That’s why we put In a pool. Best time of the year now is summer. Never go inside in the summers

OP looks like some came for free golf, many posted “free” wasn’t in the mix.

Looking to see how many were in your mind set or curious if some came to enjoy outdoor activities?

Golf is one thing - wife was the other. I grew up here & would have never considered Central Florida but she loves it. Gets too cold in winter, way too hot in summer, no sea breeze, etc. We called this part of Florida “South Georgia” - real FL starts south of Orlando. But the golf is decent & it doesn’t like like many of the residents here walk much although there are good trails in the area.

Actually on a national level rounds of golf are up since the pandemic.

Golf Numbers were up during the pandemic. Indoor activities closed so golf saw lots of new players

I agree with previous post about free golf being a big draw cause we’re not that good of a golfer to pay for it every time. But we enjoy the other amenities and the overall experience and beauty of TV’s; especially our neighbors and friends we have come to know and love! Very supportive of one another!

I don’t play golf but many of my friends do. They say they play golf more here in The Villages than they ever did before. Some of my neighbors started playing golf when they moved here and play 3-4 days a week now. Although I don’t play golf I was attracted to the Villages because of the numerous golf courses that dot our landscape. As a gardener I love seeing the rolling hills and open spaces that golf courses provide. Without these beautiful open spaces more houses would dot the entire area. I wouldn’t move to a neighborhood that was nothing but home after home. Golf courses in The Villages add to the beauty of our home.

They build the golf courses first to create the water mitigation, that allows the homesite to no longer be in the flood zone. So unlike other communities, you are not buying a home with a view of where the developer will be building THE golf course. Here you move in and can play golf right away and/or participate in all the activities available.

The golf courses are critical to the development even being possible.

Decline in golfers demographically will still have millions of people retiring who would like to play golf well into the future.

We had no desire to golf when we moved here so it had no impact on our decision. We now golf and enjoy it. I don’t really understand the question about free walking trails - they do have free walking trails and I do enjoy them.

I don't golf, so I obviously still would have moved here. But if there wasn't oodles of pickleball courts, BUH-BYE!

Best decision I ever made 13 years ago to move to the villages. Golf was just another activity

Meaningless in terms of decision to move here. Infrequently play

I agree with everything there is to do here golf is down the list

Best answer!
I played great yesterday. Today will be lousy. Cannot be consistent for anything 😆.

Yes, free golf was & is a big reason to still be here. We try to get out there 3x a week.

Almost no impact. I haven't played golf in more than a dozen years, and my friends would argue I wasn't playing golf then...

Our decision was driven by the environment. I'm older than my wife, and we've moved many times over the years. Each time we moved it took a while to meet enough people to have a decent set of friends. With our respective family histories, there's no doubt I'll box/dirt knap/dirt dive well before her. On the Lifestyle visit it was very clear that if you aren't meeting people and making friends that you must be hiding. People are very friendly, very will to talk, and easy to get to know. That combined with the number of clubs/activities, getting settled into a new area was easy. Maybe it's as simple as a bunch of retired/semi-retired folks have more time and less stress making them more open to taking the time.

Golf is Now VERY Important to Both my Wife and I
 

Although my wife and I didn't golf prior to moving to The Villages 3 years ago, it is something that we "took up" after we arrived here. We love golfing and play Executive Courses at least 3 or 4 days a week (and occasionally Championship Courses), so it is VERY IMPORTANT to us. We also play water volleyball, Bocci, go dancing at town squares, etc. We look at golf as the "Anchor Activity" here at The Villages, but there are also many other activities, including Clubs to engage Villages residents.

Agree 100%. We've both have said the nice thing about all the golf courses, besides the obvious, is it creates beautiful green space and breaks up the density. As you drive around, very seldom is there no green space. This is truly a beautiful community in many ways.

As many here have said, free golf played a role, but it was really the total package, the weather and lifestyle that made this our happy place.

Golf should have been shut down also, golfers are not special.

I first heard of “free golf” for life in 2009 on a commercial on the Golf Channel. That drew my attention and I started researching TV online. I booked a Lifestyle Preview for April 2010 and have been coming ( renting for seven years, owning for seven years) for the last fourteen years part time. I would probably have never paid any attention to The Villages had it not been for the free golf for life statement on that commercial. And, once I got here, while not the only enticement, it was the major one. Still is.

I play at least 3 sports inconsistently. Seems like reach certain level and struggle to be consistent. :mornincoffee:

Golf was a major consideration as well as walking, biking trails. The landscaping on Morse and Buena Vista. Friendly neighbors and the way my wife has so many things to do since she doesn’t play Golf. The Villages is being on Vacation every day. Don’t understand why people have to find fault in such a unique place. The villagers is a large community but doesn’t seem so where we live, Linden, which has 99 homes I guess. We have a home in Annapolis as well and are Hybrids and go whenever our Grandchildren need us. Going to Hawaii for two weeks in March. 20 December our main water line burst and our neighbors, Joe, Fred and Bill contacted me and also The Villages and Richard drove down and turned the main off. Communications for the Villages was fantastic and my Brother, Linden isle stopped over and said Richard put a red flag at the location and no water damage inside. Drove down the day before Christmas and was using a shovel Christmas Day to find and fix the issue. 8000 gallons, only 64 dollars. Try that price in Maryland. Would still be running. 😳 We don’t have any complaints about living here just enjoying life and when I arrive home from early bird Golf I normally go on the Lanai and sit next to my wife and start another amazing day in the morning and if sitting on the Lanai at night watching the most Majestic Sunsets i have ever seen during my many Travels. Not everything is perfect but as close as it can be. Thanks to the Morse family for such a unique place.

We do know golf and other activities really isn’t free. We all pay for them whether we use them or not with Amenities and maintenance fees.

I am not retired yet. I moved to this general area because I own an ATV and wanted a place where I could ride it (Ocala national Forest) as well as the area having great fishing. I also liked how close it is to the beaches and still far enough away where hurricanes aren't as serious a threat.

Golf had zero influence on my decision, although when I retire I may take it up.

When I moved here I actually had no plans to live in the villages. I rented an Airbnb here while I looked around for a house in the Ocala area. For me, a swimming pool was an absolute must because I swim laps for fitness and because of the heat. Once I realized how many the swimming pools the villages had and the fact that I wouldn't have to maintain a pool myself, I decided to start looking in here. I wouldn't have moved to the villages without access to a swimming pool.

I wish they had more dedicated walk/bike trails though. I don't like contending with golf carts on the multi modal paths but I get it, the golf cart is king. Maybe someday in the future, if golfing declines a little, they can convert a golf course here and there to a walking/biking park.

Free golf was not that important. The amount of golf in general was along with softball and most importantly, family that already lived here.

[QUOTE=Rainger99;2289827]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?

Bet this is a like the flip of a coin and golf was a big part of my decision. But free golf is over rated for the more serious golfers.

Golf isn't free - you have to pay a trail fee. Then a fee for the tee time system. I don't golf anymore and would move but don't want to do all the packing. The Villages is now a convenience. I have been here since 2005. It was a novelty back then.

We too like the pools but wish the hours of operation went much later into the evening. idk, maybe the bugs would drive that wish away.....

If there wasn't golf in the area, free or not, I would not have a home here. All that being said, I find the Championship Courses to be way overpriced and the Executives crowded and often in marginal condition. But there are options outside the bubble that keep me interested during the winter months.

Your last line was the whip cream on our decision. Initially we thought that all of the residential grass was maintained by one company due to the uniformity and consistently good maintenance. Nice surprise when we were told differently. Weather not so good. We came from the warm(er) part of Florida.

Trail fee & Tee time system are both optional.

why here
 

You are missing the point - more ACTIVITIES here than anywhere and I mean you can walk anywhere. If that's all I wanted I'd be back in north Dallas now. Get online and look at the activities and groups-clubs

I think that free golf was the marketing line in the 1980s…now it’s active adult lifestyle. Even the developer knows that free golf doesn’t matter much to the newest villagers.

Free golf had minimal influence on our moving here. If free anything had an influence, it was the entertainment in the squares.

It was the cheap booze and so many fellow drunks that really attracted me to TV.
Love the golf as well, and I am still really determined to actually finish a round before collapsing into my usual comatose state.

Cheers!
:beer3:

Free golf was not a factor at all in our decision. We took up golf after coming but the lifestyle, aesthetics, and many options for arts, sports, etc. drew us here. We continue to believe it's one of the best decisions we've made after almost 16 years.

Golf (free and fee) was 75% of MY decision to buy/move here and 40% for my wife. We need more Exec courses in the south, IN ADDITION to the four 'in the works' around East Port.

Golfed once a year when I was working, was not going to golf in the V. Friend here convinced me to start up, now I enjoy it. Did not purchase because of golf.

No, they're not. HOWEVER, during the pandemic, golf could be played OUTDOORS, 6 foot social distancing maintained, never had to touch anything that belonged to another golfer, and they had PVC pipe sticking out of the holes and you didn't touch the flagstick. SO THEREFORE THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE REASON IN THE WORLD TO SHUT DOWN GOLF

And I thought we had heard the last of the Villagers whining about golf continuing while their favorite activity had to be shut down.

Round of golf, or a round at the bar?

Now that's just crazy talk.