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.

What is free
 

The money that the Morse family has accumulated is called "capitalism" and it is what makes this country great! They have done an outstanding job with TV otherwise you wouldn't be here - you'd be somewhere else, right? They have worked hard, put their money on the line to build TV and because it's a success they have been financially rewarded. Sounds like America to me. Try finding a place like this in China...

Hmmmmmm
 

Come on DL, doesn't some of our property taxes go to schools? Our son is out of school. Why should I still pay them? Schools aren't free as far as I'm concerned. Same silly logic. This whole topic started out simply to get everyone's BP elevated.

I don't get the blood pressure thing. Every homeowner pay the "amenity fee". That covers everything that is common area in TV. All those hardworking landscapers you see everywhere, the community patrols cruising and watching, the care and upkeep of all the multi-modal trails, etc.

Like stated previously, you're paying whether you are a golfer or not. If you do play golf there are no greens fees to do so. It ostensibly free. Your golf cart? Well, you must pay for that privilege, but you may walk the course and not pay. It's your choice.

Fyi
 

The trail fee went up at the beginning of July to $4 per person.
Golf The Villages

Sorry I don't think the link worked. Here is what TV website says:

What costs are related to playing on the Executive Golf Trail?
Green fees on the executive courses are free for residents. A trail fee is required for use of a golf car on the courses and may be paid per round, semi-annually or annually. The fee is required for each person in a golf car. The trail fee is $4.00 per person for each round played. Members of a household may purchase a six-month trail fee for $105.93 with tax and a yearly trail fee is available for $141.24 with tax. There is no charge to resident or seasonal golfers for walking

None of us are Spring Chickens any more. We have all had some experience in the ways of the world by now. So I would guess that we all know that nothing is free. There is a price to be paid for everything, in one way or another.

You sound bitter.

Think it Through
 

I really love the Villages and don't have a problem with the Morse's gaining
a reward for their work and risk. Everone had a opportunity to take a risk.
Your reward is in line with the risk you are willing to take.
Having said that it should be understood that "nothing is ever free". If you see a buy one get one free, a free candy bar if you buy a soda, a free
high end music system if you buy the car, these costs have already been
built into what you are going to purchase. The recovery may be from a different product, or the free one has been built into the cost of the first one,
etc. This is a very basic requirement when compaines price prodiucts and services. THey have profit objectives they must meet to satisfy the share holders.
Given the above of course golf is not free. The recovery of their expenses
may be from the Amenity Fees, from some of the profits from sales of products, etc.etc. But rest assured golf is not free.
I really don't care..I moved here because we love the life style and I had
absolutely no expectations that I would get anything free.:BigApplause:

...

As of July 1 It's now $4 but the annual prepay hasn't changed

I'd have paid the Morse's even more. They earned it.........not rethinking anything, was well informed before we bought in. Semantics.....

There is a price to be paid to live in paradise which I will gladly pay when I get there. :smiley:

I believe dhill parents objected to the word free golf in their advertising when there may be a trail fee which they felt was false advertising.

Everyone knows there is no free ride in life. Nothing is hidden and the Morse's deserve every penny for building a paradise.

Just sayin.......

Something for nothing
 

I don't know about everyone else, but I don't expect to get something for nothing! I have just recently purchased a lot in TV, love where I am going to live, am thrilled with the opportunities that abound there, and know this will be a good decision for me. That being said, when I made my purchase, my agent sat me down and was very forthright in explaining the covenants and restrictions, the amenity fees, the bond and it's proration, the rec centers, golf cart fees, etc etc. etc. In no way do I feel I was duped or misled, and am looking forward to this new lifestyle. Is the developer making a profit? Yes. Is that wrong? No. Is it smart? You bet! He's making a good idea work both for himself and those who choose to live there. I don't believe anything is being taken from me, and still feel it's a bargain for what we get. Sure there will be some surprises along the way, but mostly I feel fortunate to be able to live my retirement comfortably with smart and active individuals.:)

what ever you think free or not free, you can stay love it here or put your home up for sale and that is the meaning of free to stay or free to go

If I sounded that way to you, I didn't mean it to. But I believe it to be true. Just my opinion. You are certainly entitled to your own and I wouldn't criticize yours. :)

In re-reading other posts here, I seem to have lots of company. So I'm not the only "bitter" person here. :)

Agree
 

You're so right 2BNTV! If you've never heard of TV and see the commercial on TV, "Free golf the rest of your life" sure gets you curious enough to check into it more. So I see it as a marketing tool. We visited before the commercials aired. We thought at first each village was truly gated, found out they actually aren't. As we got more and more educated about all the costs and understanding what a CDD is and learned the restrictive covenants, we still loved it.

To be angry at TV about the "free golf" is being trivial, which is best defined by a great Eugene O'Neill quote:

“When you're 50 you start thinking about things you haven't thought about before. I used to think getting old was about vanity - but actually it's about losing people you love. Getting wrinkles is trivial.”

Whenever I hear or read that something is "free" I always think that perhaps "included" might be a better word to describe the situation.

There is no extra charge for executive golf in TV. The greens fees are "included" in your amenity fee, should you wish to play.

Wow, it seems most of our posts are about your parents statement and not on your entire post.

You are SO RIGHT about "getting hooked by the other things". There may be some things we don't necessarily agree with when first considering TV as our new home, but once we "buy in" there is no need to make an issue of any of those. JMHO

Hope your parents aren't like my in-laws use to be. . .never happy for any of our successes or choices. I think mine were angry at us or belittled our choices because they weren't doing or seeing what we have. Just saying....

I can't believe this old post has come back to haunt me. I have no problem with the amenity fees and was well aware of them when we purchased our home. I do think the post that suggested that the word "included" be used instead of the word "free" may be on to something. As far as my parents I believe that's just a generational thing. My Mother's brother lives in TV and was one of the original people to go there. He actually can play some championship courses for free and gets free cable tv but he still pays an amenity fee. At 91 he doesn't play much golf anymore

:agree: Everything you say is true. TV is a great place unlike any other. The amenities are fantastic and the Amenity Fee is a bargain, but golf is not free. Call it included if you will but I don't think it makes much difference. Like the candy bar and soda you referred to. If it was indeed free you wouldn't have to buy a soda. Still, it's the biggest bargain going.

I'm one of those that think of golf there as free on the ECs. No digging into my pocket each time I will be playing golf because I'll be paying the cart fee annually, so I'm "free" of the burden of digging into my wallet. (unless I'm down after the round)

At my previous residence, my amenity fee was $40 per month. That paid for common area maintenance, two small kids parks (which we didn't use) and weekly graffiti removal. No pools, rec centers, golf, nightly entertainment, gates, shopping, community watch, etc. Plus we paid about $125 per month in state income tax. Here, I'm paying less per month and getting so much more.

Reminds me of the saying:

"Some people brighten a room when they enter and some when they leave".

Thanks John. I hope you meet you at Crispers when I get there. :smiley:

I'm really tired of hearing people grump about how much money the Morse family has made from developing The Villages. They came here, bought a small mobile home park and a large amount of acreage, and developed it into an incredibly resident-friendly retirement community.

They owned the property. They developed it in a manner that made them very, very wealthy. They were smart. They didn't break the law. It's called capitalism. Anyone with some investment money and a vision could have done it. I wish my family had done it.

The family that owned much of the acreage that is now The Villages were ranchers and farmers. One of my best friends is from that family. He hunted and fished this land. But when they owned it, his family never had the vision to develop it as the Morse family has done. He doesn't begrudge their success.

Enough of this class envy bull.

With regard to "free golf" it might be more accurate to say "golf at no extra charge" but that's splitting hairs as far as I'm concerned. The fact is that you must pay the amenity fees whether or not you play golf. So if you choose to play golf it costs you nothing extra, and is in effect free.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion; that's mine.