Executive Courses
 

Attention The Villages Executive Course Golfers -- it seems like The Villages Golf Course Maintenance Department has lost control of the Executive Courses South of CR 466. These Courses are in need of major repair and they should be closed for repair.

The poor condition of the Executive Courses is the result of poor and/or lack the of maintenance by The Villages Golf Course Maintenance Department. The Villages Executive Golf Courses are so bad that most of the Golfers that play them have gone to a two putt maximum when playing.

As an example of the poor maintenance of the Golf Courses, Pelican was a challenging course that many Golfers looked forward to playing. However, the Villages Golf Course Maintenance Department has totally destroyed the course by clearing out almost every environmental hazardous area which has totally destroyed the appeal of the course.

Also, when a Golfer encounters most of the Golf Course Maintenance Department personnel on any course the maintenance personnel seem to have no idea about the game of Golf by either standing in the Golfers way and/or watering as the Golfer attempts to play.

There are many other examples that could be put to print regarding the poor and/or lack of maintenance of The Villages Executive Courses; however, in the interest of time may we suggest that if The Villages Course Maintenance Department cannot maintain the Executive Courses we The Villages Golfers should discontinue paying The Villages Amenity fee that applies to the Executive Course Maintenance as well as any Trial Fees that may apply until this problem is corrected.

Make your voice be heard and make some noise -- all The Villages wants is our money and they provide little for the funds received to maintain the Executive Golf Courses.

Executive Courses
 

I wish a boycott would work but doubt a significant number of golfers would participate. You know, local golf clubs can establish rules in addition to the USGA Rules fo Golf. For example, The Villages can tell me how to dress, then it ought to be able to require the pin to be pulled during the high season. I played Red Trash, sorry, Fish, today with it's lovely painted greens, and nearly every hole had damage from people using ball pickers. What other controls might The Villages introduce to protect the courses? If they cared. But they probably don't. As I posted before, the new marketing slogan should be "Play Free Golf For Life, but you might hate it."

winter, very little rain, over playing the courses...every winter we hear the same gripes...every summer they come back and are in superb condition in august/september/october....cutting back the brush doesn't make pelican any easier except that you can see your target. Anyone who feels otherwise is sadly mistaken. You want outstanding playing conditions all the time...join a private club at $25k/yr with a green fee of around $60.

It always helps to ignore most complainers due to their lack of facts...sometimes it's hard not to answer...

You don’t say that you have met with any Executive Courses management, have you?

The first world problems on here kill me. You mean to tell me the free golf courses that hundreds of people play on a day are in rough shape?! Surprised this wasn’t the lead story on the news this evening.

This in a nutshell.
Steve

Very Neighborly .

Some of us who have been around for more than 15 years have seen the deterioration.
We have had weather issues over the years....golf courses did not look like they do today.
We have had busy and busier seasons in recent years.....take a look at some public courses here or back home....heavy seasonal play....well maintained approaches and greens.

We are not complaining about having the course be comparable to private, high(er) greens fee clubs. We are comparing today with what used to be.

There is absolutely no doubt the courses are much, MUCH worse than previous years. Little or no doubt about the falling off of the amount and quality of maintenance.

And as a previous poster pointed out, the people who do work on the golf courses have almost no understanding of their role when there are players approaching......NONE! Which is also an indicator of failing/failed/don't give a crap management.

If it wasn't for executive golf what we all have come to enjoy and invest in our golden years wouldn't exist .
Free golf as free as it may seem has made the Villages grow into what it is today and the foreseeable future..
Cutting corners is taking it's toll and it shows

I'll be surprised if this thread isn't closed shortly

I agree but what can be done about it?

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What are we to do can we really quit paying the amenity fee? How do we make our voices heard? I am willing but do not know how.

We play the exec courses about twice a week, usually the courses south of 44 because they are not as busy. We are very pleased with their condition. The greens putt well, even if some of them are very fast with a lot of break. The sand traps have good sand in them, but occasionally I improve my lie because the other golfers do not rake their footprints very well. I fixed four ball marks on one green today.

I usually play the back tees and find the exec courses to be very challenging and very enjoyable. Before we moved here in 2016, I heard it was free to play the exec courses so I did not expect much, but I have been very pleasantly surprised with the quality and condition of the courses.

My wife has learned to play golf and we enjoy playing and practicing together. These are the best days of our lives.

Wife and I have snowbirded here 20 years. Courses have always shown signs of wear during High Season, but last few years it has got bad.
This last winter it is not just wear, it is neglect.
Many courses are a digrace.

Stopping payment of your Amenity Fee is simply not an option. This is something that you have obligated yourself to pay. Also, how would you propose calculating what percentage of the Amenity Fee is directed to golf courses that you feel are lacking? While some Executive Courses have problematic greens, others are in very good shape.