I couldn't agree more. There are so many great things about The Villages, but they just can't seem to get the golf right.

I looked at the posts and it appears the courses were in poor shape beginning in May when they aerated, and are only now back to decent shape. That's 2 1/2 months. And they're supposed to aerate again in August. That means the greens will be awful for at least another month after aeration. We will have had at least 3 1/2 months of poor playing conditions for the year. And that doesn't include the poor playing conditions that occur in the winter. I looked back at some of the posts from March of this year, and people were complaining about the poor conditions of the greens on the executive courses. Add that in, and you're talking 4-5 months of poor conditions. That's just ridiculous.

One of the things that also bothers me is the pricing to play on the championship courses. As a "priority" member I paid $26 to play Bonifay yesterday. Last Thursday I paid $22 to play Harbor Hills and tomorrow will pay $18 dollars to play StoneCrest. Harbor Hills had aerated its greens but they were in much better shape than newly aerated greens I've played on in TV.

It seems to me that TV championship courses should no more costly to play than surrounding courses and should be in no worse shape.

It's nice to have so many options...
 

isn't it?

What you say is true, and making arrangements to play off- campus is the logical thing to do. Maybe the developer and his golf staff will pay attention, but I doubt it.

By the way, I played Lopez yesterday after 11:00AM and paid only $18.00. Course was in nice condition.

the courses should be better than nice. With proper management they should be very good all the time. 3 and 1/2 months of awful conditions is stupid.

Are you saying they are better? Huh? Huh?:BigApplause:

Gracie,I'm saying what I always have said....the place is beautiful with flowers on the circles, it's always clean, the ponds are kept clean, at times it looks like there isn't a blade of grass out of place. I just don't get why the golf courses aren't treated the same way. I would think the Morse family would expect their golf courses to reflect the rest of the community.

Yes, it's cheaper after 11, but not everyone can tolerate the extreme afternoon heat for 18 holes.

If one is able, it certainly makes sense to go ff campus for better conditions and cheaper prices. The Villages golf courses just don't measure up.

But you gotta admit the courses are in much better condition. right? Huh? :BigApplause:

I agree
 

Chula Vista Practice Putting Green has gone from worse to worse, and my putting has suffered MORE!

someone suggested...
 

that we all sign a petition asking the villages to stop mowing the grass SO short . My hubby actually talked to one of the "One Source" employees mowing the dirt( yes, it was just dirt) and he said, "We have to mow once a week whether it needs it or not"..What a shame…..As far as the conditions go, I am not a greenskeeper but will say that most all of the Off campus places we have played in and around this area have all been in VERY good shape. It is after all the "rainy season " here so they can't blame it on no rain…So, what is it? I just can't figure it out….hmmm

No one seems to be able to figure it out and in August they're going to start aerating again. :grumpy:

The villages courses are a disgrace for the price. I have played in West Palm, Boca, Windamere (with a cart) for less than the villages charges and the greens are almost as smooth as a pool table.

I asked my excellent golfer how the courses were in the last week or so here , and he said, nice. Yesterday he played Juliet Falls. For forty dollars their group played 18 and got a hamburger and a beer. I asked him how that course looked and he said, great. I asked him why our courses looked nice and that course looked great and he said. They only have one course to take care of. He said that there was hardly anybody there.

Sweetie has played a lot of courses. Here are some of note; Doral, Medina, Pebble Beach, Spyglass, Pinehurst #2. The Golf Club, Butler National, Firestone South and St.Andrews in Scotland. He played in a pro-am with Tom Weiskopf. He isn't a duffer. He isn't a scratch golfer, but he plays well for a man of his age. Like everyone else he used to play better.

He said that the courses here are good for the price. He also said, I don't know why you let this stuff upset you. Golf isn't that important to you and those folks are anonymous. And I said, I don't know either. It feels like they are attacking my villages. He said...you don't know who's posting and why. Don't let it bother you.

///////

A lot of people on this thread agree with you.

The rumor I heard is that most of the senior maintenance staff are snow birds. Things should get turned around in the fall, so hang in there...

They don't hire seasonal residents...
 

now it becomes obvious that at least some people who post just pass false rumors.

And that is very, very few
 

that don't agree either don't frequent TotV's, or don't think it's worth while to respond to rumors.

A few of random comments on TV golf:

(1) Yes, it seems to be cheaper to play off-campus, but I can't drive my golf cart there - the convenience here trumps price for me. (2) Conditions are not perfect in TV, but I haven't played a course yet that was "unplayable". (3) Each time I've played a course in TV where I thought conditions were not great, the next time I played the same course the conditions had improved - every time. (4) I agree with the comments on the Chula Vista practice green - it's crappy even when it has grass on it. Right now it has very little grass. (5) And finally, I enjoy playing with my friends and neighbors, and they all value the convenience of playing on-campus. Golf is a social game, and it doesn't get any more social when you play outside the gates. Bottom line - I'm happy with golf in TV.

Number 8 at Briarwood. No qualified and responsible greens keeper would put the pin in the same location this often. The photo perspective does not show how close together these placements are. About a six foot radius. Imagine how much traffic that part of the green has had lately.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2Q...=w1044-h587-no

The Villages do not hire qualified pin setters for the executive courses...how do I know? I was one...a qualified pin setter.

Based on site policy...
 

Based on site policy and the fact I enjoy TOTV, I will not post the exact sentiment I would like to here...

I posted a fake rumor this AM thinking I was kidding around. It was Most of the senior maintenance staff are snowbirds? IMO, a rumor so ludicrous on its face I figured everyone will know it has to be made up. I never considered someone would think that it could be true.

Folks, for the record, I do not know any of the senior maintenance staff for TV golf courses, nor am I privy to their personal lives.

Phew, glad we cleared that up :oops:

Well aj...
 

in reading your post there is no way to tell you were just kidding and if you read some of the posts/complaints there are many that are foolish and unsubstantiated...so if you really want people to know you're kidding I'd suggest using an emoticon(:smiley:) or perhaps a "j/k" or even a "just kidding" at the end of a post. Since I can't see your face and I don't know you it takes a bit of extra effort to make sure you aren't misunderstood. Surely something like my explanation is ludicrous to those so educated...."j/k", "just kidding" :smiley:

"Fact" the people who reconfigured Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen area
by removing most of sprinkler system and letting the courses go back to nature were recently hired by the golf management. The company does not think it will take much to complete as we are almost there.

Maybe TV can use this picture in their advertisements -"Free golf for life"

Now I understand. You are from Newark and these are your municipal courses. They are beautiful and very affordable. How do they keep their prices so low and the quality so high? Is it funded by taxes?

Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Affairs