[swooner]

Originally Posted by Debra.t.robinson

It seems as if this practice also protects long term residents from losing established routines.

Having a neighborhood or local group allows for a stronger community. Whether the group plays 1 or 2 times a month, or weekly, what a great way to meet and maintain connections with your neighbors.

Anyone can start a group, therefore, if this practice bothers you, start a group, establish a routine, meet more than 1 - 3 other people who share your interests.

OK. I'm gonna go out and find 26 people who want to play golf with me each week. Great idea!

[swooner]

Originally Posted by Tyson

This has been going on for more than 20 years. These groups support golf in TV all year long and all players must be priority. In peak season TV gives the leader around 4 courses to chose from. You'll never get TV to stop this.Get a group of 32 and you can join the fun.

Not true. Per the Villages Golf Pro, all players are NOT Priority!

[JGibson]

Originally Posted by swooner

Not true. Per the Villages Golf Pro, all players are NOT Priority!

lol, those pesky facts.

I bet it doesn't matter how many points you have also, what a great way to circumvent the points system.

Again I have no problem with a few times a year but every week is crazy.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by swooner

Not true. Per the Villages Golf Pro, all players are NOT Priority!

Yes they are... To book as a priority group ALL golfers in the group must be priority members...

I'm in a Wednesday Championship Course group. They typically have 3-4 foursomes.

Since I'm not a priority member (not worth the $$$ since I'm still a part timer), they never put my name in the group tee-time request, because doing so would bump them down to a regular request.

Once the tee-time list comes out (Sunday morning), I check the groups and if there's a threesome, I add my name to that group. Most weeks, I can add my name. Occasionally, I get shut out.

But I'm not going to demand that the rest of the group lose their priority status when booking times just to make sure I'm included...

[jnsbill]

does this extend to the executive courses?

[justjim]

Originally Posted by jnsbill

does this extend to the executive courses?

My educated guess is no. The Developer owns the Championship Courses but not the Executive courses although the Developer has both built.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

Yes they are... To book as a priority group ALL golfers in the group must be priority members...

I'm in a Wednesday Championship Course group. They typically have 3-4 foursomes.

Since I'm not a priority member (not worth the $$$ since I'm still a part timer), they never put my name in the group tee-time request, because doing so would bump them down to a regular request.

Once the tee-time list comes out (Sunday morning), I check the groups and if there's a threesome, I add my name to that group. Most weeks, I can add my name. Occasionally, I get shut out.

But I'm not going to demand that the rest of the group lose their priority status when booking times just to make sure I'm included...

You need to go back and read the initial post. You're comparing apples & oranges.

The Groups of 32 or more, are different than booking 3 or 4 foursome. They are super-priority reservations that work completely differently than someone booking less than 32 people.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by swooner

It recently came to my attention that The Villages Golf Administration provides special privileges to groups of 32 or more members. This highly unadvertised practice enables groups of that size or larger to pre-establish regular recurring Tee Times at various Villages courses. At least two courses, OBH and Lopez Legacy, and possibly more, prebook these groups on a regular weekly basis to the detriment of Priority Members who compete for Tee Times through TV Tee Time System. These privileged groups include both Priority and Non-Priority Golfers.

Paying an annual Priority Membership Fee ($777) is supposed to provide certain privileges such as having priority for booking over groups that include non-Priority members. All groups in addition are supposed to be prioritized for booking purposes based on total group playing points that have been accumulated during the past 7 days. By pre booking groups of 32 or more players irrespective of these rules, Golf Administration has established a prejudicial procedure in violation of the benefits upon which they sell Priority Memberships.

After referring this issue to Golf Administration, I was essentially told, sorry, that's the way it is. It seems that they don't care if they violate the very precepts under which they sell Priority memberships to the detriment of all of us Priority members who play by the rules. If enough of you express your concerns about this to Golf Administration, perhaps they will be obliged to review and eliminate this practice that clearly violates the terms under which Priority Memberships are sold.

\


The "Priority Membership" is now the "Enhanced Membership". Neat semantics.

The Villages Championship golf courses generate approximately $300,000/day in Greens Fees alone during peak season.

Figuring in some paid carts, range balls, lunches, drinks, etc. ... the number probably approaches $400,000.

Geez, I wonder what would happen if we all took a day off from golf? I bet they'd notice. 😂

[arickis]

This "32" rule also applies to the executive courses, and that is why it is so hard to get a tee time. There are no tee times available three days in advance on any ANY executive course in The Villages due to the special groups of 32 or more. A lot of the groups have ghost golfers who do not play but their Id numbers are used to fill the 32 quota. This starts in January and runs through April now. Renters are the main problem.

[jjombrello]

Are you complaining about Mens' and Ladies' day golf? If so, they have been playing all of the 25 years I've lived here. Hasn't been a problem for any golf group I play in. If you want to play at the times these events are schedules, join the Mens' or Ladies' group.

[tuccillo]

The reason there are very few tee times available on the executive courses 3 days in advance is because the vast majority of the tee times are assigned via requests (up to 7 days in advance). Once the requests are satisfied at midnight to 12:30 AM 3 days in advance, there are few tee times available for grabbing via the reservation button. You don’t need 32 or more for a request. It isn’t clear exactly what the size distribution is of the requests. I typically see groups of 4-8 playing the executives and clearly they got the tee time via a request.

Originally Posted by arickis

This "32" rule also applies to the executive courses, and that is why it is so hard to get a tee time. There are no tee times available three days in advance on any ANY executive course in The Villages due to the special groups of 32 or more. A lot of the groups have ghost golfers who do not play but their Id numbers are used to fill the 32 quota. This starts in January and runs through April now. Renters are the main problem.

[Vermilion Villager]

WOW!!!! Did not know this…
I propose we get 32 of us together and form a club. Each put $100 into a pot. Then out of that pot we pay someone a small stipend to reserve tee times for us. Considering the individual price for a priority membership at $777each one of us would be money ahead. At the end of the season we could take that part of money and have one hell of a big party!
So who is with me?????

[Papa_lecki]

This might help…

Championships
Golf The Villages

We have created Group Days on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings for you! This simply means that groups of 8 - 32 will have preference for Tee Times from 7:28 to 9:28 at Tierra Del Sol, Hacienda, Cane Garden, Mallory Hill, Evans Prairie and Belle Glade opposite the courses scheduled for Men's and Ladies' Day


EXECUTIVE Groups
Golf The Villages

Summer only
Groups MUST begin between 1:02 pm - 7:00 pm

[swooner]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

Yes they are... To book as a priority group ALL golfers in the group must be priority members...

I'm in a Wednesday Championship Course group. They typically have 3-4 foursomes.

Since I'm not a priority member (not worth the $$$ since I'm still a part timer), they never put my name in the group tee-time request, because doing so would bump them down to a regular request.

Once the tee-time list comes out (Sunday morning), I check the groups and if there's a threesome, I add my name to that group. Most weeks, I can add my name. Occasionally, I get shut out.

But I'm not going to demand that the rest of the group lose their priority status when booking times just to make sure I'm included...

The privileged groups don’t use the TT system to book, therefore none of the booking rules apply to them. I understand what you are saying. You’re playing by the rules. The other dude are exempt.

[swooner]

Originally Posted by jjombrello

Are you complaining about Mens' and Ladies' day golf? If so, they have been playing all of the 25 years I've lived here. Hasn't been a problem for any golf group I play in. If you want to play at the times these events are schedules, join the Mens' or Ladies' group.

Has nothing to do with mens and ladies day!