I moved part-time to The Villages almost two years ago with the hope that I was spending good money to live in a well-kept, affordable golf community.Â
Being an avid golfer, I appreciate the variety that The Villages has to offer, including the ability to work on my short game on some rather challenging Executive courses.
However, over the past year I have seen a significant degradation of both the championship and executive course conditions, with excess weed growth, diseased greens, washed out areas on the course, greens too slow to put on, unkempt bunkers, and the like.
In The Villages, we pay a modest monthly homeowners fee to have nicely manicured grounds, flowers, and free executive golf. However, with the conditions of the courses today, it seems that the attention of The Villages staff is not on improving or even maintaining the most used and recognizable asset of living in The Villages. The fees continue to increase year on year yet the course conditions are getting worse. Additionally, paying the moderate fees at championship courses, the expectation is that we would have better conditions to play under. Also, I see a potential trend with the higher amount we pay at the newest Championship course Southern Oaks to carry over to the planned courses being added west of the interstate. This is a deterrent for golfers to play there that is evidenced by the number of open tee times available even during our busiest season.
Golfers I have talked to are not asking for pristine conditions that you might find at a TPC, but conditions that allow for a true roll of the golf ball, level and kept tee boxes, and minimal washout areas where turning an ankle and possibly ending your season is imminent. These days I prefer to golf outside of The Villages and have played some challenging and better kept courses for the same or less greens fees.
Given the amount of play within The Villages at the championship courses, in addition to the millions of dollars collected through homeowner amenity fees, I am certain that the organization is turning a significant profit. Allocating just a portion of those profits on upkeep of the courses will make for happier homeowners and golfers, and eventually generate more income for the ownership and country clubs through greater participation and food and drink purchases at the restaurants.
Christopher Mello is a resident of the Village of St. Catherine.
