[Steve]

Read in today's (3/29/24) Daily Sun the USGA cavalry is being called in to rescue The Villages executive golf courses devastated by El Nino's excess rain and cloud cover(!). It may be quicker and less expensive to check out who is doing the greens keeping at Continental Country Club or The Links of Spruce Creek South, both basically within The Villages, and ask them for advice.

Played The Links for the first time in several months yesterday and was shocked at the near-pristine conditions. The greens were magnificent and the fairways green and lush. A couple of tees could use some work but that's small potatoes compared to the conditions of a number of Villages courses, both Executive and Championship. And for $38.00 after 1:00 PM! Same El Nino. Same cloud cover.
The Villages should be ashamed!

[hdanielblank]

It's Good Friday March 29 at 10:10 and thevillages.net has been down since at least 5:30 AM. Does anyone know what is happened or when if it is coming back up today?

[Stu from NYC]

Still beating the el nino drum. Wonder how many believe that at this point?

[bagboy]

Of course, everyone views things in their own way. The first paragraph of that story mentions el Nino and our "aging" executive golf courses. Two excuses for bad management in one fell swoop. The fact that you hire an Executive course superintendent, now being overseen by not one, but two supervisors (hardly turf management experienced), and top it off with the USGA coming as advisors is just incredible in my opinion.
And to top it off, our superintendent thinks aeration should be used four times a year. Knowledgeable superintendents that I have known aerate once a year in the summer, verticut twice a year with top dressing watered in, and over seed with winter rye in October. They manage weeds and disease during the cooler months, and fertilizer and nurture grass in the spring.
This el Nino narrative is a farce. In my humble opinion, of course.

[village dreamer]

they dont need the usga , they need god. ops i cant say that , can i ???

[Joe Mack]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Still beating the el nino drum. Wonder how many believe that at this point?

Not many, just as no one believes the aging golf course narrative. Golf courses around the world in all sorts of climates have been around a heck of a lot longer than the villages.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Joe Mack

Not many, just as no one believes the aging golf course narrative. Golf courses around the world in all sorts of climates have been around a heck of a lot longer than the villages.

Very true but do you expect them to admit incompetence in taking care of the courses?

[MrFlorida]

El Nino', that's a good one !

[Topgun 1776]

Blaming El Nino for the golf course conditions is like blaming it on the International Space Station orbiting the Earth. Totally, ridiculously insane.

[mickey100]

There's no question we have harsh weather here in Central Florida, but as others have said, the other golf courses in the area maintain pristine conditions, much better than our courses. Maybe there were shortcuts when the courses were built i.e. underlying turf conditions are not as good? Or maybe it's just mediocre maintenance, who knows. But the problem has been going on for years and years. I've always wondered why the Villages didn't get into maintaining the courses themselves, instead of relying on these companies, where some are good and others are not.

[NJRICHARD]

The dog ate my homework....el nino made the golf courses bad.....i have a bridge in nyc to sell you....pick one!

[Mrmean58]

Originally Posted by Steve

Read in today's (3/29/24) Daily Sun the USGA cavalry is being called in to rescue The Villages executive golf courses devastated by El Nino's excess rain and cloud cover(!). It may be quicker and less expensive to check out who is doing the greens keeping at Continental Country Club or The Links of Spruce Creek South, both basically within The Villages, and ask them for advice.

Played The Links for the first time in several months yesterday and was shocked at the near-pristine conditions. The greens were magnificent and the fairways green and lush. A couple of tees could use some work but that's small potatoes compared to the conditions of a number of Villages courses, both Executive and Championship. And for $38.00 after 1:00 PM! Same El Nino. Same cloud cover.
The Villages should be ashamed!

So Steve, what is your solution? Does everyone honestly believe that every greens keeper in the villages from end to end all forgot how to maintain their respective courses all at the same time? Please start coming with positive suggestions instead of constant complaints. Be part of the solution. We appear to have thousands of "experts" but few come forward with ways to help improve the situation. First everyone must acknowledge that the golfing model in The Villages is unlike any other in the world from a pure usage perspective. We are not like " my club" back home. Start there and come up with suggestions.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Mrmean58

So Steve, what is your solution? Does everyone honestly believe that every greens keeper in the villages from end to end all forgot how to maintain their respective courses all at the same time? Please start coming with positive suggestions instead of constant complaints. Be part of the solution. We appear to have thousands of "experts" but few come forward with ways to help improve the situation. First everyone must acknowledge that the golfing model in The Villages is unlike any other in the world from a pure usage perspective. We are not like " my club" back home. Start there and come up with suggestions.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by bagboy

Of course, everyone views things in their own way. The first paragraph of that story mentions el Nino and our "aging" executive golf courses. Two excuses for bad management in one fell swoop. The fact that you hire an Executive course superintendent, now being overseen by not one, but two supervisors (hardly turf management experienced), and top it off with the USGA coming as advisors is just incredible in my opinion.
And to top it off, our superintendent thinks aeration should be used four times a year. Knowledgeable superintendents that I have known aerate once a year in the summer, verticut twice a year with top dressing watered in, and over seed with winter rye in October. They manage weeds and disease during the cooler months, and fertilizer and nurture grass in the spring.
This el Nino narrative is a farce. In my humble opinion, of course.

Until moving to TV have never seen aerification done in the winter months(grass is mostly dormant) and have always seen aerification when greens and fairways are in good shape. Can' imagine why anyone would put holes in a green when grass is NOT growing. How is the non growing grass going to cover up the hole caused by the aerification.

Do enjoy playing on over seeded greens and partially understand why they do not do this any longer. Greens will be bad for two months due to the planting/dying of the winter grass. Hopefully smarter heads will prevail.

[Teemotay]

Originally Posted by Mrmean58

So Steve, what is your solution? Does everyone honestly believe that every greens keeper in the villages from end to end all forgot how to maintain their respective courses all at the same time? Please start coming with positive suggestions instead of constant complaints. Be part of the solution. We appear to have thousands of "experts" but few come forward with ways to help improve the situation. First everyone must acknowledge that the golfing model in The Villages is unlike any other in the world from a pure usage perspective. We are not like " my club" back home. Start there and come up with suggestions.

I believe that Steve offered a potentially less expensive solution. He suggested asking two other golf courses that have very good greens conditions and are in the same general vicinity for advice rather than the USGA. Those courses also receive a lot of play.