What part of your decision was based on Free Golf?
 

When you decided to move to the Villages what part of your decision was based on the Free Executive golf? Would you have moved to the Villages if there were no Executive golf courses here?

It wasn’t the FREE executive golf, it was the volume of golf holes. I would have come if I had to pay greens fees for Executive golf, as long as there were so many executive and championship courses.

It also was the number of other activities and the size - I think expansion makes TV more appealing, no way you can be bored here.

Impact of "Free Golf for Life"....................ZERO.

Exactly the same----I don't play the exec courses anyway

Well, it isn't quite free: there are the amenity fees, trail fees, pushcart fees, etc. But it IS far cheaper than any golf I could play on a regular basis back in Minnesota. And expenses aside...well, it is pretty hard to find you ball in three feet of snow.

I'd say that golf ranked #4, behind low taxes, beautiful weather, and reasonable cost of living. It was important to me but not essential.

We are members at private clubs up north, which we do miss members perks, along with a great restaurant.

So no, execs really wasn’t the reason we came in 2007, it was the in bubble championship holes, that we’re important, along with multiple activities. Those who seem to find free golf a perk, seem to be new at the sport, or age has declined their game.
Traded acre of beautiful bluegrass lawn for green weed stuff, but oh well.

Zero

I had my uncle, my aunt, and my parents have homes in TV. Not one of them golfed or bought a golf cart.

It was not the most important factor. If Florida had high taxes and cold winters we would not be here - even with free golf and all the other amenities.

But after narrowing our decision to Florida we looked at several other retirement communities. Once we did that, free golf was a huge factor. If the other communities had free golf and the villages didn’t, I am not sure we would be here. Don’t play pickleball or tennis or horseshoes or shuffleboard that often.

We don't play golf so strictly speaking it had zero influence on my decision.

On the other hand, free golf and the number of holes is just one aspect of the amenities provided in the Villages. The golf wasn't a draw but the overall amenity package, which includes the golf, was.

The execs are "free", and you get what you pay for. The championship courses are overpriced and mostly boring designs. No comparison to the private course conditions I enjoy up north 6 months out of the year. But it beats shoveling snow.

No impact on decision.
After we moved in, golf became one of many after the fact opportunities.

Proximity to a lot of golf courses attracted me more than the notion of 'free' executive course golf. I suspect I will use the execs to play a quick 9 holes after work, but it's having numerous championship courses nearby at a low cost is what I'm really looking forward to. For my wife, none of that is relevant. She is very much looking forward to the myriad clubs and activities that will be available to her.

We get free golf? Who knew?:gc:

The close proximity of many Championship courses (most 27 holes) to our home was a major factor. The Executives were kind of a bonus. As we age, we play the Executives more and my wife prefers them. During January and February I play the Executives often with my wife given that it’s almost $150 for us to play the Championships, and the conditions aren’t great until growing season begins around early March. Between June and the end of December I play the Championships almost exclusively when the rates are more affordable. My wife prefers the Executives year round.

Let us know when you find some of those low cost championship courses!

Golf included in the amenity fee was one selling-factor for beloved spouse. I'm not a golfer at all. I'd rather see my wide open spaces occupied by sheep and tall grasses and horse trails. Or traded for cityscapes and spacious townhouse apartments in walking distance to the subway and libraries and museums.

My decision was based on ruling out a 5-acre lot in the middle of nowhere, with no neighbors, in a place where it snows and people can lose power for days with no way to get to the nearest gas station and refill the generator. It was that, or the Villages. So here I am.

Golf is just one of a myriad of activities. The beauty of the entire Villages, entertainment, pools, and abundance of flat walking areas and the friendliness of the people. Being a golf cart community is huge as well, we love to go for a golf car ride and never get tired of it. The quality of the homes, the weather, the whole package.

Just about zero. Even without the "free" golf, I'd have considered it a good deal. But, I do enjoy the executive courses more than I thought I would, and as I age, I expect I'll use them more and more.
As far as the trail fee goes, I appreciate the encouragement to walk the course, for as long as I can. At this point I find it a perfect little exercise. About 90 minutes or so of flat walking.

It's all relative. The good public courses I've been playing around me in PA (Broad Run, Wyncote, Glen Mills) are all over $100. Middle tier places (where I have to drive even farther) are $80+. I'll be golfing for half that in TV. That's low cost from my perspective. Ridiculously low.

Is less than Zero possible?

Same thinking here.

I don't golf, so none. As to the second part, yes.

Won't be long before you see $80 winter rates. And that doesn't include a cart.

“Free” golf is almost 100% our reason for moving here and is currently our only reason for not moving back to IL. If the courses continue to be so awfully SLOW and crowded in the winter, we may give up.

Well, first off, I don’t consider golf to be “free”, but rather part of an “amenity package” that offered me maximum flexibility going forward as I age. I found it hard to know ahead of time exactly what I will (and can) do as I pass through my retirement years. Having a buffet of offerings was a major selling point.

I hadn’t been a golfer, but as I approached my retirement, I thought it would be something that I would take up… the fact that there were Chip & Putt courses coming online was very attractive to me as it afforded me a fun way to start playing. (I also played the Putt and Play quite a bit. These were the starter drugs of my golf addiction! LOL)

In summary, golf being included as part of the amenity package was very important in my decision to buy here and even more so now, as I have fallen in love with the game. The variety and number of courses (including the much maligned Pitch & Putt courses) are a major satisfier for my continued love of The Villages.

If you are suggesting an a la carte pricing structure, I would be opposed as I am not currently participating in any of the other amenities. (Note: I am a member of the Fit Club which does involve an add-on cost, which I resent. Minor dissatisfier.)

Zero !

The major part of that decision with the free golf is the fact we would be driving our golf cart to any of the executive courses rather than having to load clubs into the car, drive the car to the courses, rent a cart, return the cart, load the clubs and take the car home. If we had to do all that we would have found another golf cart community. Of course using the pools and rec centers was another factor.

All of them!!! My previous local (adjacent the house) golf course wants $239 per golfer for 18 holes! That is green fees only and does not include cart rental, club rental, shoe rental, etc.

Of course, it's better than golf at Pebble Beach ($550 to $800 for resort staying guests).

As for the free golf being a motivation? Very little. We golf very little, but having the wonderful open green spaces all around are a big plus.

$80 to play in the wintertime without 4+ layers of clothing instead of $110 to play dressed like Ralphie's brother IF there isn't snow on the course. Again...context; it sounds pretty darn good to me.



And I'll have my own cart.

As a renter, free exec golf is just as imp as free water aerobics, free tennis, pickleball, line dance, drumming, music, need i go on,,,,, Renting a place in a high rise on the ocean is beautiful but has nothing but walking the beach.

I don't play golf ... but would like to learn one day.

That being said, the golf courses here at TV positively influenced my decision to live here. TV is a very pretty place to live and the golf courses add to that aesthetic.

Zero, I knew it wasn’t going to be free anything. As renter the price of renting includes cost of amenities.

I don’t golf so I’ve got pickleball, swimming, bingo, a plethora of antique stores, restaurants up the kazoo, more clubs like the Texas Club (insert your state here), the Mustang Club (insert your favorite car here) . . .

Golf is one amenity - you not even mentioning the golf cart trails that are donned with trees and flowers - why pick on golf?

Just about every course outside The Villages provides you with a cart, and lower greens fees to boot. Bringing your own cart is like handing them an additional $25 profit per round. They must really love it not to have to lease a fleet of carts to use. But if you enjoy it, that's ok.

You don’t need to sell me on staying in the villages. I MUCH prefer playing in my own cart than some rental.

Personally, I prefer walking with a caddie, but they aren’t available in TV.

0.00 - never played golf, never will.

Zero. Not even on my radar.

Golf is on my radar. Used to play semi regularly about 20 years ago but relocations and career ended it.

When I finally retire I plan to start playing again once or twice a week.

For now we do the putting courses and we’re going to start playing the pitch and putt courses soon.

We’re just glad to have all of the golf available for when we decide to use it.

I golf a couple days a week now that I moved here, but it had no impact on my decision to move here.