[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by rekop

I think it would be very tedious to use the phone system, when searching for tee times, or trying to fit in a group at certain times, as compared to using the internet where you can see at a glance what times are available. At home, where we paid much less for unlimited golf on a nicer course, we of course would just call the pro to get a tee time.

The key word here is course. You had one course to choose from and maybe it was nicer, here you have 9. You said you played much less, for golf?, membership fee? monthly restaurant?, etc. Its like comparing apples to oranges.

[Russ_Boston]

Bogie - I think Rekop is from northern NY - It is apples and oranges trying to compare prices from there. I have a couple of friends from the Buffalo area and their cost of living is so low that I considered moving there many years ago. For example - the cost to park an RV at the Buffalo Bills game was $20. That same RV costs us $120 at Gillette stadium in Mass. A nice motel room cost me $35. His house was valued at $180K and it was better than mine valued at $450K (at the time). etc.

Don't get me wrong - it's a beautiful area to live but you can't use it as a comparison for prices.

There have been numerous 'arguments' on this site from those that live in relativly inexpensive areas of the country and then move to TV. For them it may seem expensive but for many others TV is relatively inexpensive.

I am not trying to compare the cost of golf in Florida vs other places. My point was only that for the amount of money a couple will pay, $10,000, and that is not even unlimited golf, that it seems like overkill to have to pay to conveniently make your reservations.

[Russ_Boston]

I think that is a valid point.

[golfnut]

Rekop said "it seems like overkill to have to pay to conveniently make your reservations."

I don't understand what some hypothetical annual cost of playing Championship courses has to do with paying $8 a month to access the on-line tee time system........GN

[tankdvr1950]

First...and i dislike immensely having to say this first...but since one poster actually asked if another poster was a resident or not....(as far as i know u don't have to be a resident to join this wonderful group at TOTV...nor do u have to be a resident to offer timely comments on various issues)....i am a wannabe....a dedicated one and a great follower of everything TV that appears on TOTV....without question, i get more real life info here than anywhere else and i have no doubt that all that info will be extremely helpful when we finally become TV'ers, this year.

That said, i am very aware of the T time system...both phone and on-line....i have seen comments on both...both positive and negative....my sense is that i will, upon our arrival, give the phone a try and if it does not meet my needs, head to the on-line system with its associated costs.

I guess i may be naive but i do not understand the furor about an $8 increase for on-line T time access. I understand that it is or appears to be a large increase....$96 additional per year is.....still $96 per year out of the household budget. But are some even more naive than I, to not realize that EVERYTHING...is going up. Remember a few months ago when food prices rose because of "increased transportation/fuel costs"...not that fuel has come down...has anyone seen a reduction in food prices???? Crude oil prices rose to above $45/barrel recently....now understand thats for future purchases of oil....but before the oil was even taken out of the gound...gas prices rose. How many of you have received notices from your credit card companies that your interest rates are going up and this from companies who have received part of the $350 b of our money used to bail them out.

Is someone making money from this increase...of course.....who is making it.....who knows for sure....Comcast, the villages.net...the developer...who knows for sure..but surely someone is.....is it pure greed?...is it trying to make up losses due to the economic situation? I have no idea. It is, lets be honest....the American way....its called profit motive.....its why people (including the developer) got into business in the first place.

I don't like the idea that Comcast is the only high speed internet provider available...but here in NY....i only have a choice of Time Warner Cable...or Verizon DLS which is far less desirable. I can't count the number of cable price increases i have seen in the last two years.

My trash hauler increased their charges due to increased fuel prices...but now that fuel costs are down.....i called and ask if the fuel surcharge was being reduced...the answer was no. I switched haulers to one that has no fuel surcharge.

This is already too long and i apologize..call it venting if you will....but i just don't understand the uproar over this charge. Justified or not....my opinion is....let the user pay the cost for the convenience...that way it effects only those that CHOOSE to use the service. If the cost is too high for some...if some object to the rate of increase or to whom it may be benefiting, either bite the bullet ...pay the increase for the convenience or...and yes there is an alternative....use the phone system....or organize a letter writing campaign to ask for a change.

Thank u TOTV...for being there...for residents and soon to be residents alike.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by tankdvr1950

First...and i dislike immensely having to say this first...but since one poster actually asked if another poster was a resident or not....(as far as i know u don't have to be a resident to join this wonderful group at TOTV...nor do u have to be a resident to offer timely comments on various issues)....i am a wannabe....a dedicated one and a great follower of everything TV that appears on TOTV....without question, i get more real life info here than anywhere else and i have no doubt that all that info will be extremely helpful when we finally become TV'ers, this year.

That said, i am very aware of the T time system...both phone and on-line....i have seen comments on both...both positive and negative....my sense is that i will, upon our arrival, give the phone a try and if it does not meet my needs, head to the on-line system with its associated costs.

I guess i may be naive but i do not understand the furor about an $8 increase for on-line T time access. I understand that it is or appears to be a large increase....$96 additional per year is.....still $96 per year out of the household budget. But are some even more naive than I, to not realize that EVERYTHING...is going up. Remember a few months ago when food prices rose because of "increased transportation/fuel costs"...not that fuel has come down...has anyone seen a reduction in food prices???? Crude oil prices rose to above $45/barrel recently....now understand thats for future purchases of oil....but before the oil was even taken out of the gound...gas prices rose. How many of you have received notices from your credit card companies that your interest rates are going up and this from companies who have received part of the $350 b of our money used to bail them out.

Is someone making money from this increase...of course.....who is making it.....who knows for sure....Comcast, the villages.net...the developer...who knows for sure..but surely someone is.....is it pure greed?...is it trying to make up losses due to the economic situation? I have no idea. It is, lets be honest....the American way....its called profit motive.....its why people (including the developer) got into business in the first place.

I don't like the idea that Comcast is the only high speed internet provider available...but here in NY....i only have a choice of Time Warner Cable...or Verizon DLS which is far less desirable. I can't count the number of cable price increases i have seen in the last two years.

My trash hauler increased their charges due to increased fuel prices...but now that fuel costs are down.....i called and ask if the fuel surcharge was being reduced...the answer was no. I switched haulers to one that has no fuel surcharge.

This is already too long and i apologize..call it venting if you will....but i just don't understand the uproar over this charge. Justified or not....my opinion is....let the user pay the cost for the convenience...that way it effects only those that CHOOSE to use the service. If the cost is too high for some...if some object to the rate of increase or to whom it may be benefiting, either bite the bullet ...pay the increase for the convenience or...and yes there is an alternative....use the phone system....or organize a letter writing campaign to ask for a change.

Thank u TOTV...for being there...for residents and soon to be residents alike.

It may be venting but it sure made sense to me. I use the computer but really have no broad knowledge of cyberspace and how it works and how the charges might be incurred. I am a tight person, REALLY thrifty, but I love to play golf. Eight dollars a month seems reasonable to me to access 27 executive and 9 championship courses. (And more on the way!!)

[golfnut]

tank, no need to apologize, you may call it venting, I call it a well thought out response, thanks for your input, to me it made a lot of sense.....GN

[Best Mom]

Thanks Tankdriver1950!
I am the one they asked if I was a resident.!!??
The answer is for many years! My golfing friends have been here since the beginning of this place.
So good to see new posters. Back to topic-I will now use the phone to make my tee times.

Originally Posted by tankdvr1950

That said, i am very aware of the T time system...both phone and on-line....i have seen comments on both...both positive and negative....my sense is that i will, upon our arrival, give the phone a try and if it does not meet my needs, head to the on-line system with its associated costs.

I guess i may be naive but i do not understand the furor about an $8 increase for on-line T time access. I understand that it is or appears to be a large increase....$96 additional per year is.....still $96 per year out of the household budget. But are some even more naive than I, to not realize that EVERYTHING...is going up.

I repeat, my point was that for the amount of money a couple will pay, $10,000, and that is not even unlimited golf, that it seems like overkill to have to pay to conveniently make your reservations. After all, you've already paid for a priority membership, and will pay an additional greens fee to actually play golf. If paying for online tee time scheduling was to cover actual expenses it would be one thing, but it appears to be putting additional profits into someone's pocket.

[golfnut]

Your example of playing championship golf 312 times a year for a couple comes out to .30 cents per round to use the online tee time system, now if they golfed a couples times a week at an executive course too, the cost per use would be around .18 cents, looks like a bargain to me.

[tankdvr1950]

Rekop...I certainly understand your comments....BUT...as i said....u have a choice...u can play free at the exec courses.......and i would pay $15,600 at the least expensive (not as nice a TV's) championship courses in my area (NY) and T times would be via phone, first come first served....now lets see.....extra $96/year...when u already pay $10k for golf....thats a .0096% increase.......i wish my food bill would only go up $96/year ....as far as someone making money from the increase...yup...your right....but...if u have investments..would u object to making a profit of $96??????

my intent with the post was not to criticize those who are objecting....just offering my comments.....like with us all....its your call....

as fellow golfer like you....i'll would pay the $96 to play the beautiful courses at TV....hit it long and straight

[Russ_Boston]

Everyone seems to have valid points:

If you want to complain about it then please do. You never know maybe it might work.

If nothing comes of the complaints then you could revert to just using the telephone system.

If you want to use the on-line system then pony up the $96

I do have a question about its use. Do all members of the foursome need to be members of the on-line system? In other words maybe if you have a regular 4 or more members would it be possible to split the $96 and only have 1 person make the reservations? Personally I think I'd like the ability to make my own but perhaps it is a possibility?

[chuckster]

Originally Posted by rekop

I am not trying to compare the cost of golf in Florida vs other places. My point was only that for the amount of money a couple will pay, $10,000, and that is not even unlimited golf, that it seems like overkill to have to pay to conveniently make your reservations.

If you haven't seen the notice on Villages.Net, take a moment to read.

Briefly it mentions the new rates in effect for 2009 and indicates what is included in the 8.00, called "member services".

. 2 e-mail addresses per household
. access to the villages golf and information system
. access to schedules of events in and around the villages

Granted you may not want anything other than the t-time access but now you have the info. and can choose to dial or use the web. Incidentally I max out at 100 - 120 rounds per year. At 156 rounds per year each for you and your wife (total 312), you win the prize. 116 for me and 85 for the wife last year.

Originally Posted by tankdvr1950

Rekop...I certainly understand your comments....BUT...as i said....u have a choice...u can play free at the exec courses.......and i would pay $15,600 at the least expensive (not as nice a TV's) championship courses in my area (NY) and T times would be via phone, first come first served....now lets see.....extra $96/year...when u already pay $10k for golf....thats a .0096% increase.......i wish my food bill would only go up $96/year ....as far as someone making money from the increase...yup...your right....but...if u have investments..would u object to making a profit of $96??????

my intent with the post was not to criticize those who are objecting....just offering my comments.....like with us all....its your call....

as fellow golfer like you....i'll would pay the $96 to play the beautiful courses at TV....hit it long and straight

You obviously don't play much golf. # 1, the courses here aren't that great. Cane Garden, Mallory and Havana have nice layouts, but the fairways this time of year are like concrete. Hopefully this rain will help some. Glenview, Tierra, Lopez, and Orange Blossom are generally in decent shape, as is Palmer which is very expensive to play.

#2. Executive courses are free, but they are not "real" golf to people who golf a lot. They are short, and basically aimed at beginners or elderly people who can't play the longer courses for a variety of reasons. However, there are a number of golfers, myself included, that have started playing the 9 hole exec courses simply to help out with expenses. And they are not "free" they are subsidised by our amenity fees.

#3. I have been a member of various golf clubs over the years, including some high end private country clubs, and have never had to pay to make a tee time. That's utterly ridiculous. Your ability to make tee times is always included in your membership fee. I think if you're a priority member, that online ability should be included. When you're managing a group for example and checking out tee times for various days, or researching openings to see if women or men are playing, it would be tedious if not impossible to have to do that over the phone, so online access is necessary.

#4. As far as making a profit, I feel the Villages makes plenty of profits off of us. My original post stated that I have no problem with them making a profit, but at some point I think they've gone over the line.

You're entitled to your opinion, but we disagree.

As far as having 2 email addresses, and access to Villages events, who cares? We have our email with comcast and see the events listed in the rec center papers.

Obviously we'll pony up the $$; there is no alternative. But the system doesn't seem fair to me compared to how golf country clubs normally work. They're just taking advantage of people. Some Villagers will sit back and take it. Others, like myself, will question things. To each his own. Stay in the short grass....Rekop