[jebartle]

Where in NC are you from? We lived in Morganton for 27 years, played ALL neighboring courses including Biltmore, Asheville CC, Hendersonville CC (my favorite), Cliffs (all of them), Champion Hills, all of Pinehurst area, Southern Pines, Mid-Pines, loved them all, especially the Donald Ross Courses which were plentiful in NC, and many more....Big difference from most Donald Ross courses and the Villages is the distance between green and tees, you could probably build another Donald Ross course with the distance between green and tee....The Villages doesn't like walkers....giggle...

[golfnut]

thanks bk, schot stated prices in NC are the same as golfing here and I just find that hard to believe....gn

[bkcunningham1]

jebartle, we have a house about 20 minutes outside of Fayetteville, NC. Golfnut, in all fairness, comparing greens fees at places like Pinehurst and Southern Pines to all of NC courses is like apples and oranges. When you play at these top rated course, you have a cart brought to your vehicle and your clubs put in the cart for you. When you are finished playing a round, someone is waiting (for a tip of course) to clean your clubs and they ride back to your car to return your cart.

The average fees on our community course here at a gated community, included a cart, are around $27 for 18 holes. Beautiful course here. No caddies, no beer cart, no country club. Just friendly family owned and great. There is a nearby course my husband loves to play with visitors. It is called Tobacco Road. Golf Digest says it's the 10th hardest course in America. It costs about $77 for 18 with a cart. Several other neighboring public courses, all very nice, cost about $25 for 18 with a cart.

[jebartle]

The courses that I mentioned were private, Biltmore for one had green fees that were $110 with an invitation from a guest (initation to belong $100,000), our home course was $85 with cart which was also private, a lot of courses as else where in the nation are struggling to keep their heads above water with this recession but you can get deals at public courses especially at Myrtle Beach (seasonal), but I think the Villages fees are comparable and I'm a little biased because I LOVE this place...When we played Pebble Beach it was $350 p/person, mandatory two days stay at the hotel whiich was $350 a day, I'm sure that has changed because it has been a few years since we played there, so you see, the Villages is a pretty good deal and the courses are in relatively good shape, considering the frost damage, I just wished the practice putting green near us was in better shape so we could work on our putting.

[bkcunningham1]

You absolutely can't beat The Villages golf. Are you kidding me? Year-round golf for $137 a year if you just play the, what is it now, 27 executive courses. The championship courses we've played in TV, Cane Gardens and the Palmer (confusing signage is my only complaint at Palmer), in the dead of winter with a tremendous cold snap were beautiful. For $37 and $47 respectively...what a bargain.

Granted they aren't like Tru-Blue in Pawley's Island, SC, or Caledonia at Myrtle Beach, SC., or the courses in NC. But when you are there, you don't get to play a round and drive your golf car home to your house in TV.

[golfnut]

thanks bk and je for the responses, I think you have explained the circumstances very well....gn

[jebartle]

Contacted Hacienda CC pro, they are working on green today, airating, fertilizing and watering, green should be ready for use in two weeks

[aln]

I was there playing bocce

YEAH, they did work on it - airated! fertiliezed! sanded! watered!


Then, less that 5 minutes after the water was turned off, three young women with pull carts took a direct route right across the putting green

[carlnpeg]

Just think of how many people are playing on the courses here compared to elsewhere and like golfnut said what are you paying vs. the outside areas.

[jebartle]

Practice putting green is looking good....Guess it pays to "make noise"...Maintenance staff has been working hard and this golfer appreciates their diligence...Atta boy!