THE VILLAGES, Florida – You can quote me on this: “A good day of golf is how well you hit your bad shots.” (Bill Sangster circa ’75)
Living in The Villages is the ultimate satisfaction a golfer can experience when there’s (32) 18 hole Championships Golf Courses within approximately eight miles of your home.
Ten of our Championship Courses have (3) 9 hole courses which are in reality, (3) different 18 hole courses. Added together these 10 courses equal (30) 18 hole courses. There are two Championship Courses that only have 18 holes which gives us the 32 courses in total. Sounds a bit confusing but it’s a fact that you could play our 12 Championship Courses for 32 days in a row without playing the same 18 holes together twice.
So why would you want to leave The Villages to play golf someplace else?
* Every time you play a championship courses here you have to pay a greens fee. This fee can be anywhere from 36.00 to 45.00 depending on the course and season. (summer and winter). Cart fees are not charged because almost all Village Golfers have their own carts. Carts are available to rent at each course for a nominal fee. This means that a golfer who plays five days a week pays anywhere from $180. to $225. a week to play the championship courses. Multiple that by 52 and you get the picture!
* There are a number of golf courses in the towns surrounding The Villages that are less expensive to play then some of The Villages’ courses including the cart fee. There are also courses that run specials during the week offering reduced group rates with lunch and dinner specials included. These “road trips” are a unique opportunity for golfers to visit different towns around The Villages and enjoy the chance to be a tourist for the day.
* Just about all the smaller villages inside of The Villages has a golf group that spend a couple days a week golfing together. These groups can be as large as 30-40 golfers and as small as 2-3. To add a little change to their golfing routine they add a “road trip” to their schedule once a month and arrange with an outside course reduced greens fees and cart fees. This fee could also include lunch either at the course or a surrounding restaurant.
* Golfers who enjoy using the 42 Executive Courses in The Villages also have groups that play together during the week. The Executive Courses do not charge a greens fee but there is a “Trails fee” that is charged each year to use the Executive Courses. There are a number of courses in the surrounding towns that are par 62 or less that offer reduced rate packages for both golf and lunch. Basically, there is something for everyone who enjoys a golf trip to find one that fits there game here in central Florida.
Speaking of leaving The Villages and going on “Road Trips” that’s exactly my golf assignment for the next few months. I will discover those hard-to-find, off-the-beaten-path buried treasure of golf courses here in Central Florida. Then submit a written report on my journey, containing the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly facts!
I’ve spent many vacations down here in the “Sunshine State” in the Disney/Universal area with my family. And, I always bring my golf clubs and spend time on Golf Now finding courses that offer a bargain and challenging round of golf without costing more than $100.
The “Sunshine State” has over 1,000 courses. Somewhere down here, there’s a golf course waiting for you with smooth and welcoming fairways, bunkers with white sand and manicured greens calling your name.
Stay tuned for my next report where I can help you find that special course and suggest you spend quality time enjoying the “greatest game on turf.”
Leave a Reply