[quirky3]

Spectator policy at executive courses will be changed beginning Aug. 1

July 24, 2014 By Staff Report Leave a Comment

I think this is good news for non-golfing Villagers who would like to spend time with their golfing friends - hope it works out!

From our local news paper:

The Golf Division has announced that there will be a six-month trial period, commencing Aug. 1, regarding the spectator policy on executive courses.
This is a result of a recent Amenity Authority Committee request to change the policy which had charged trail fees for spectators.
• Spectators are allowed, and must follow golf course guidelines
• No Charge for residents with a valid resident ID card
• Non-Residents will pay a daily trail fee if riding
• Spectator Tags will be issued, If a spectator is caught playing, they must pay the appropriate fees and golfing privileges will be suspended for 30 days.
• Spectators must be at least 10 years of age
• Spectator golf cars must remain on the path
• There is a two-person spectator limit per person, with a maximum of four spectators per tee time

[ajbrown]

At first read, this seems like a positive thing to me

Originally Posted by quirky3

Spectator policy at executive courses will be changed beginning Aug. 1

July 24, 2014 By Staff Report Leave a Comment

I think this is good news for non-golfing Villagers who would like to spend time with their golfing friends - hope it works out!

From our local news paper:

The Golf Division has announced that there will be a six-month trial period, commencing Aug. 1, regarding the spectator policy on executive courses.
This is a result of a recent Amenity Authority Committee request to change the policy which had charged trail fees for spectators.

<stuff snipped by Alan>

• There is a two-person spectator limit per person, with a maximum of four spectators per tee time

This spectator limit will never be an issue for me. There is not a line of folks waiting to watch me play!

[graciegirl]

A little story about spectator golf here in The Villages.

A spectator fee is charged all over the country and it is usually more than here.

Our daughter Helene who does not golf loves to accompany us to play. We are sensitive to her not feeling "one of the group" and I have paid yearly trail fees and so does her dad, so we just show them our ID card.. I asked Sweetie to go pay her trail fees so that we could just all flash our Villages ID's and proceed with the spectator tag attached. We had NO problem with the four bucks, we just wanted her to be prepaid.

HOWEVER, when he got to the trail fee office and explained the delimma, very carefully, that he wanted to purchase trail fees for our daughter who frequently accompanied us to golf and never played, he was taken aback when they said, I am sorry, you cannot do that.

He took a deep breath and said, I don't think you understand, she enjoys going with us, we have a four seater, just one cart, and we want to pay so she feels JUST THE SAME as us when we go to the starters window. She is...umm a special person, you see, she is ummm she won't get out of the cart or be in anyone's way. We just want to pay for her.

The person behind the desk said. Yes I understand, but the villages wants to give her a free priority membership. Please remember to renew it next year when you pay yours and your wife's trail fees.

I love this place.

[tanbcu]

? will this cause slow play with guest site seeing ?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by tanbcu

? will this cause slow play with guest site seeing ?

I worry about that too, and will the kids be frolicking around? We will see.

[MikeV]

Great way to introduce my grandsons to golf. They have never played so maybe this will get them interested.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

At first read, this seems like a positive thing to me



This spectator limit will never be an issue for me. There is not a line of folks waiting to watch me play!

Not for me as well.

[billethkid]

just another example of some onsey twosey occasions by comparison to the overall total of golfers.

I didn't think there was anything wrong with the $2 fide along fee that was in place......for the occasional times it was ever used.

[rdhdleo]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

A little story about spectator golf here in The Villages.

A spectator fee is charged all over the country and it is usually more than here.

Our daughter Helene who does not golf loves to accompany us to play. We are sensitive to her not feeling "one of the group" and I have paid yearly trail fees and so does her dad, so we just show them our ID card.. I asked Sweetie to go pay her trail fees so that we could just all flash our Villages ID's and proceed with the spectator tag attached.

HOWEVER, when he got to the trail fee office and explained the delimma, very carefully, that he wanted to purchase trail fees for our daughter who frequently accompanied us to golf and never played, he was taken aback when they said, I am sorry, you cannot do that.

He took a deep breath and said, I don't think you understand, she enjoys going with us, we have a four seater, just one cart, and we want to pay so she feels JUST THE SAME as us when we go to the starters window. She is...umm a special person, you see, she is ummm she won't get out of the cart or be in anyone's way. We just want to pay for her.

The person behind the desk said. Yes I understand, but the villages wants to give her a free priority membership. Please remember to renew it next year when you pay yours and your wife's trail fees.

I love this place.

What a wonderful story!!! Thanks for sharing

[alanmcdonald]

I favor this move. My wife likes to be out in the cart when I play but does not like to play much as she may possibly be worse at it than me (hard to imagine).

[PaPaLarry]

I have a very, very personal friend, who was a Priority Member before having a stroke last year, who would love to tag along, just to be with us while we play. He will never play again, but would greatly enjoy, the company and laughs that go along with a typical golf game. So looking forward to be able to take him with us, in a date of his choice, just to sit in cart and watch. This I know would lift his spirits so much. Hooray for The Villages!!!!!!

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

A little story about spectator golf here in The Villages.

A spectator fee is charged all over the country and it is usually more than here.

Our daughter Helene who does not golf loves to accompany us to play. We are sensitive to her not feeling "one of the group" and I have paid yearly trail fees and so does her dad, so we just show them our ID card.. I asked Sweetie to go pay her trail fees so that we could just all flash our Villages ID's and proceed with the spectator tag attached. We had NO problem with the four bucks, we just wanted her to be prepaid.

HOWEVER, when he got to the trail fee office and explained the delimma, very carefully, that he wanted to purchase trail fees for our daughter who frequently accompanied us to golf and never played, he was taken aback when they said, I am sorry, you cannot do that.

He took a deep breath and said, I don't think you understand, she enjoys going with us, we have a four seater, just one cart, and we want to pay so she feels JUST THE SAME as us when we go to the starters window. She is...umm a special person, you see, she is ummm she won't get out of the cart or be in anyone's way. We just want to pay for her.

The person behind the desk said. Yes I understand, but the villages wants to give her a free priority membership. Please remember to renew it next year when you pay yours and your wife's trail fees.

I love this place.

Originally Posted by rdhdleo

What a wonderful story!!! Thanks for sharing

And those of us who know that story can understand why Gracie likes the developer so much. That was a very sensitive, gracious thing for them to do. And anyone who knows lovely Helene knows she would never be one to hold up play.

[alanmcdonald]

I never understood the spectator trail fee in the first place.

On public courses where you rent carts I do understand that the rider is taking up a seat that is lost revenue if not paid for, so paying for the use of the seat seems proper.

But in the case of The Villages we are all using our own carts. That seat is going to be going on the course with the cart whether I play alone or have a non-playing spectator.
If the trail fee is a cart fee, and not a playing fee, where is there any difference how many are in the cart?

The Villages made the right decision in approving this trial and hopefully the golfers and spectators will not hold up play so this can become the rule for good.

[mulligan]

The trail fee is per person, not per cart.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by mulligan

The trail fee is per person, not per cart.

The trail fee is per family living in a house. I pay a trail fee that covers me and my wife. A friend pays a trail fee that covers him and his son that lives in his house.

Z