Driving Range/Practice Facility
 

Does anybody know if TV will be building a Driving Range south of turnpike?

I would tend to doubt it. They've built 13 championship golf courses and only three have practice facilities. In addition there is the free standing range at Sarasota. The practice facilities are not very good by today's standards. I'd love to see more short game and bunker practice facilities. They've recently taken out a practice bunker at Glenview and the ones at Palmer and Lopez are a joke.

They evidently believe that The Villages golfers are not interested in practicing.

The American Legion / Lion's Club Range on Rolling Acres is as good as any in The Villages except that there is no grass.

I'd love to see someone build a state of the art facility.

Something like this would be nice.https://i.imgur.com/aJOGP9l.png

or even this.
https://i.imgur.com/zvy5lox.png

This ones not too bad either.
https://i.imgur.com/lzt3su0.png

That's a thought, no room north of the turnpike by the soon to be built Southern Oaks Golf Course, they could do that like Bonifay where the course and the range are not co-located. Sarasota driving range is about a mile to the east of Bonifay. However, in that situation, Sarasota driving range was there way before the golf course, before any homes were even built. In fact you use tee off at Sarasota on the north side of the lake right off 466A there a little shack and a dirt parking lot.

On the new map, it's more like a partial layout map there doesn't appear to have enough room for any extras, it's only an 18 golf course instead of 27. The last ten built have all been 27. There's only two 18 courses, now they're be three, Tierra Del Sol and Orange Blossom Hills are the other two. Looks like they've crammed the course between Meggison Road and the Florida Turnpike on the northside.

https://cdn2.thevillages.com/wp-cont...501.jpg?fm=jpg

https://cdn2.thevillages.com/wp-cont.../Image-1-1.jpg

While it's a very nice thought....
 

the fact that they don't get enough use of the 18/27 hole courses should be an idea that the cost of maintaining that type of facility would a bottomless money pit.

They don't even overseed anymore and the condition of greens/fairways/tees and aprons is horrendous in the winter.

Just played Mira Mesa...abysmal! Little to zero fairway grass and the greens are pathetic. Won't be playing there for a loooong while.

Who says the Championship Courses don't get enough play? Are you kidding? And the condition of Executive Courses, like Mira Mesa, has nothing to do with Champ courses and a driving range.

My hairdresser's second cousin's brother-in-law said there will be a TOPGOLF right next to the new Costco store, just South of the

Trader Joes

I use the driving range at Continental CC on FL44....10 minutes from Monarch Grove

Patience, people. Patience.

Those " people"'are shunned! I must say the Oak Trees over there are beautiful. It's worth the drive to see it before all the block & Concrete move in! As far as the Driving Range, things may change...

Does anyone know who I can contact to set up golf cart road side assistance in the Villages?

There is AAA, some go that route if already in AAA, besides your car they will also handle your golf cart. The negative is it's been reported they can take up to two hours to arrive.

There are at least three companies that do golf cart towing fulltime. I've been with the same one since 2011, that Kart Aide, they are $59 for two years. If you used the 'search' button at the top of the site, you would read many good reviews of their service.

World's Largest Golf Cart Rescue Service

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d07a82a8c4.jpg

If I would have to list 3 things I don't like about the villages, that would be all three , very lacking practice facilities.

I was told by someone "connected" that TV wants to host an LPGA tournament. The hotel at Brownwood was part of the plan. A 27 hole course south of 44 was also part of the plan. They need a driving range and practice area, which don't seem to be part of the 2 new courses along the turnpike. However, at many PGA major championships, they have converted the unused 9 (of the 27) into a driving range and practice area. So, it seems that the LPGA gig is possible, but the driving range for residents is unlikely. Perhaps the next course further south will have one.