Amazing how there is a complaint about just the greens. How about all the other rules. Like private property do not enter. Stay out of areas that are clearly marked water areas and mashes. The list goes on and on. 95% of the full time golfers here do comply. But when the snow birds come. All hell break loose.
As I waited for my tee time yesterday. I watched as a male golfer goes over next to a rec-center and starts swinging his club taking large peaces of grass out of the lawn. I suggested that was not the place to do that since it was clearly not part of the golf course. His reply (well I don't use those kind of words). And another quote. "I paid for golf time and I can swing my clubs where ever I want to" . Then his friend comes over looks at me. laughs and takes his club and starts hitting the plants. " Don't like he tells me. Try and do something about it."
Welcome to the villages when the snow birds are here.
As for the Ambassadors. They can't really do much about it. The villages will not let them do what is needed to stop this kind of thing from happening. Please remember this is about making money not about playing golf.

"Snowbirds"
 

Its a good thing that our seasonal friends aren't here during hurricane season or they'd get blamed for that too.

What makes you so sure these folks were snowbirds? Did they have a sign on their forehead?

WOW without these Snowbirds you could probably not afford to be playing on these courses or eating in any decent restaurants etc etc. Their cost is also 2-3 times your cost because they are here only a few months. Tbankfully, most of the people I come in contact. with do not share your point if view. 99.4% friendly. Join the club.

The snowbirds that I know don't act like this. Don't paint them with a broad brush.
Your new friends you met on the golf course are just jerks. Probably were bullies on the playground as well. Wanting to start a fight..........is so macho!

It works pretty well too. I was traveling and stopped and played a course in Tennessee that had one at every hole . My course up north has several for the maintenance staff and they send out a kid every morning to fix what the players did not. It is a shame it has come to that.....

As a new golfer I agree, and will be looking for when and where I can take the class. Thanks for the info.

Now is that just one guaranteed hole-in-one? Or is it one per pair of socks purchased??!!?? :^0

Since I came to TV, I have believed there is an issue on the executive with golf etiquite.

For many people, exective golf is the first golfing experience they have had...they pay for it in their amentiy fees and they'll be darned if they are not going to play.

They learn the rules but the subtle nuances of golf etiquite are completely foreign to them.

Among the things, that I have observed first hand, missing from their understanding are:

• Fixing ball marks,
• Raking traps,
• Fixing divots with sand,
• Walking while you are putting,
• Talking while you are hitting,
• Keeping carts away from (off of) the greens,
• Keeping up with the group in front of them, not keeping ahead of those behind them,
• Not being on the tee while others in the group are hitting to watch the balls,
• Not moving to the next tee before straightening their golf bag out,
• and my favorite...sitting in the golf cart until the riding partner has hit then driving 15 yards to their ball, getting out, choosing their club, setting up and hitting!

I agree that eveyone who plays golf here in TV should have a sticker on thier ID Card that indicates that they have atteneded Golf 101 or has passed a simple rules / etiquite quiz.

Having been a golfer since childhood and a former caddy, I did not go to Golf 101 but am not sure if these things are taught or not. But I would be willing to take a quiz to qualify to play!

My sentiments--- exactly:clap2:
Now how do we make it happen?

It is not only the snowbirds. Last September when I was down I played with two guys that made fun of me because I was not full time yet. It was all in fun joking and stuff. The first green was so bad I started repairing ball marks, could not putt to the hole without doing it. The one guy said I can't improve my shot. I just looked at him and he was serious. I told him that you are suppossed to fix your marks everytime and he said that was the ambassadors job. I told him that they don't sit there waiting for him to make a mark and fix it. It was a long round, they only made one ball mark. The tees were not in the right place that day:)

Great post. If I offended Ambassadors with my comment that they rarely say anything about repairing ball marks, I'm sorry, but Im speaking from my experience. The only time I've ever had anyone say something about repair ball marks, rake traps, etc., is over at Lopez, and possibly Orange blossom. I've never been warned on an executive course, and I play them about once a week. Also, I have a couple friends that are Ambassadors on the golf course, and they've told me stories about how if they reprimand players, ask them to hurry up, or whatever, the players will turn them in and get them in trouble with their boss, so they tend not to say anything - just give them water and sand, and try to avoid any confrontation. If you are an exception to the rule, I'm glad to hear it.

no I did not intend that we should do greens maintenance and repair all the marks....yours if you are having a good day and hitting the greens. And While waiting your turn get one or two others.

If everybody did this the greens would be oh so much better.

I personally do not think it is related to snow birds. There will always be those who we all know that think rules are for everybody else. And there are way too many that just do not know.

TV or some golf related group would be nice offering golf 101....or TV could have a do and don't package handed to every property owner with golg 101/expectatios....how to drive round abouts...etc.

Sometimes wonder about the basic courtesies that some just do not participate in:ohdear:

btk

I am currently a snowbird and I can tell you I am very cognizant of good golf etiquette and course maintenance! I always look over the green as I am going to my ball, and fix any ball marks I see,including my own. Additionally, I have played with dozens of full time residents, many of whom do not ever repair a ball mark or rake the trap. I have played golf for fifty years and still went to the good golf school two years ago in order to learn the local expectations and founditvery informative. Incidentally, I have played with two couples in the last year, both of whom were full-timers that actually parked their carts on the fringe, one had a person who was limited physically, but the other couple appeared to be fine. Guess it depends on the person and not the time they spend in TV!

Heron also
 

:mademyday:This post is inspired after playing the Belmont course today. The greens were in horrible condition. It is absolutely staggering how many ball marks are on the greens with obviously no attempt having ever been made to repair the ball marks. Disgustingly irresponsible of any of you who play and do not repair ball marks on the greens. Do you know it is just common responsibility to do so? Yes, even the ones you do not make!

Do some of you think it is someone else's responsility to do this? Clean up after those who know no better or give a * * * * ?

Shame on those who contribute to making a mess of our golf courses?

If ya wanna play learn what your supposed to do while standing around on the greens....

btk[/QUOTE]


:agree::mademyday: