General question for everyone
 

How important was free golf for life when you made your decision to move to the Villages?

If they didn't have free golf - but had free walking trails - would you have moved here?

I bought my retirement house this year and I'm not yet retired, yet. But I own the house down there and will hopefully be there in 2 year. I don't golf, have no interest in it (not saying that couldn't change).

But anyhow, golf had nothing to do with my decision.

Free golf and walking trails did not factor into our decision. They are just two of the many available activities - we were interested in some of the others.

I do not golf. With our recent move, we sold the golf cart and have no plans to replace. Hubby does golf but is losing interest. Time for both of us to spread our wings and try something new. It is great to live in a community with many options to keep you busy.

Think the villges needs to move on from free golf.
Golf is a dying sport…most “younger” people here arent moving to TV for golf.

Golf was a huge factor for me, not a factor at all for my wife.

Golf was only a small part of our decision to move here. Golf cart access to many things, other sports activities, and an active lifestyle here were more important.

Now my wife plays 3 times a week. I am more interested in pickleball and softball but do golf occasionally. Golf cart access to restaurants, grocery stores, etc. is a great benefit to us. We put more miles on our two carts than the car.

In summary golf was not, but is now, important to my wife. That makes me happy.

We don't golf

But did you actually read the OP?

Neither golf or walking trails played a significant part of our decision to move to The Villages. It was the overall lifestyle that sold us.

I thought about trying out golf once, but took two aspiring and went to bed. Golf had less than no influence on our decision to move to TV. Moved here because of the appealing well maintained appearance of TV, amenities and the weather.

Free golf was a big draw for me in 2011, and still is. I don't play well enough to pay for it.

Free golf was not a huge factor. Golf was. I was not expecting to be overwhelmed by the executive courses. Actually was pleasantly surprised at how much fun they are.
"Free" walking was no factor at all. I almost never pay to walk.
I have taken up pickleball since I started spending my winters here. I love it just as much, if not more, than golf now, although being 70, I see some handwriting on the wall about how much I will be able to play PB going forward. Year by year I expect golf to be more and more a bigger part of my life.
Golf was definitely a factor in my coming here. Not the only one, but a major one.

Free was never a deciding factor, when we came in 2007. It was just a perk, available activity, and weather was a factor instead of dealing with being on the bay, and having to deal with storms/hurricane.

Free golf was definitely a factor for beloved spouse. It wasn't a factor at all for me since I don't play. If the golf cost $2 per 9-hole round for a walking fee, I think it would've made no difference at all.

I was so drugged up on koolaid I couldn’t resist. now the koolaid has lost it luster.:duck:

Top Ten. Along with weather, low taxes, Year-round tennis on well-maintained courts, reasonable cost of living, sensible law enforcement, well-kept surroundings, various clubs of interest, hiking and nature, and everything we could possibly ever need within a 10 minute golf cart ride.

But not a deal-breaker if it wasn't there.

I would have moved here without “free” golf because my relatives have been living in TV since 1992 although they have passed now. My husband, on the other hand, would NOT have moved here no matter how many walking trails were around.

Neither free golf nor free walking trails influenced our decision to move to The Villages.

We considered several things
 

Initially we didn’t even play golf (now we both do). We liked the fact that the neighborhoods felt safe, the Villages are clean, there are beautiful flowers, nice recreation centers with several activities, it’s been very easy to make friends, and it was easy to volunteer to help in clubs etc. We have zero regrets.

We knew nothing about The Villages and had no interest in moving to a retirement community in Florida. We rented a condo on the water every winter and just dropped by to visit friends on our way back north. We came through the B.Vista entrance and were amazed at how clean and neat everything was. We bought that weekend almost 20 yrs ago.

my sales agent forgot to tell me that once I bought I'd have to supply my own kool-aide.

Free golf helped make the decision

:bigbow:

:agree:

Free golf had zero impact.

Free golf
 

The Free Golf for Life certainly was what got our attention before we knew anything else about The Villages, but it was the wealth of other activities (especially music and theater performance) that sold it to us. The Free Golf at that point was only only a nice extra.

For me it was about being able to swim laps in the multiple outdoor sports pools, being able to go everywhere in a golf cart, and playing Championship golf at the 12 courses north of 44. The so called “free” executive golf is a bonus that we enjoy, especially my wife, as she prefers that to Championship golf.

I have to admit it, the Executive golf has grown on me. The Championship rates have more than doubled since we purchased, and during the winter months when it costs my wife and I about $150 to play a round together, the Executives have become an increasingly very good option. The problem is getting a friggin T time has become increasingly difficult over the years. I think the problem is a combination of the ever increasing cost of Championship golf as well as the continued dilution of the number of holes per rooftop as the Villages add homes way faster than golfing holes.

If I picked one thing that influenced my decision it would be the fact that TV is a golf cart community. It’s not that you can have one, I have one now. But I’ve never seen a neighborhood actually plan and build for them. When we were out there last July, I was amazed at all the services you get to by golf cart!

We don’t golf, or play pickleball, and still there are too many activities to count. We live in 55+ community now in Arizona and it is virtually dead out here by comparison. I hope this answered the question.

“Golf is a good walk spoiled.” Of course now golfers are too lazy to even walk the course. I prefer the cycling trails, kayaking, shooting, & blood sports.
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...e-shooting.jpg

Golf had no factor for us but golf carts was the main factor. Being able to park the car and just drive the golf cart for hours everyday was the reason we bought.

"Free golf for life" - no attraction. "Walking trails" - big attraction!

Free Golf
 

Free golf was the main draw. Walking is already free

It was the biggest factor for us.

Golf was not a big factor for my wife and I.

I moved here because my wife made me. We’re from Florida and I wanted to move to the mountains but this is as far north as she wants to go. I really like Florida for several reasons but the one thing I can’t stand is the summer heat. By 10 am I’m looking to be indoors and it last 5 months. Oh well, that’s the price for paradise.

I'm a New Yorker and before I retired, I worked many jobs here in Florida and always said I would never live in this state. I don't play golf, but live here in TV for its safety, cleanliness, affordability and connivence. My primarily MD, Publix's, and restaurants are a 3-minute drive, gym 8-minutes, and if that's not enough all my neighbors are all about my age and friendly. I did live in another smaller community for about 2 years and found I would have to drive off the property to get what they offer here.

Just took first golf lesson and played first pitch and play and I’m now totally hooked. Think the par three walking course is perfect for me. Never would have done it if weren’t living here. Glad for break from weather. Wish they would convert the old movie theater at Brownwood to bowling alley. Two alleys in Spanish Springs are full. Need one at Brownwood.

Walking trails---less than zero attraction
"free" golf--meaning exec courses---didn't figure in the equation

The lack of snow
Golf cart access to just about everything
12 (at the time) Championship courses
Many dozens of rec centers, pools, tightknit friendly (for the most part) neighborhoods
Nightly entertainment (until we knew better) at the squares

All of that was the draw

Golf was not part of our decision to move to TV.

Free golf was a huge factor for me when deciding to buy here. There were so few walking trails it wasn’t even a factor. Other than the new, short trail by Miona, I’m not aware of any N of 44.