General question for everyone
 

How important was free golf for life when you made your decision to move to the Villages?

If they didn't have free golf - but had free walking trails - would you have moved here?

I bought my retirement house this year and I'm not yet retired, yet. But I own the house down there and will hopefully be there in 2 year. I don't golf, have no interest in it (not saying that couldn't change).

But anyhow, golf had nothing to do with my decision.

Free golf and walking trails did not factor into our decision. They are just two of the many available activities - we were interested in some of the others.

I do not golf. With our recent move, we sold the golf cart and have no plans to replace. Hubby does golf but is losing interest. Time for both of us to spread our wings and try something new. It is great to live in a community with many options to keep you busy.

Think the villges needs to move on from free golf.
Golf is a dying sport…most “younger” people here arent moving to TV for golf.

Golf was a huge factor for me, not a factor at all for my wife.

Golf was only a small part of our decision to move here. Golf cart access to many things, other sports activities, and an active lifestyle here were more important.

Now my wife plays 3 times a week. I am more interested in pickleball and softball but do golf occasionally. Golf cart access to restaurants, grocery stores, etc. is a great benefit to us. We put more miles on our two carts than the car.

In summary golf was not, but is now, important to my wife. That makes me happy.

We don't golf

But did you actually read the OP?

Neither golf or walking trails played a significant part of our decision to move to The Villages. It was the overall lifestyle that sold us.

I thought about trying out golf once, but took two aspiring and went to bed. Golf had less than no influence on our decision to move to TV. Moved here because of the appealing well maintained appearance of TV, amenities and the weather.

Free golf was a big draw for me in 2011, and still is. I don't play well enough to pay for it.

Free golf was not a huge factor. Golf was. I was not expecting to be overwhelmed by the executive courses. Actually was pleasantly surprised at how much fun they are.
"Free" walking was no factor at all. I almost never pay to walk.
I have taken up pickleball since I started spending my winters here. I love it just as much, if not more, than golf now, although being 70, I see some handwriting on the wall about how much I will be able to play PB going forward. Year by year I expect golf to be more and more a bigger part of my life.
Golf was definitely a factor in my coming here. Not the only one, but a major one.

Free was never a deciding factor, when we came in 2007. It was just a perk, available activity, and weather was a factor instead of dealing with being on the bay, and having to deal with storms/hurricane.

Free golf was definitely a factor for beloved spouse. It wasn't a factor at all for me since I don't play. If the golf cost $2 per 9-hole round for a walking fee, I think it would've made no difference at all.