About Country Club Membership
 

We were looking for pricing for the membership, and what it included.

I started at the main Villages website and clicked on the Golf link, and found this in the Championship promotion page:

Championship Golf
As a Villager you’ll enjoy free membership to any of The Villages Golf & Country Clubs for life!
Enjoy the challenge of a championship course with 12 distinctive country clubs located throughout The Villages. As a resident, you’re automatically a member meaning you can enjoy the game, unique dining experience, pro shops and more at every golf and country club!

But according to the "Golfthevillages.com" website, you have to be a "priority member" and pay membership dues in order to use the pool, the tennis court at Hacienda Hills, and the spas.

Are these things not actually part of the country club? If they are part of the country club, well - all residents are automatically members and would be entitled to using those amenities. Maybe they'd have to pay an extra fee because they're not "priority" members, but they're still members, nonetheless and should be entitled to access (even at a premium cost per visit).

If they're not part of the country clubs, they shouldn't be included as amenities of the country clubs in their promotions and advertisements.

Also - how does one get a tee time as a "lifetime member" resident of the Villages, to these Championship golf courses, if one isn't a priority member?

The golf courses do not have memberships like they do in other areas.
But if you do you want to use the pool and the tennis courts you can get priority membership for a fee. You can also add on both the tennis and the pool to your golf priority membership.
Here there is not one price to play unlimited golf on the championships.
We belong to twocountry clubs up north and have to spend a certain amount in the restaurants and do have some greens fees for guests other than that our membership covers our golf and cart if unable to walk or a caddy. It’s a lot different here.

Plus here anyone can play any of the championship courses unlike if you have a membership at a private club elsewhere you must be an invited guest to play.

I understand that, but that wasn't the question/concern.
The country clubs advertise that the pool, spas, and tennis are part of the club. Either you're a member of the club, and entitled to using those things that are "part of the club" or you're not. They shouldn't be having it both ways.

I shouldn't have to pay for membership to a club I'm already a member of. These are membership fees, not useage fees.

In other words - I should be permitted to visit the pool, because I am a member of a club that has a pool. Perhaps as a non-priority member I'm only allowed to visit in the mornings during the weekdays, and after 6pm on weekend evenings. Or perhaps if I want to visit the pool, I'd have to pay a $1 locker fee each time I go, because I'm not a priority member.

But as a member, I should be permitted to use an amenity of the club, EVEN if I have to pay per visit. I shouldn't have to pay a whole year's membership fee for the club, since I'm already a member.

Come on. There are members and there are priority members. Two levels of membership with two levels of access. Certainly not a new concept. And, anyone can get a tee time. Continue reading the Golfthevillages to learn how.

Unless you have priority membership you cannot use the pools or tennis. However with priority your guests can use those pools also. It’s been the same rules since we bought in 2010. The ability To play in the championships, use the pro shop and restaurant, is your FREE membership.
Priority tee times priority pool and priority tennis is at a price.

I discovered that the tennis courts allow ALL members, whether or not they're priority members, to use the tennis courts. But non-priority members have to pay a fee per use. This makes sense, and I agree with that.

I guess it's the pools that don't make sense to me at all. Especially if you go to the fee schedule and discover you have to pay almost $1,000 per year, per couple, to be priority members of all the clubs, but the second person of the couple can't use the pools without paying an additional $200.

Here is the "real" story. As you indicated, the web site says: As a Villager you’ll enjoy free membership to any of The Villages Golf & Country Clubs for life! Enjoy the challenge of a championship course with 12 distinctive country clubs located throughout The Villages. As a resident, you’re automatically a member meaning you can enjoy the game, unique dining experience, pro shops and more at every golf and country club!

But that really is just a marketing slogan to get you to buy a house here in The Villages. What it really means is that you can go to any country club and have dinner and drinks in the restaurant. It also means that just like a public golf course, you can play there when you pay your green fees. And since anybody, resident or not, can eat in one of the country club restaurants and play golf at the Championship course if they pay the green fee, it really isn't as exclusive as it sounds.

Now, if you want to use some of the other things that are at the Country Clubs, like the swimming pool and tennis (where available), you have to buy a priority membership. Sort of like joining a country club at other communities, and definitely NOT free for life. That also gets you a discount on the Championship green fees and gives you more options for making tee times.

And the web site marketing wording says if you buy a home here in The Villages, "Free Golf for Life". And while the residents are not charged a green fee at the Executive golf courses, there is a "trail fee" for every person riding in a golf cart. There is no "trail fee" if you walk so, I guess, there is "Free Golf for Life" but most ride in their own carts and pay the trail fee.

Bottom line is "don't believe everything you read". We can all remember great slogans for products and services, and Marketing is always trying to convince people that their product is the best.

I know nothing about any of this. However, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Some may think it's only semantics and that you are possibly "dancing on the head of a pin" but if your facts, as stated are correct, I think you are justified in your position.

Of course since I am a person who loathes the "10 items or less" signs in most supermarkets (applause to Publix's use of "10 items or fewer"), take it from where it comes. LOL

Signed,

An occasional pin-head dancer.

PS

Sometimes it is the small details that count as in the example whereby the lack of capitalization of just two letters dramatically changes the meaning of a sentence:

Helping your Uncle Jack off a horse. vs
Helping your uncle jack off a horse.

Ms BK001! Lol.

The underlined above, is pretty much it...in a nutshell. :shrug:

Yes, my koala eats shoots and leaves too.

I'd love to dance with you on that pinhead!

I couldn't help myself, the devil made me do it.

Never heard that one -- very good.

Ok I'll start a thread. Please repost this.

First time in 17 years that I have heard there was an issue.
Why now?

PEOPLE...............Don't fall for it.