Price of golf in The Villages?
 

It's so cold in TV, I left to go South.

Played in Sarasota on Friday ... $140 for University Park.

Played a private club in Naples, Saturday. Guest Fee was $200.

Played another private club in Naples, yesterday. Guest Fee was $175.

Hit balls this morning, at a semi-private club. $21 for 60 balls.

The Villages is a DEAL!

What did your hosts at the clubs in Naples have to pay for initiation fees and annual dues so you could pay $200 to pay?
I’ll guess initiation fees around $125,000 with a 6 year wait list.

American Legion driving range Rolling Acres $6 for 60 balls. 71% discount and golf cart accessible. That's a better deal while supporting a good cause.

Pass!! Only hit from matts, Took a lesson recently and teacher told me to never practice on matts. Can neve hit a fat shot from a mat

I can assure you that there are several 18 hole golf courses with tee off times in the $50-60 range during snowbird season between Naples and Sarasota. These would all be within the same level of quality (or better) as the Villages championship courses.

OP is like saying all restaurants charge $150 for a steak dinner but only comparing the highest end options.

That may have been true 10 years ago, but not anymore.

If you go on GolfNow right now and try to book a Tee Time in Naples, before 1 pm this coming Saturday, the lowest 18 hole rate available for a Par 72 Golf course, is Quail Village & Quail Run at $125. I don't think either are comparable to TV Championship Courses.

The Villages is NOT a deal. You are comparing a completely different geographic location to here. I can play at over a dozen courses within 45 minutes of my location outside The Villages for anywhere from $30-$45 and that includes a cart. The Villages is currently over $60 at every course unless you're a priority member. If you have a guest, that difference becomes even larger - a guest is the nearly the same price off the reservation, but is over $90 here.

The price of golf in TVs is not of concern. I love having all the different courses available to play. I love riding in my golf cart on beautiful paths, no rush, little traffic and all the happy, friendly people. Hard to beat The Villages golf.

No rush? 1 out of 1000 golfers on MMP…. :thumbup:

Bingo.

Most of the good clubs in Naples are $100,000+ to join and I don't know of a single one, that doesn't have a waiting list.

The club I played yesterday, is $100,000 with a waiting list. Dues for a Husband & Wife were $18,000/year up until this year, when a new owner took over. If you join the club now, Husband & Wife would be $24,000/year.

As far as designs ago, in spite of being designed by a top "Brand Name" Architect, I would say the design was comparable to Palmer or TDS. Condition-wise, if Palmer is a 7.5, this course was about 8 or so.

Thanks Brian -
Those 100,000 initiation fees are then put back into capital assets or replacement assets at the club.
And to get on that wait list, you probably have to pay the initiation fee or a large portion of it up front. You may get to play a few rounds at the club, if you pay greens fees.

People can’t complain about course conditions in the Villages, and complain about greens fees. Someone needs to pay for course maintenance, and the owner is not going to lose money on the golf courses.

One of the courses I played, in under going a $13,000,000 renovation of all the facilities, except the golf course. The course is in spectacular condition.

Most of the clubs require at least a $10,000 deposit to get on the waiting list, which is non-refundable. Typically courses will allow 1-2 rounds a month while on the waiting list, during non-prime time and with payment of the usual Guest Fee.

Some of the clubs have a "step-up program". When you're within a year or two of getting in, you pay about 50% of your Initiation Fee and you get to play 4-6 times a month, prior to becoming a full-member.

Best deal around. However, their current inventory of balls are all worn out and terrible. Practically smooth with no dimple depth. Ball flies out 100-150 yards and then drops down like a Hoyt Wilhelm knuckleball. Will wait till they get some new balls in.

Management loves the fact that you are willing to pay the price and provide your own cart. More profit dropping to the bottom line.