What does free mean
 

This past weekend I visited my parents and as usual they asked me about my house in TV. They have been seeing a lot of ads lately touting TV and free golf for the rest of your life. They want to know how they can say free when they charge you a monthly amenity fee. They think it's false advertising. My answer is that nothing is free.I don't know if this is false advertising or deceptive advertising. Nobody at TV ever hid the fact that there was an amenity fee so I guess I never gave much consideration to golf being free. I guess you could make a case that some people would look at TV as a place to go based on this statement and then after they figure out that it's not really free they are hooked by other things that make TV what it is. Just thinking out loud here

Mostly all other communities with golf courses charge amenity fees also. BUT to play golf you also must pay a membership fee and a greens fee when playing each round. You don't do that at TV
So techinically golf is free.

Army Guy

I've always thought it was kinda funny that some people will use a single statement or part of a statement to make a comprehensive judgement about something as complex as a whole mode of living.

"Free Golf For Life"! It's a factual statement. If you play any of TV's 20 some lovely executive golf courses, carry your bag or use a hand cart, it's free.

Saying that it's not true because residents have to pay an amenity fee is the same as saying its not true because you have to buy a house, or pay taxes, or utilities, or own golf clubs, or have transportation to a golf course, etc. More than 70 thousand folks have decided that the overall costs of living here provide an overall benefits package which is really worth it. Those who carefully compared this place to others think they got the best value-for-dollar here. Some actually think that free golf is the clincher.

It is free because you do not pay any additional to golf. People living here pay the same fee even if they do not golf.
The non golfers may use more of the facilities than the people that only golf but still pay the same as the golfer that uses no facilities only the golf courses.

free?
 

We've got to remember that the amenity fee doesn't just cover golf. There's a multitude of things that it pays for. I believe it's money well spent!
Because I'm new here (an occasional visitor to our home in Duval), the $3.50 trail fee for the executive courses...is that per person in the cart? or only the cart driver?
Thanks,
Phil

I've always described it like a 'cover charge' at a nite club.
$5 to get in and drink 'free'. Some people drink beer, some whiskey, some soda.
Some people in TV, golf, some bocce, some tennis, pickleball etc.

$3.50 each.

When did it go to $3.50. I played in December and it was $3.00

Someone must have given you a break, it's been $3.50 for quite a while. (2006 ? or earlier)

If part of your amenity fee goes toward maintenance of the Executive golf courses, then golf is NOT free. The Morse family has used this ruse to help lure people to the villages so they could accumulate their current worth of $2.5 BILLON dollars. If you think you are getting something for free, then you need to rethink.

The Morse family had a lot of exposure building this great place. Don't like their act, don't stay.

Blood pressure is rising.

Gracie Girl is right!



Good thing we will have FREE medical care soon!

Its nice that you answered a question that was raised in Feb 2010.
Are you a resident of The Villages, it would seem from the tone of you post that you are an outsider.............right?
I see from one of your posts that you moved here in june of 2010...........your statement that the advertising is a ruse is incorrect.

I believe you've just insulted everyone associated with The Villages; the Morse family for getting and executing a great idea that also made them a lot of money and anyone who decided to purchase a home in TV for being duped into giving their money away.

Frankly, I think most senior citizens are bright enough to do their due diligence before purchasing their homes and have figured out that the amenity fee and other fees cover the cost of maintaining the golf courses along with other community assets.