Sweetgum Executive Course
Played Sweetgum today, horrible Conditins. The greens are horrible. The Ambassador said they will be closing it soon for extended maintenance. On a positive note, Volusia has re-opened.
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Extended maintenance on a course that's been open about 18 months. That doesn't sound good. Thanks for letting us know.
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I played Sweetgum today also //// glad they are closing the course , needs rejuvenating !
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All four courses, Volusia, Palmetto, Sweetgum, and Mangrove, were opened prematurely, IMO, to accommodate the demand for courses below 466A. As a result, the Bermuda greens never had a chance to get established. They relied on the overseed to make them playable before their time. Palmetto suffered for over a year as the Bermuda tried to establish itself despite the traffic. Sweetgum and Mangrove are now in the same spot. At least with Volusia, they closed it down quickly to give the greens some time to fill in better. I hope conditions there avoid the problems of the other three.
I suspect the "maintenance" is simply letting the course grow in better. |
I played Volusia 3 times before they closed it down. I thought that for a new course the conditions were very good. I really don't know why they closed it down. To my untrained eye I thought the course was in great shape.
John |
Sweetgum has never been in good shape. Love the layout but it does need to be closed to hopefully allow the grasses to mature!!
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I was gone for most of May. I understand it was dry and my view of Lake Sumter confirms that as it is down two feet since I left. Have played three executive courses since returning (Hawkes Bay, Belmont, and Bacall). Greens not very good. Aeration, sand, dead grass, no grass etc.
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We played Sweetgum 3 weeks ago and it should have been closed then! No grass on the greens.
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Sweetgum not closing except for Tues
I called the starter shack to ask about Sweetgum closing as we have a tee time for Thurs at Sweetgum. He said Sweetgum closes every Tuesday for maintenance. Other than that it is open.
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I played sweetgum on Sat 6/13. It was the in the worst condition of any golf course I have ever played. The cup on #1 was in sideways and the lip was all torn away, some of the other cups the lips were also torn up. The course was disgraceful and an embarassment to The Villages. This is the first time in the 9 years that I have lived in The Villages that anything was allowed the become so shabby, very un-villages like, I'm sure the developer would not be pleased.
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I really do not think the developer knows at least I hope he doesn't.
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Why don't they at least experiment on 2 greens? I would set up a temp on the par four and close down 3. It's very short anyway. Try giving one green extra water and the other extra water and chemicals. It will have very little impact on the golfers.
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There is a complete lack of leadership and expertise at the top end of the golf division. The men at the top got their positions by the who you know not what you know method. Profits are large so why try something different. We keep playing these sub-par golf courses,tee times are pretty full, and the money rolls in. I also will venture a guess that no one in the Morse family plays golf.
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I love Sweetgum! I hope it is better by October.
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Someone call a few whaaaambulances...it is apparent that lack of turf grass management knowledge is causing an upswing in old curmudgeons....
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Sweetgum is supposed to be closed in August according to the schedule. The greens are pretty sad. Really nothing for the ball to slow down on. More like a pitch & more roll!!
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Off My List
I hope they do close Sweetgum and "let it get better". It's a nice layout, but I've taken it off my list, even if it is open. All nine greens are mostly dirt.
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Can't disagree....
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Played Sweetgum twice (1st week in Sept)in the last week and the green situation has improved 90%....there are still some areas that are deadish near the green perimeter, but they now have grass(first time in 2 years)and putt very well...well done course super....
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Played here on 9/27/2015...what a great turn around...the greens were just fine, but do have these strange pits in them...almost like unrepaired pitchmarks, but either to big or small to be such...-2 from the golds...
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Don't Complain
We shouldn't complain to much about what we dislike about the Villages Executive golf courses, they're FREE to play. We could go back where we came from & pay everytime we play or don't play the Executive courses, play the Championship course & then at least your 30 or $40. green fees will pay for part of your complaining. Personally I feel privileged to play for FREE. I could think of a lot of other things to complain about The Villages besides of all the activities we get!
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I don't think folks are complaining. This thread was set up so that golfers could give updates on particular course conditions. I don't look at that as complaining...just sharing their experiences.
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Oh jeez....
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I don't feel privileged as I worked very hard and chose to come here to live...I earned it and don't mind paying the pittance it does cost to play the execs... Complaining? So if someone passes info on course conditions it's complaining? I guess if I notice you have a flat tire I'll not mention it...wouldn't want to complain about your cars condition...the course conditions are passed on to inform people in case they don't wish to play a course going through problems or maintenance...if you see that as a complaint then you don't understand *shrug* |
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I just watched the news, and the meteorologist informed me of the upcoming weather---he must be complaining But then again I watched for free---oops, forgot the cable bill And then there could be a secondary gain---If people reading TOTV stay away from a course with poor conditions, it may get less play and a chance to recover |
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I knew exactly what I was getting when I moved here. And I know I pay an amenities fee and all that. But once I decided to move here and accept the various costs involved...and since I get a lot of value from my amenities fee even if I don't play executive golf...and since I don't pay one cent more or less whether I play executive golf or not...to me the executive golf courses are FREE to play!! :) |
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And as far as your water example...I pay for what I use. How's that even similar? |
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Water, bad example, sorry. But then again, you pay a base service for water and electricity, even if you use zero |
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I hit on this thread because I am playing Sweetgum tomorrow 9/30. It appears the course is improving. But given the amount of rain this year and the amount of play its not surprising that the conditions of the courses are not worse.
The number of golfers here only increases even in so called off season so it is no surprise that the Golf Administration keeps courses open longer than perhaps they should . Now with full season in play the need for all courses to be opened is indeed going to strain them. The only comment I have concerning "free golf" is nothing is free because in the logical sense of it who in their right mind would bear all of the cost to maintain 30+ executive courses for the benefit of thousands of golfers. No one way or another revealed or hidden golfer or golfer not residents pay for these courses. |
Free? Cheap, good golf!
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That's all well and good....
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personally it bothers me not knowing the execs cost me a very small amount...but telling anyone else it's free is a lie...plain and simple... |
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