Executive Trail Fees - Why?
 

Just curious, since I walk the executive courses and have never paid the "Trail Fee" that enables one to drive their carts on the paved paths. I understand that the fee is somewhere around $140 per cart, per year. Does anyone know exactly where this fee goes and what it is supposed to do? In all the years I have been in The Villages, I've never seen a Executive cart path in need of repair, replacement or maintenance. We don't have "frost heaves" or wash-outs that damage paths in northern courses. So where does all this "trail fee" money go? Just curious.

Actually cart paths do have to be repaired at certain points. I know Hilltop and Silver Lake had some work done. I can't recall others I know were worked on and there are some that should definately be reworked. I normally pay the yearly fee and last calculation I checked had I not I would have forked over 300 other wise for all the play I did. I personally would prefer to walk them but my knees,back, and hips are shot.

I forgot to add that villages golf folk would be the best ones to ask.

Would the trail fees only be used for the cart paths? Why not buy sand with it, too? That's ok with me.

Since you walk, why do you care? When walking do you walk on the cart paths? By the way, the fee is per household.

It’s not per cart. It’s per residence.

As stated, just curious. I don't care. And why would I need to walk on the cart paths anyway? It just seems like a lot of money donated for what? Do you care?

I imagine it helps pay for starters, ambassadors, supplies. Think of all the pencils and score cards, maintenance.

during rainy weather, or after the storms from the hurricanes, it’s cart path only. If there is no path, there lies the problem.
There are many who enjoy playing golf, but due to health, can’t walk a path as you do. I am confused as to why it concerns you on how people allocate how they spend their money.

I run every morning, and I still have to pay for taxes on the roads.

I think most golf courses charge a trail fee of sorts if you use your own cart. The use of carts, a privilege, creates wear and tear on the courses. The trail fee is charged to help offset those costs. I think the fee is reasonable and I walk sometimes as well.

Remember that golf is free now on the executive courses if you walk, but golf is not without cost to someone. Someone is paying the grass cutters, the people who fertilize, the folks who work the shed and man the ambassador carts. Nothing is free. Anything can change and it will soon due to the awful economic repercussions of this global virus.

Bingo poster # 10

Never seen where golf carts riding on paved paths create "wear and tear" on the golf course itself. Neither have I ever seen much in the way of wear and tear on these paths either. So apparently these "trail fees" are being used for something else. If just half the households (50,000 units) pay the $140 yearly fee, that's 7 million bucks. Sorry - I don't see 7 million dollars of cart path work being done each year on the exec courses.

There are around 100,000 PEOPLE living in the Villages.
There are only around 50,000 HOUSEHOLDS.

Only around 2/3 of them are occupied year-round, and several households are occupied by people who don't play golf at all. Some members don't play golf regularly enough to warrant paying the yearly fee, and instead pay as they go, per trip (which I believe is $2 per person? Someone who plays the exec courses will correct me but it's beside the point). And some people walk the course, thus not having to pay the trail fee at all, ever.

Given that some of them are members of the country clubs, thus not having to pay that $140/year in trail fees at all (since country club membership waives that) -

do a little creative mathematics:

There's maybe 15,000 households that are actually paying that yearly trail fee.

So that comes to around $2,100,000. That covers the upkeep of the paths, throughout over 30 square miles of golf courses, every year.

The other way I've seen the money spent is where some golfers, for whatever reason, instead of driving slowly through a puddle on the path drive around it, in the mud and creating ruts and getting mud on their carts. The ruts get worse until the grass dies and needs to be resodded.

The term "trail fee" is just that. It's a name given to a revenue source that semi private and private golf courses throughout the country use. It is like a "you can use your own golf cart on our course but, it will cost you a little bit of money." It has nothing to do with cart paths, the trail if you will is the golf course. Similar to golfers using the term "track" to describe a particular course. The revenue can be used for anything. I don't know if our districts require it to be spent of golf courses. Probably, but I don't know.

Breaking it down further, that's approximately $4,375 per month for the 40 or so executive courses. That has to pay for maintenance, salaries for workers, provide sand, utilities for starters, supplies, etc. Just a few landscape employees to mow the course and clean the bunkers would be more than that.

It seems like a bargain to me.

No, golf on the exec courses is not free. You pay for it in your amenity fee.

It's a revenue maker. Cart paths aren't that expensive to repair. How many people pay that yearly fee?

It's all about choices..You made yours to walk and feel comfortable with that choice..Riders made their choice they knew the cost up front it's not hidden and that was their choice.
Don't see the issue or why it would raise anyone's dander

Are you living in 2005? 113,ooo when I move here I. 2014, it’s got to be 130,000 plus now.

If you play a lot of Exec. golf and you want to use your cart, $140 is a bargain. If you don't want to pay and want to walk... that's just fine. (Remember if you're a priority member the trail fee is included).
It's a bargain.
Our amenity fee is cheap and pays for a lot... landscaping maintenance, Rec. center maintenance, salaries, community watch, pool maintenance, etc. So it's not surprising that they are looking for extra funds from people who actually use the Exec. courses to help with upkeep? Or maybe you would prefer for districts to increase our amenity fee so that everyone pays for golf course maintenance even if they don't golf...

If you are against paying the Trail Fee may I suggest you STAY HOME !!

So with rec centers shut down, how does one renew an annual trail fee, or is there a waiver of expiration date?

:ohdear: One could look at the District Web Site and get that information. :shrug:

Why only carts pay? We’re not the only ones using it, bikes, joggers and dog walkers. So if we’re the only ones who pay, shouldn’t they get out of our way? Asking for a friend.

Bikes, joggers and dog walkers are NOT supposed to be using the golf course trails. If they are caught they are asked to leave. If they use the standard line, "I pay my amenity fees" they are informed they are trespassing and the sheriff can and will be called.

Walkers do not pay the trail fee.

We moved here in Feb. 2004. There were just over 32,000 then. I don't think 2005 would have had 113,000 in that short time. Google has TV population in 2010 at 51,442. My guess is that is what the Census figures showed. That was the last Census. July 1, 2018, estimated 128,754. The Villages estimated 122,460 as of March 31, 2019.

I pay the trail fee every year. Small price to pay. Enjoy walking all these courses.

Dollars to donuts the "trail fee" goes into the general rec budget. I doubt there is a "color of money" issue with it. I suspect if you poke around enough you can find a rec budget on-line that shows the "trail fee" income as a line item.