Tee Times at Championship Courses
 

Hi all!

New to this forum, and a few years away from a hopeful move to TV. I am addicted to golf. Played for 30+ years, and a mid single digit golfer. I have little to no interest in the executive courses (maybe play here or there with my wife if she wanted to). Really only interested in the championship courses. And preferably early times with a group of better golfers. Forgetting about finding other players that I enjoy playing with, how realistic is it to get early times on the championship courses numerous times a week? I would absolutely have the 12 month enhancement membership. Not expecting first tee time, but do like playing as early as possible. Is it realistic to get early times nearly all the time?

I just looked online at tommorrow (SAT) It's looks like you could play any Championship course in the Villages between 7am to 9am as a single with no problem during the summer. During with winter probabbly not a problem either with the enhanced membership as a single golfer. (but may require request instead of a reservation)

Curious - when you sign up and play as a single when the tee time currently shows 3 playing, is it more common that those three are together or that it is three other singles who signed up for that time and no one will know one another?

Together.

Yes, more than likely they're all know to each other & booked together. If you want to avoid that, try to book your single spot, with a two-some. You'll either end up as a threesome, or more likely "in season", you'll end up with a foursome, with another unknown single joining the group.

No problem with early Tee Times. The problem will be, finding groups to play with. Early Tee Times in TV are no "prime time".

There are not a lot of single digits in TV. I'm a 5 and probably played 400+ rounds, mostly signing up as a single. I haven't played with more than 3-4 guys who can shoot in the 70's from the Blue or Golf Tees. Plenty of guys shooting high 70's from the White Tees ... at 5500 yards.

Thanks for the reply. I’ve been at a private course for years so had a good group. Not all were single digit and that’s totally fine. While I would love to have a regular that was truly better than me, my main goal is to play with people serious about golf and competitive. Don’t get me wrong I’m there to have fun, but the fun for me is playing golf. I’d that makes any sense.

I guess a follow up question not having played any courses there yet, how are they, the championship specifically? And which is your favorite?

This is very helpful! Thank you for taking the time to look.

Can you help me understand the difference between a request and a reservation? I assume reservation is through the system. Is a request just calling the pro shop and seeing what they can do because of a no show or something?

Depends on what you're used to. I've been private club member for 30+ years and TV is a whole other world and a completely different atmosphere.

Most of the TV courses are typical Florida courses ... wide open, lack of elevation changes, devoid of architectural value. Tierra Del Sol is the exception. It's a quality layout.

Riley Grove at Palmer and Hibiscus at Cane Garden are also decent 9 hole routes. Unfortunately, Hibiscus is a dump and scheduled for renovation next year.

The golf is mediocre, but abundant.

This admittedly a concern of mine. Are there any better private courses nearby?

There are none. TV has the best courses in the area.

Ocala has 1 or 2, I almost joined Country Club of Ocala, but 45 mins is too far to drive every day.

Some folks like Juliette Falls, about 45-50 minutes away. It really wasn't designed by a golf course architect, more like a landscape architect. Usually good condition.

The only courses worth driving to, are in Lecanto. Black Diamond has 2 great golf courses, but you can't get there in an hour and it's private.

Golden Ocala is private and supposedly a good golf course, but I haven't played it.

People on here will tell you all about Continental & Harbor Hills ... dumps in my opinion. Harbor Hills isn't a bad layout, but on a scale of 1-10, the conditions are typically about "6". Deer Island is a goofy golf course and conditions are sketchy.

Golf in this area of Florida, is a lot like eating at Golden Coral. Plenty of food, eat all you want ... but you're not going to find any quality.

I'm going to agree about 75%.

Like you, I was a member of a private club for over 30 years---great layout, immaculate conditions, greens ran about 12----for the 6 months it wasn't snowing. I also was lucky to grow up on Bethpage Black and got to play Winged Foot, Baltusrol, Pine Valley, Westchester CC, Shinnecock, Pinehurst #2, Pebble, Spyglass, Torrey Pines, Castle Pines, Broadmoor, and in Florida Doral, PGA National, Copperhead, Sawgrass and Bay Hill to name a few, so I am familiar with good layouts and great conditions. Most courses in Florida including The Villages are not in that class.

However, the courses here are not terrible, I've played on many courses that are much worse. In general, Florida courses are flat, treeless and in comparison to the above somewhat boring. The only defense is sand and water, of which we have plenty. And yes, Tierra is an exception. But the trade off is the convenience of 14 courses just a cart ride away. I live on one and have 6 more within 18 minutes by cart. Four more are within 26 minutes. And while there are many that whine about the cost of greens fees, they really are pretty reasonable, and tens of thousands cheaper than a private club. The initiation bond at Seminole is now up to $250,000!

I've also aged out of getting a thrill from extremely difficult courses. Fifty years ago when I was a +1, I enjoyed playing Bethpage from the tips. Now, I couldn't even walk to course (which is a shame since the Ryder Cup is there this year, and I still know every inch of that course having played it about 250 times). Now, multiple injuries and spine surgery later I'm an 11 and rarely play anything longer than the blues. But it's still golf, it's still fun, and still a challenge. Plus, from the white or blue tees I still can make 2 or 3 dozen eagles/year---something I can no longer do on a 560 yd par 5. (unless holing out from 100)

Go to a 4-hour GOOD GOLF SCHOOL session. They explain the tee time system. Most championship courses have 27 holes. They operate on a "wave" system. A few courses have only 18 holes. On these, you can get exact tee times.
Winter is crouwded, summer not so much.

Golf courses here are in TV are fair to average range in my opinion. I just returned from Colorado where I played championship golf courses. There I found the fairways impeccable, the greens beautiful and fast. After living here for 20 years I am still wondering why The Villages courses conditions can't be better.

I'll agree with you, 100%.

The courses here, are not awful ... generally.

I've played 6 courses, in the Top 25 in the world. At his age, the thrill is gone. I'm contemplating heading to Cabot Cliffs this summer, as they now have 2 courses in the Top 50, but on a day to day basis, TV is fine.

NOTHING can beat the convenience of TV golf. I tell everyone up North who asks.

I can play 18 different, 18 hole layouts, all located within a 12 minutes golf cart drive. 5 hours, door to door, for 18 golf courses? Who else has that?