overall feel and atmosphere of the course reflect or uphold the traditional values of the game?

With 16,052 courses in Florida as of 2005, I wouldn't hold my breath until one of ours appears. Best chance for the future---Belle Glade if the conditioning is nearly perfect

[John_W]

On Golf.com they list 30 of the best public courses in Florida. Best-public-golf-courses-florida-2014 On the list, #5 and #11 are the two courses at World Woods in Brooksville. I've played those courses 3 times, after the first time I went back only because my neighbor wanted to play them again. For $65 and a 90 minute drive, I didn't feel they were worth leaving TV.

They had a lot of trees and looked like a northern course, and they were pretty hard to play. At the time they were rated #3 and #9 when I went and to me they were just OK.

I much rather play my old neighborhood course back in Baltimore, that would be Geneva Farms. Over age 55 it's just $37, which includes a hot dog and drink at the turn. That course was the most fun I've had playing anywhere. The 6th hole for example is 442 yards from the white tees uphill. If you hit a 240 yard drive, you'll have reach the crest of the hill and then get to look at a 200 yard shot slightly down hill to the green with a pond in front. It looks like this.

[alwann]

.... allow non-members to book tee times and play. So a semi-private course combines elements of a country club with elements of a public golf course.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe "non-members" in TV can book tee times. Have to be a guest or a property owner. So the definition cited doesn't hold true.

All that aside, TV courses may not be anything special in terms of architectural design or difficulty, compared to the tracks usually cited in those polls, but playing them is enough of a challenge for me, and they don't bust my budget.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by alwann

...TV courses may not be anything special in terms of architectural design or difficulty, compared to the tracks usually cited in those polls, but playing them is enough of a challenge for me, and they don't bust my budget.

Come on, alwann...this is way too 'common sense' for this thread.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by alwann

.... allow non-members to book tee times and play. So a semi-private course combines elements of a country club with elements of a public golf course.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe "non-members" in TV can book tee times. Have to be a guest or a property owner. So the definition cited doesn't hold true.

All that aside, TV courses may not be anything special in terms of architectural design or difficulty, compared to the tracks usually cited in those polls, but playing them is enough of a challenge for me, and they don't bust my budget.

Anyone, yes ANYONE (properly dressed with a green fee) can play the championship courses. Resident or guest ID is required to play the execs.

I have met some residents over the years, on the putting and chipping greens, that were of the opinion I was not allowed to use the practice facility nor play the championship courses (back before I was a resident). A few stormed off to the starter shack, to have me removed I assume. Funny, they never returned. I do think there may be some salesmen out there selling homes and inflating the level of self importance gained by becoming a resident of TV, considering the level of indignation some of these 'gentlemen' expressed at my presence. Wish I could go back in time and see how many of those guys had a horrible short game. Jealousy can make people do some ugly things.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

Anyone, yes ANYONE (properly dressed with a green fee) can play the championship courses...

Yep. But they're still considered semi-private courses...not public.

[Taltarzac725]

Florida's Top 75 Golf Courses : Golf Digest

Here's one of those rankings.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

Yep. But they're still considered semi-private courses...not public.

yet open....to the public ;P

[Ozzello]

As semi-private courses go, the "membership" or amenities available to purchase here at TV's championship courses, is about the least amount of nicety you could dream up to sell someone at a golf course, making these courses the least amount of private you can get and be called semi-private. Except the use of the country club pools is a nice bonus.. though I disdain swimming in public pools, including private...and semi-private...public pools.

[Barefoot]

...

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

As semi-private courses go, the "membership" or amenities available to purchase here at TV's championship courses, is about the least amount of nicety you could dream up to sell someone at a golf course, making these courses the least amount of private you can get and be called semi-private. Except the use of the country club pools is a nice bonus.. though I disdain swimming in public pools, including private...and semi-private...public pools.

I'm not sure what additional amenities you would like to see. At my private course in NY there are 2 tennis courts, no pool, nice bar, mediocre restaurant and decent pro shop. The semi-private courses in the area are generally a golf course, building, possibly with a restaurant that is best described as a tavern menu--no tennis, no pool. When I was a guest at Winged Foot, for example, there were a few more amenities, but the ones they had were of course much nicer. Same was true at Baltusrol, Westchester CC, and Shinnecock to name a few. I find the main advantage of priority membership at TV is the on line reservation system. Yes, the public can play by calling the course same day, but unless you're a single, good luck with that in season.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

yet open....to the public ;P

yet still...semi-private courses. ;P

[Taltarzac725]

Florida Semi-Private Golf Courses -Florida Semi-Private Golf Course List

Another directory of golf courses in Florida. No rankings though. A few Villages' ones here. It looks pretty out-of-date as far as Villages' golf courses go.

[kcrazorbackfan]

What. Does. It. Matter? Top 100/75/50 or whatever ratings will make the rates go up even more than the 1/1/16 increases. Jeez, just play and enjoy (or not enjoy) that you're above the grass. Seriously, with a LOT of the swings I've seen in the short time I've been here, LESSONS should be a top concern and not ratings.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I'm not sure what additional amenities you would like to see. At my private course in NY there are 2 tennis courts, no pool, nice bar, mediocre restaurant and decent pro shop. The semi-private courses in the area are generally a golf course, building, possibly with a restaurant that is best described as a tavern menu--no tennis, no pool. When I was a guest at Winged Foot, for example, there were a few more amenities, but the ones they had were of course much nicer. Same was true at Baltusrol, Westchester CC, and Shinnecock to name a few. I find the main advantage of priority membership at TV is the on line reservation system. Yes, the public can play by calling the course same day, but unless you're a single, good luck with that in season.

Easier tee times and what..7 bucks off? Pretty lame imo. Never had trouble getting a tee time at a championship course in season or out, but then I play mostly off campus in 'season'. TV courses are tramped to death,