It is that time of year that every Villages Homesteader (a person that lives in The Villages full time and is Homesteaded by the State of Florida) gets taken advantage of by the Villages and the Developer. Every Jan. 1 the Winter Golf Course Rates are published, and the new higher rates are revealed. As a business owner and a golfer, I understand why The Villages change rates during the winter, supply and demand. Once the snowbirds arrive there is a limited number of days The Villages can get their money before they return to their full-time homes.
Here lies the problem; The residents that have moved to the Villages permanently (homesteaded) are not being treated fairly for what they have done for the last eight months
Here’s why:
1. Without the homesteaded residents the businesses that pay rent to the Developer would not be able to survive the eight months that the snowbirds are not here.
2. Without the Homesteaded residents the country club restaurants would not be able to survive the eight months the snowbirds are not here.
3. Without the homesteaders the golf courses would not be able to be profitable for the Developer.
How are the Homesteaders treated for their loyalty:
During the summer all the championship golf courses get aerated three (3) times (June, July and August) after each aeration the course is basically unplayable for 2 weeks and the 2 remaining weeks are not ideal either. In addition, there is not any discount to play on these courses during these basically unplayable conditions. Almost every golf course in the country has a discounted green fee when their golf courses have recently been aerated, not The Villages.
We also tolerate extreme weather to play golf during the summer months, knowing that when winter comes it will be ideal golfing conditions.
What is our reward for tolerating the above-mentioned?
Higher green fees and less tee times. Does not seem to be FAIR.
A proposed solution: Give the Homesteaders a 12-month Green Fee Rate for each course. The Homesteaders rate would not change due to the season.
In addition, the Developer and/or The Villages should not take on this revenue loss, but they should charge more for all other greens fees to make up the difference they are giving the Homesteaders.
I think this is the least the Developer/The Villages can do to thank the Homesteaders for all that they do to keep the Villages running all year long.
Maybe Cliff Wiener, POA President, can make this a priority for the upcoming months?
Joseph Capone is a resident of the Village of Ashland and a Homesteader since 2019 in The Villages.
