Green Fees
 

Why are green fees on the championship courses inside the Villages higher than they are on the outside ???

val·ue (văl′yo͞o)
n.
1. An amount, as of goods, services, or money, considered to be a fair and suitable equivalent for something else; a fair price or return.

Because they can be. The courses are full , I'm surprised they didn't kick them up a few bucks. Remember, on the outside you'll have to pay to rent a cart, so your total cost is likely higher

The cost of anything is tied into quality and location and what people are willing to pay. People are willing to pay more to play these courses so they charge more.

What I'm surprised at here is that there are no annual membership clubs like we have up north. The Villages tells us that we a all "members" at the country clubs, but exactly what does that membership entitle us to?

The Villages "championship courses", which by the way is a term that they use for standard golf courses that have less than three par three holes per nine, are all daily fee course. They do not fit the definition of country club that I know. Every country club that I know of has a membership that entitles members to play unlimited golf and engage in whatever other activities that the club might have. Country clubs, in my experience are private clubs where members of the general public cannot simply walk up and pay a green fee.

I have no problem with them charging whatever they want and having a successful business. I am a bit put out however by their terminology.

Greens Fee
 

I play many of the courses outside TV and the advertised price always includes a cart.

Sorry but you are not correct about renting the cart. I have only had to pay for a cart once, and that was at the Ocala Country Club.

Was the cost of greens fees including cart less than the priority member fees in TV. If so, I stand corrected, but forgive me since I never played a nearby course. In NY, the cart is almost always a separate charge. Even at my country club, which meets the good Doctor Boogie's definition, they charge for the cart

They do seem to do it differently down here in Florida. My spouse played Eagle Ridge the other day, only $20 for golf and cart. And they had a lunch special on Wednesdays - hamburg and fries for $5 with $1 draft beers. Said it was in excellent shape, better than the Villages courses. They may have just aerated the greens though, I would call first. Discount Golf Course Tee Times Nationwide - Book Tee Times Online - GolfNow.com®

A few considerations....
 

Actually there are many courses outside the Villages that have not only membership fees, but also charge per each time played(see Del Webb communities as an example)...my club in Maine was a Country Club and besides my paying a yearly fee(with no greens fees when I played)they allowed outside folks to play for an 18 hole fee...

In my experience a country club has a clubhouse and various ammenities whereas a golf course has a starters shack at the least and may have a small pro shop...the number of par threes has nothing to do with whether or not a course is a country club/championship course or otherwise....what distinguishes our exec's from country clubs mostly is a lack of handicapping, ghin related to par and a USGA rating...that and the fact that the CC's are kept up to a slightly higher standard....

If I recall, there was an extensive debate on a thread a few months ago whether or not TV courses were public or private. After reflecting on it, I think they are kind of a unique hybrid----daily fee, but memberships that entitle you to a reduced green fee and preferential tee times, as well as restaurants and pools.

Yep. That hybrid is "semi-private", which is what TV champ courses are considered.

<firmly braces self>

Agree, which was my argument.. But there were those that insisted on "public" so I'm using the term hybrid to be more PC

Agree 100%

Your club in Maine is what's known as a semi-private club.

In order to be recognized as a regulation golf course by USGA and NGF a course must have no more than three par threes per nine holes. Courses with more then three par threes per nine are considered executive courses.

Executive and par three courses do have USGA GHIN and Slope ratings. I know because I rated some of them.

There is no definition for a championship course unless some kind of actual championship is played there on a regular basis. "Championship Course" is basically a marketing term.

I know of many public courses that have a decent pro shop, snack bar and even restaurants. They shouldn't be considered country clubs.

A good example is Bethpage---great pro shop, decent restaurant, but a purely public course. I don't know any public courses that offers a membership that reduces greens fees and gives preferred tee times in exchange for an annual fee---once they do that, they meet the definition of semi-private