Warren: Your spot on. The Villages experienced in every way provides the Developer direct income or a piece of the action building, stores, schools, wutilities, health system, insurance etc., etc, etc . The Villages s a whole can be viewed as a cash cow. I have said that from day one. Fees, Taxes special Assessment will continue to climb. This entire venture was leveraged utililizing residents money. You are not going to convince some folks here. These same folks lead the village politically correct squad and they will accuse you of complaining.

The golf courses here get heavy use. I pläyed a championship with two new residents and there response for offseason rates was Ät these prices I am use to thick fairway, an attendant getting my cart and placing my club on it..... and we are using our own carts.The priority system places guests ahead of residents who made a heavy investment in this community but it has its obvious purpose. After 6 years i concluded that for me it was not paying of..

Most of my neighbors play off campus refusing to pay The Villages prices. We do better off campus that includes a golf cart and at some courses meals included.

If you see who our county commissioners are you will notice some with vry close ties to The Developer. This same situation exist at the Water utility and others areas required to mantain sway over the county.

I understand that its business and I understand that good business people are aggressive. But these same folks who just shrug their shoulders when you address such issues as this are the first to yell when they find for example that a Verizon or ATT&T slip in a $.90 admin fees to quietly increase their profits.

:bigbow::bigbow::bigbow:

Some complaints are legitimate. Only foolish people think everything is perfect all of the time.

Why is golf here more expensive than other area courses? Warren, that is aa legitimate question worth discussion. My short answer is that old' saying "why did you do that"---Answer: "because I could"!!! At the present time, there is no shortage of golfers on The TV Championship courses so one can conclude the green fees are about right according to the law of supply and demand. Could that change? Sure. I recently built south of 466A (our third TV house) and my neighborhood is filled with younger resident golfers. After build out and as the community average age rises, IMHO this could change. Another old saying: "You make hay while the sun shines". Which means if you have the opportunity to do something, do it before the opportunity expires.

Don't take this personally because I'm not criticizing. It seems to me that the o.p. and others want true "country-club" access to play unlimited golf on a course that has true "country-club" conditions.....without paying an initiation/stock entrance fee of $20,000 to $40,000, and without paying annual dues of $4,000 to $7,000, and without paying minimum spending of $350/quarter, and without assessments for long-term capital improvement projects....but WITH only paying dues of $30 or so for 18 holes including a cart.

Our experience as country club members in other states for decades, and as club committee members who saw the finances close up, is that you can't have it both ways. The championship courses here are public courses and do NOT have the revenues private country clubs get in dues, cart fees, initiation fees, minimum spending, food and beverage spending, banquet business, and special assessments.

Excellent argument but my recollection from Nov 2005 is that we had 4 hours not 72 hours to make a decision. Sounds incredible but that's what it was at that time.

"my neighborhood is filled with younger resident golfers". What does this mean?

A Friendly Face
 

Of course, I think I am right and a big thank you for showing me some support. Will my postings change anything, not likely but that doesn't make my statements any less true. My neighborhood like yours used to be nearly all priority golfers. Today, my neighborhood is more likely to be less than 25 percent priority. Thanks again rubicon. it's you and me brother !!!!!

agree
 

I agree with you 100%!!!!!!!

Point Missed
 

You must have missed part of my orginal posting. I was and am aware that in other locations, initation fees etc are the norm. But not in this area. I addressed this issue in my first posting. First, you really don't have unlimited play in the Villages, everyone I know has had play requests denied because of accumulated play points. Secondly, I am unaware of any course in our area that has those Country Club conditions you described. I am aware of one community that requires a minimum restaurant payment monthly. I am also aware that many communities such as Top of The World and Eagle Ridge that has a yearly fee that provides for unlimited play. The yearly cost at both of these clubs is less than what one will incur for golf in the Villages over a year period.
I do appreciate your comments. good golfing to you.

And everyone I've spoken with who's looked at Top of the World said "NO WAY. Compared to TV it's a total dud." And that refers to the overall living experience possible, not just golf.

Personally I don't think the majority of people here in TV chose it because of golf. I think most chose it because of overall quality of life as a young-at-heart person who wants to be active in a variety of ways, not just in golf.

[QUOTE=Warren Kiefer;681902]You must have missed part of my orginal posting. I was and am aware that in other locations, initation fees etc are the norm. But not in this area. I addressed this issue in my first posting. First, you really don't have unlimited play in the Villages, everyone I know has had play requests denied because of accumulated play points. Secondly, I am unaware of any course in our area that has those Country Club conditions you described. I am aware of one community that requires a minimum restaurant payment monthly. I am also aware that many communities such as Top of The World and Eagle Ridge that has a yearly fee that provides for unlimited play. The yearly cost at both of these clubs is less than what one will incur for golf in the Villages over a year period.


I am sure that Eagle Ridge or Top of the World would be glad to sell you a very nice home. You would probably make a very nice profit on your Villages house, too. Happy golfing wherever you end up.

My Posting
 

My posting was about the cost of golf in the Villages. I am personally of the opinion that golf does play a big part in why people move here. Anyway, we need to keep to the subject. That is; Why are golfing fees in the Villages higher than nearly every outside course. My posting has nothing to do with the Village's lifestyle or the lifestyle in any adjacent communities. Every community that I have visited has it's positive points. For example, The sheer beauty Harbor Hills far surpasses anything we have in the Villages (good asset), but having to drive several miles for groceries etc are minuses.

Golf had no impact on our decision to build in TV. It would be interesting to find out how many others as well.
Yes we play. We used to be priority but now just play executive.

simple supply and demand!!!! Keep in mind around 5000 new residents per year added to the population. The priority courses will soon be finite. So there will always be an increasing demand for priority.

The othe factor is a certain percentage of residents aging to the point where playing 9 is more enjoyable than 18, hence a number of priority members will fall out each year.

Othe than flat panel television sets, what else ever goes down in price?

Look at Disney just raising thir prices again this year to $95. I remember when it was $25!!! and grandparents used to get in for free. Then it went to 50% of the gate fee. And now it is the standard gate fee of $95.

As long as materials go up in price every year....and as long as workers expect a raise evry year....it is nothing but simple math....prices will go up every year to offset those increasing costs....and the increasing population will pay the price....simple supply and demand.....

btk

isn't the increases the same
 

First, thanks for your comments. BUT, the question was; why are greens fees in the Villages higher than nearby courses. This fact is simple math to me, the adjacent golf course communities have the same increasing costs, yet they charge much less in many cases. You assume workers get regular raises, I know for sure that the Villages Golf Division staff has been paid ONLY the minimum wage forever. Lastly, you use the words "simple supply and demand".. Eureka !!!Of course this is what drives the fees here in the Villages, captive audience is also a good description. BUT, this is a contradiction of what Harold Schwartz was all about. And this is why many believe "the family" squeezed Harold out of the Villages decision making process his last 10 years on earth.