Been playing courses here for six years both executive and championship. Those are not aerated greens. There are huge areas of black bare dirt and large holes on all the greens where there is no grass at all. We talked to one of the maintence guys on Bogart today and he said they have thrown fertilizer, sand, and spray paint on the greens and surrounding areas around the greens. He seems genuinely out of explanations for the conditions. No aeration!

That green is aerated and sanded. I've seen it enough to know
Steve

Doze it and turn it into a...'Putt & Play.' :D




With lots of vehicle parking. :1rotfl:

As you said, I am not a golfer. Maybe that explains why you haven't seen it before. Oh wait, you don't live here yet. Soon, when you do, a lot of your questions will be answered.

Ya know... I'm just a casual golfer and not all that competent at judging one course from another, so although I have been on greens that I thought were not in good shape, I have no expertise.


However, enough people are complaining, and a lot of people are saying wait until the snowbirds go home. But the whole idea is to have full occupancy in the winter months, and the weather and activities and golf are advertised as such. Do they ever say Come Down on the Off Season and Find Great Golf Course Conditions?


My opinion is that the courses should be maintained to a higher standard during the high season, because that's what TV is all about, the winter warmth and the outdoor activities.

That is it in a nutshell,,! And those that dont want to hear the concerns about the conditions should stay off the thread so they wont be so bothered by the comments. Waiting for the summer to enjoy good conditions is such a shortsighted solution and answer.

The white “stuff” on the greens is sand. The greens on most of the courses I have played recently have been top dressed with a thin layer of sand. The aerification will come through the next six to 8 weeks. The sand is spread and dragged to help create a smooth surface for grass growth.

Apparently several people do not realize that Bermuda grass, which is on all the greens, (and fairways), does NOT grow in the cooler months. As our temperatures warm now, the Bermuda grass comes out of dormancy unevenly. No matter what maintenance does, they can not make Bermuda grass grow in cold/cool temperatures. The warmer the winter months here, the better chance there will be some Bermuda grass growth. Conversely colder temperatures or longer lasting cold spells preclude Bermuda grass growth.

Overseeing with rye grass used to be done on tees and greens, but there are some problems with that especially as the Bermuda comes out of dormancy and the rye grass dies off in the heat of spring. I did some self directed research on the internet of the advantages/disadvantages of overseeding. Interesting reading.

I play mainly championship courses and have found most are fine this time of year considering the grass is dormant. Orange Blossom, Tierra de Sol, Mallory, Cane, Belle Glade, Hacienda Hills all okay. Haven’t played others recently. I seldom play execs in the winter, but recently played Escambia. I thought the greens were fine except for being slow due to the top dressing of sand.

Thank you Bill!
Steve

I am a golfer and I agree the greens (especially on the executive courses I've played) are in poor condition. I hope that over the summer they will be able to fix the issues. But I still love living here. I love all the golfing options, but it's not the only reason I live here. I've made great friends and I love all the activities. It's a well maintained, beautiful place to live. The "HOA" fee pays for so much more than golf course maintenance. And that fee is unbelievably reasonable.
What frustrates me is that so many people expect "The Developer" to fix things. "Fix the Villages Regional Hospital, fix the golf courses, stop selling homes because it's getting too big/too much traffic and I don't like that."
If there comes a time The Villages doesn't have what I'm looking for... I will move to a community that better fits my needs. But I'm not going to blame The Developer... I believe they are trying to do the right thing for the people that live here. And I certainly don't begrudge them for making a profit on what they are doing.

played Pimlico today. Can't remember ever seeing any golf track in a condition as poor as this. Tees ,Fairways and Greens all substandard

For those whose life is only about golf....you might be right. If you moved here because of golf and had an expectation that can't be met....now what do you do? I lived in PA where we had some great conditions....they were a different grass, they were only played on regularly 8 months a year and didn't approach the number of rounds that get played here. I assume you have an intimate knowledge on what it takes to maintain a golf course and have extensive experience in this area, otherwise your comments and judgement is personal opinion only. Those that are enjoying the golf here have their opinions also but your insinuation that they are wearing rose colored glasses because they disagree with you is both rude and insulting. JMO

Thank you!
Steve

:bigbow:

I played Mallory today. Greens were in wonderful condition.

I agree completely. It seems that many , in their previous lives, were poor, controlling managers that couldn't stand the thought of an employee complaining about the way things were being run. Its a shame that some would try to protect the way courses are being presented, when clearly they are in poor shape, and absolutely cant stand the thought that many customers would dare complain on their perceived watch. Why would you protect something that clearly is a problem?