Villagers are beginning to question more than $11 million in amenity money to be spent on executive golf courses here in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
For months, golfers have been complaining about “atrocious” conditions at golf courses here in The Villages. Earlier this month, top officials overseeing golf admitted they had “failed” in not taking action sooner, such as closing down courses.
The Amenity Authority Committee, which oversees amenities north of County Road 466, earlier this month discussed $4.56 million for renovation of courses including the Walnut Grove Executive Golf Course and the De La Vista Executive Golf Course. Meanwhile, members of the Project Wide Advisory Committee, which oversees amenities south of County Road 466, met Monday to discuss spending more than $7 million to renovate courses and fund a new manager position in the Golf Division. The courses to be renovated include Heron, Bacall, Bogart, Bonita Pass and Truman.
Gerald Hertzel of the Village of Pennecamp questioned the projected $7 million expenditure by PWAC.
“Yes, many of our golf courses, both championship and executive, are in poor condition, but to approve a $7 million expenditure to ‘repair’ a small number of courses is nothing more than putting a Band-aid on a much larger problem,” Hertzel said.
He called for a comprehensive strategy.
“If $7 million is needed for five courses, then what is needed for all the rest? And the bigger question is, who pays for it?” he said. “Put together a team, including the right mix of experts, and do it right.”
Vernon Hodgson of the Village of Sanibel was left scratching his head after reading the proposal that the AAC spend $1.5 million for a golf maintenance building at the Mira Mesa Executive Golf Course.
“I was reading the article about the request for $4.56 million for golf course renovation, and then I see a request for $1.5 million for a maintenance building so a contractor can store his equipment, and the picture showed eight riding lawn mowers, and a trailer sitting outside,” Hodgson said. “Now why in the heck would we be paying $1.5 million to store a contractor’s equipment? If the contractor wants to put his equipment inside somewhere, maybe he should build his own building.”
Hodgson, who has lived in The Villages since 2007, said he has seen more and more wasteful spending through the years.
“Maybe we should spend some of our money on more competent people, this is just ridiculous,” he said. “Fix the golf courses, and let the contractor take care of his own equipment.”
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