Sufficient Golf Courses at Build Out
 

When I first moved here about four years ago, I thought that it was fairly easy to get a tee time, even around this time of year. No more, it seems like most of the courses, especially south of 466 fill up pretty quick and it is not even the prime season of January thru March.

Since the developer advertises that he builds the amenities first and then the houses, it is fair to assume that the current contingent of executive and championship courses are meant to serve the villages that are north of 466A. In addition to the houses that are still being built in Buttonwood, Pennecamp, St. James, etc. they are also building homes by the Waterfront Inn and along 466 near Palmer. As I drive along Buena Vista near the Polo fields, it seems like there is plenty of open space to build additional homes. After all there is no guarantee that the Polo fields area will not be turned into another village or two someday.

The question I have in my mind, will there be sufficient golf courses to satisfy the residents at build out? What do the other golfers out there think?

We have some concerns as well. But, there is a new championship golf course under construction by Buena Vista and 466A, and I hear there is going to be another championship course up in that area as well. I expect even with those 2 courses, things will be tight in the high season, but okay the rest of the year. There are numerous courses outside the Villages, and if it proves difficult to get a tee time here, we can always look outside. We were also concerned about the condition of the courses here. Last winter some of the courses were in poor condition, so we made a point of putting in our reservations at the "good' courses. We'll see how things go this year.

The new courses are south of 466A and I would consider them being used to satisfy the houses that would be in that area. I know we all can use them. Since I only the play the championships in the summer when the rates are low, my bigger concern would be the executive courses.

my understanding is that the planning for amenities is done according to a formula.... so many golf courses per thousand homes, so many pickleball courts, etc. So, theoretically, golf availability should keep pace with population increases.

What you do notice, when you look for open exec course tee times, is that most of the 3-day out openings are for hilltop, silver lake, walnut grove, briarwood, chula vista, mira mesa, etc. You don't see many openings (other than 7 am or 5 pm) for Truman, Roosevelt, Bogart, etc.

So, in short, there still are golf tee times available just not necessarily at the courses you are looking for.

I think there are also more full time (or near full time) residents than there used to be ... so golf times are being used up more in Nov/Dec and May than they used to be. No proof of this...just a sense that is what's happening.

I too am concerned
 

We have been shut out twice in the last two weeks and most of the birds are not ere yet. I only use Country Clubs in the summer so I am concerned about the executive courses. Aren't there going to be any new executive course built to accomidate all the new build South of 466A. If we are maxing out without them, what will we do with them? :rolleyes: :what:

I agree with your assessment about more full time residents. It sure feels that way. I have played mira mesa a few times, and although I like the layout, I didn't think the course was in very good condition compared to Bogart/Bacall for example. I don't know how Hilltop and Silver Lake are condition-wise. Has anyone played them? I expect that as the population ages, that the courses in a particular area will get less play. Is it possible that Orange Blossom, Chula Vista, and neighborhoods in that area have more older residents who don't play as much golf, while the newer neighborhoods have the younger folks who tend to be more active and play more golf? Or might it be conditions - the older ones may not be as well maintained, so people gravitate to the newer courses, or maybe its a combination of the two?

I believe there will be two, maybe three, championship courses and six executive courses south of 466A.

are people getting shut out on the championship courses even with the
Championship Priority Golf Membership?

One of our friends confirmed last week that there will be three championship courses and six executive courses south of 466A. She works at a country club.

There will never be enough executive courses to meet the demands of the winter play.

Z,

Great response, there are just a ton of folks who enjoy the cost of the Executive courses. Also the renters play them a lot. There will be three more Championship courses south of 466A. I'm not sure of the number of Executive, but I have heard six more.

In the link below you will see in the November issue of The Villages magazine the Golf Edition that states on page 14. There will be a total of three 27 hole championship courses and six more nine-hole executive courses to be built south of 466A.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/thevillages/1110/#/14

BINGO - Exactly the point I was driving at. Six more executive courses south of 466A and any additional "Villages" that get squeezed in between 42 and 466A, as well as the ones to be completed and the ones to be built south of 466A will equate to insufficient executive course tee times, especially in the winter.

I have not had any trouble getting a tee time for 4 using either the request method or finding open tee times....gn

my wife and I played 4 times last week on Execs. Pelican, Briarwood,Oakleigh. No reservations just used call in for open time the night before.