[another Linda]

Perhaps part of the problem is that the villages.net is not owned by TV and so doesn't get any of the profits or amenity fees? I suppose we could vote to have our amenity fees subsidize the online system. But I'll bet non-golfers would object.

[Bogie Shooter]

Some folks have made a mistake by buying in The Villages.

I think some people love it here, but realize it has its imperfections and would like to see it become even better.

[Best Mom]

rekop,
So true.
My feelings completely!

[ijusluvit]

Originally Posted by another Linda

Perhaps part of the problem is that the villages.net is not owned by TV and so doesn't get any of the profits or amenity fees? I suppose we could vote to have our amenity fees subsidize the online system. But I'll bet non-golfers would object.

Is this a fact? Then who owns villages.net?

[llaran]

We have always paid for the tee time system because we don;t have comcast internet service. we have been paying $60 a year and don't like the increase but the convience is worth it. everything has gone up and the phone is still free.

[OutsiderWithInterest]

.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by OutsiderWithInterest

You don't have to pay to make a tee time you know. You can call up your favorite course and make one. It won't cost you a dime.

Next best option is to dial the automated phone line. It won't cost you dime more than that amount paid in the amenity fees.

Next best option is to get on the internet to make a tee time. That WILL cost you. Why? Many reasons already discussed.

If you want the online costs to be included in your membership fee, I am sure that that is probably possible. If enough people get together then it will be considered. Know that your memberships will probably go up $100 a year though. That way, instead of you having to suffer the pain of paying it every month, the cost will be buried in your membership fee. Then it will seem "free", just like it appeared at all the clubs you belonged to.

Regarding profit, what does "enough profits" and "over the line" mean? How would one compute a fair profit? Would you not first need to know what the profit is before you could state that it was "enough"? And was it not profit that allowed all of us to accumulate enough money to become Villagers?? How is it that the amount of profit required to achieve that goal is OK but other kinds of profit are not?

I agree that "you're entitled to your opinion, but we disagree." That is my position as well. Who in their right mind wants to pay more for anything? I certainly do not. Seriously though, in a land of 250,000 to 750,000 dollar homes, what's a lousy hundred bucks a year?

I'll sure be glad when everyone gets this out of their system

I agree with your well thought out post.

[spruillie]

Am I the only one who didn't know that it was free to comcast customers? I've been paying for years....!???

Originally Posted by OutsiderWithInterest

You don't have to pay to make a tee time you know. You can call up your favorite course and make one. It won't cost you a dime.

Next best option is to dial the automated phone line. It won't cost you dime more than that amount paid in the amenity fees.

You obviously didn't read or didn't grasp the notion that with the online tee time system, there are no comparable alternatives...the phone system is not equivalent.

And frankly, its not the money, its the idea that we as priority country club members pay $10,000 a year and that is not even unlimited golf, and have to pay additional money just for the ability to make an online teetime. There is probably no other country club in the nation that operates that way.

End of subject, for me anyways.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by OutsiderWithInterest

You can call up your favorite course and make one

I don't think that is true, not in TV, except for early morning 9 hole availability I think you need to use the reservation system. - Golfers out there please correct.

________________

Recop - From what my golfing friends at TV tell me (and there are some very low handicaps included!) the execs at TV are not just for beginners and elderly (I can't believe you even said that word). Golfers out there please comment.

I do agree that perhaps a priority membership should have the on-line system included.

I'm just curious Recop - what is your handicap? I thought perhaps during this thread that you were a golfer but I'm beginning to think otherwise from some of the comments in that last posting.

I love playing longer courses myself and my handicap hovers just out of the single digit range but I don't feel that playing the 9 hole execs is beneath me the way that you make it out to be. I think that they can be fun and challenging - all they lack is the long first drive. I think you should explain those comments a little.

[golfnut]

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

Quotes above are from rekop, following are my responses, keep in mind these are just my opinions, you are entitled to yours.

#1 I play golf here everyday and also play courses outside TV and think our courses for the most part are superior, if you don't like the courses why would you play them?
#2 executive courses, first you say they are free then you say they are not free, is that your final answer? IMO they are free since everyone pays the same monthly fee. As far as being real golf , IMO they are very challenging and not aimed strictly at beginners or the elderly, however, since you have belonged to a high end country club I will have to defer to your opinion.
# 3 the online system here is different than anything I've seen before, but then I've never belonged to a high end country club, you might want to look at going back to your high end private country club to get your free tee time system, it's not an option here but I'd be curious to know what your yearly cost was at your high end country club.

IMHO you seem very disenchanted with the setup here and I am curious why you came here as opposed to all the other choices that are out there, if it sounds like I'm having a hard time understanding your responses, well I am....GN

[golfnut]

WOW Russ, a low double digit handicap, good for you, i didn't see your recent post as I was composing mine while yours was coming in but I agree, eldery golfers what a hoot, and I'm also not sure rekop is really a golfer based on his responses, like you I'm curious to see what rekops handicap is, however since rekop has said it's the end of subject for him we will probably never know, how sad....GN

[macgolfnut]

I hate to beat the sbject to death, by I, too, am curious about Rekop. I grew up playing a very high end private country club in the Chicago area, I worked at a private golf club for 32 years, I was a high school golf coach, and I carry a single diget handicap. I find the courses here both challenging and pretty well maintained. The executive courses are a great bargain for free and a wonderful opportunity to work on your short game. If there was only one course here, you would expect it to be superior. But there are 33 and counting. I think they do a remarkable job of organization and upkeep.

Please don't confuse our country clubs with the private country clubs in other parts of the country. They normally have a huge entrance fee and renewal fee, as well as a minimum that you must spend on food or you will be billed. You have to pay a locker fee and whether or not you use a caddie, you must pay for one. Ours are only called country clubs because they have 18 or 27 holes and a nice restaurant. Despite our amenity fees, it is super expensive to build and maintain a golf course for an entire year, not just 6-7 months like up north. That does not include the clubhouse or all the rest of the wonderful amenities we have in TV.

I can't believe someone would buy in a place like this without doing a little homework. If you are a golfer, you should have played some of the courses before you made your decision. If you don't like them and golf is that important to you, then you don't buy here. Also, nobody is forcing you to play a certain number of times per week. That is your choice, as is the choice to use the computer system instead of the phone system.

Yes, whether you take advantage of the many opportunities in TV or not, they will nickel and dime you to death. We all know that. But I just went to the grocery store in the Chicago area( I'm a part timer now, full timer come July) and it cost me over $100.00 for a week of groceries for my wife and me. $96.00 just doesn't seem that much for a whole year for what you get.

This is just My Humble Opinion, so I hope I didn't offend. I'm looking forward to a high of zero degrees for the next couple of days. I can't wait to get back to Paradise.

[graciegirl]

I was confused by Rekops statement about ten thousand dollars a year and then I realized that she must be counting green fees almost daily at the Championship courses. I do agree with her that the executive courses that I have played here pretty much offer you a good time for your short game only, but I have found them well maintained. The dry conditions and the roll are a bit of a challenge when you are trying to make a short iron "stick" but that is fun too. My game has changed over the years but I still cuss when I get into a sand trap or the bull rushes. I find that the executive courses are still a LOT of fun in their own way. I suppose that eight dollars a month could and maybe should be included in the amenity fees, but then you would penalize non golfers further.