Guide to Championship Golf at The Villages

Recently, I finished playing all of the 711 golf holes offered at The Villages (T.V.). For those not familiar with The Villages, it is a 135,000 senior 55+ retirement community located about an hour NW of Orlando, Florida. There is about every activity available you can think of here including, 13 Championship golf courses (324) holes and 42 Executive courses (387) holes. 3 million rounds are played here every year with 2,270 hole in ones recorded in 2017.

Below are my ranking of the (3)-18 hole and (10)-27 hole Championship courses at T.V. I have photographed all of these courses and they can be viewed by clicking on the SLIDESHOW header above. I kept track of all my scores and ended up taking 1,346 strokes +50 over par =74.77 avg/18, which included 2 Eagles, 35 Birdies, 20 Three-putts, and shooting even par/or under on 11 of the 36 nines with 4 rounds of +40 all from the Blue tees.

My ranking Criteria is very simplistic: How many Interesting/Challenging holes (1pt) and Exceptional designed holes (2pt) are there per nine hole loop. Conditioning is pretty consistent throughout the courses as they are all managed by T.V. The Clifton Group designed all but 45 holes with the exception of Palmer and Glenview. So the design characteristics are also very similar which I would consider being Resort Style-generous landing areas with forgiving green run ups.

My rankings with recommendations of the top 9 hole loops at each 27 hole course:
Tier 1-Blue rated (25pts)
Palmer Legends CC(27)- 18 holes designed by The King himself with the other Riley Grove 9 by Clifton Design Group. The three loops here are all strong with Laurel Valley receiving (9pts) and Cherry Grove / Riley Grove 8 pts each. Very poor routing thru neighborhoods at Cherry Grove.

Tier 2-Gold+ rated (21-22pts)
Havana CC (27)- The most undulating property at T.V. Kilimanjaro 9 (8pts) is one of my favorites with a great stretch of short holes to finish off the loop. Hemingway 9 (9pts) is also very strong. Kenya 9 (5pts) the weaker loop here. Shot -2 on my two favorite loops. Great view from the Clubhouse patio.
Lopez Legacy CC (27)- Erin Glenn(9pts) and Torri Pines(8pts) two of the strongest 9's at T.V. Might want to pass on Ashley Meadows (5pts).
Mallory Hill CC (27)- Even being that there are two Exceptional holes on Caroline 9 (6pts), I prefer Virgina 9 (8pts) and Amelia 9 (7pts). Lots of rolling terrain on Amelia that makes for several interesting holes.
Glenview Champions CC (27)- Designed by three Champion tour players, I prefer the John Mahaffey Fox Run 9 (8pts) and the Tommy Aaron Stirrup Cup 9 (8pts) over the Hubert Green Talley Ho 9 (6pts). Nice diversity of holes at Glenview CC. My favorite clubhouse ambiance.

Tier 3- Gold rated (16-18 pts)
Cane Garden CC (27)- Another of my favorite's is the Hibiscus 9 (7pts), holes 2-5 are very secluded. Allamanda 9 (7pts) is your best choice over Jacaranda 9 (4pts).
Bonifay CC (27)- Even with a very nice stretch of rolling holes #5-#8 the remaining at Destin 9 (5pts) are rather mundane as are many at Ft Walton 9 (5pts). Pensacola 9 (7pts) has a great stretch of finishing holes and is the must play loop here.
Belle Glade (27)- A flat parcel without major wetlands that the architect has done a good job with trying to squeeze out a few interesting holes. Love the opening hole on Tequesta 9 (7pts). Seminole 9 (5pts) and Calusa 9 (5pts) mostly uninspiring but I would choose Seminole of the two.
Evans Prairie CC (27)-One of the flattest properties at T.V. Wetlands makes Killdeer 9 (7pts) and Osprey 9 (6pts) more interesting and challenging. Egret 9 (3pts) very weak.
**The previous three complexes are the newest at T.V. I wish the developer would have moved a little more dirt and gone with different architects, to give some more diversity to the courses at T.V. It would be nice to have at least one true world class championship course here.

Tier 4- Gold- rated (15 pts)
Hacienda CC (27)- The oldest and shortest 27 hole track at T.V. The Oaks 9 (6pts) and Palms 9 (5pts) would be my choice for a round of golf here. There are several short risk/reward holes on these two nines. Only a few holes on the Lakes (4pts) I liked.
Tierra Del Sol GCC- Mature growth 18 hole course with a cozy feeling due to the narrower fairways. More simplistic green complexes. 11 interesting holes, The Back 9 is the better one here.
Southern Oaks GC- The newest course (2021) with 8 holes along the "scenic" Florida Turnpike. Both nines (3/3/3 equal par 3-4-5's) have 5 interesting holes with 4-6 and 11-13 being the best stretches. Disappointed in this mundane design.

Tier 5- White rated (8/12pts)
Orange Blossom GCC- The original 18 at T.V. Eight interesting holes with some elevation change.

The top 5-6 courses here will give you a nice golfing experience, be sure and play the top two nines at each 27 hole course for the maximum challenge. As mentioned above this is Resort Style golf, that will not be that difficult if you are a lower handicap golfer. For the average golfer you will have an enjoyable round as the courses are mostly well maintained and not very penal. There is also the option to just play 9 holes, pick the top loop at each course for the very best experience.

I find the Executive courses more difficult due to the challenging green complexes and just as nicely conditioned. If you are a resident the Exec courses are included in your monthly activities fee, the Championship Courses are around $50 or half price if playing 9 holes.

"The ultimate judge of your swing is the flight of the ball."-Ben Hogan

It's easier to get up at 6:00 AM to play golf than at 10:00 to mow the yard.

"It is not the man who has little, but the man who craves more, who is poor."- Seneca

If you want to hit a 7 iron as far as Dustin Johnson does, simply try to lay up just short of a water hazard.

A golf match is a test of your skill against your opponents luck.

The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all of your many other errors.

"Of all the Hazards, Fear is the Worst."-Sam Snead

"Concentration comes out of a combination of Confidence and Hunger."-Arnold Palmer

"As you walk down the fairway of life you must Smell The Roses. For you only get to play One Round."-Ben Hogan

2017 Golf Trip- New England & Canada

Tomorrow after I leave the Michigan FB game I embark upon a 16 course tour of seven NE states, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. 45 years ago I vacationed in Maine for a couple of summers and really loved it but have never returned. You think I can still get a whole lobster for $3 and 50 steamers for $2?
Below is my planned itinerary. As you can see I have a very nice assortment of courses designed by some renowned architects-Ross, Muirhead, Silvia, McBroom, Whitman, Robinson, Coore, Crenshaw, Thompson, Fasio.

Mark Twain GC-NY
Shennecossett CC- CT
Meadowbrook GC-RI
Highland Links (9)- MA
The Hermitage- VT
Shattuck GC-NH
Penobscot Valley CC-ME
Algonquin GC-NB
Genesee Valley Meadows-MI
Threetops(9)-MI
Treetops-Fasio-MI
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UPDATE**Due to needed surgery on my knee I will have to put the Nova Scotia courses on my bucket list for a later date. At which time I will add these Prince Edward Island courses to the trip.**

Northumberland GC-NS
Fox Harb'r GC-NS
Cabot Cliffs-NS
Cabot Links-NS
Cape Breton Highlands-NS
Links at Crowbush- PEI
Dundarave-PEI
Brudenell-PEI

I will immediately post on TWITTER after each round.

"Your next shot is a new experience, it might be the best shot you have hit in your life."-Harvey Penick

"It's good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling."-Mark Twain

Many years ago I was playing in an individual stroke event at my club and this actually happened to me. The 6th hole of the old course is a drivable tight par four with a deep gully right in front of the women's tee. To the left are some taller overhanging trees which I caught that day and my ball crashed down into the 20' deep gully. It's a 50/50 chance of finding it and making it out without penalty strokes, so I didn' reload but headed to the area of my ball. I get there and Old Mickey, the local ball hound, was wandering around at the bottom with his pockets full. I asked him if he had seen a ProV1x with two blue dots on it. He puts his hand in his pocket and the first ball he pulls out is mine. He quickly headed to where he had snatched it and placed back down. Decent lie but not a good shot out. A few years later he was foraging around in the brush in front of the women's tee on the 17th and a lady whacked him right in the head. He recovered, but the club finally banned him from hunting balls. He would boast of finding 4,000 golf balls a season.

"I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be."-Ken Venturi

"What other people find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive."-Arnold Palmer

2017 U.S.Open Erin Hills

With the upcoming 117th U.S.Open upon us I thought you would enjoy the slideshow (159 photos) of this years site, Erin Hills in Wisconsin.. When I played it in Sept of 2012, it was a gorgeous Fall day and the course was in excellent condition. Please take time to study the yardage guide and take note of the many contours throughout this spectacular piece of property.

Some of my favorite holes at Erin Hills:
#1 Very nice opening hole. Par 5
#4 Beautiful day and very peaceful walking up to the elevated green on this Par 4.
#9 Treacherous little Par 3!
#12 I love blind shots, if you don't drive it to the correct spot that is what you get on this Par 4.
#15 Good short Par 4's are always on my favorites list.

Click here to view slideshow:   https://goo.gl/photos/qfWjrSCCy3bCFfi7A

"This game is of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win." -Ben Hogan

"I'm about five inches from being an outstanding golfer. That's the distance my left ear is from my right." -Ben Crenshaw

"You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about." -Bobby Jones

"A golf hole, humanly speaking, is like life, in as much as one cannot judge justly any person's character the first time one meets him. Sometimes it takes years to discover and appreciate hidden qualities which only time discloses, and he usually discloses them on the links."-C.B. MacDonald

I always take an extra pair of pants when I go golfing....just in case I get a Hole in One!

"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with the big dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts."-Albert Einstein

"There are only two types of players, those who keep their nerves in control to win championships and those who do not."- Harry Vardon

Read it, Roll it, Hole it.- Eddie Lowery

" Golf and sex are the only two things you can enjoy without being good at them."-Jimmy DeMaret

"stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball"- Ty Webb

Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks it was called witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.