Executive Golf Maintenance is seeking $4.56 million for course improvement projects in the northern section of The Villages.
Director of Golf Maintenance Mitch Leininger outlined his requests during a budget workshop with the Amenity Authority Committee on Tuesday at Savannah Center. The AAC oversees amenities north of County Road 466.
The request comes at a time when residents have been howling over the condition of golf courses in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown. Last week, officials admitted they had “failed” by allowing courses to deteriorate to a level frequently described as “atrocious” by residents, who fund the courses with amenity fees.
Leininger’s request from the AAC includes $950,000 for the renovation of the Walnut Grove Executive Golf Course, which originally opened in 2001. Work at Walnut Grove would include new greens, tees, bunker sand, re-grassing/landscaping and cart path repairs.
Under the plan, the De La Vista Executive Golf Course would see a $1 million renovation that would include new greens, tees, a turf nursery green, re-grassing, cart path repair, landscaping and coquina. The De La Vista course opened in 1995.
Leininger is also seeking $1.5 million for a golf maintenance building at the Mira Mesa Executive Golf Course. Currently, the contractor responsible for maintenance is leaving equipment out in the open. The building would also include offices and restrooms.
His plan also calls for $160,000 to be spent on bunker sand projects at Hawkes Bay Executive Golf Course and Saddlebrook Executive Golf Course; $100,000 for cart path pressure washing and other projects to support butterfly gardens and Audubon areas.
