Golfing / Living in Florida

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by meenman

5k a year breaks down to approximately 400 a month. I think it is unrealistic to expect to be able to play 24 rounds a month and hit range balls in that budget. the only way to make that budget is to use a site like golfNow.com religiously

There are lots of places that charge far less than $5000 per year.  For instance, Bloomingdale Golfers club in Valrico, near Brandon, FL has the following:

Privileges at 13 Florida Golf Trail Clubs, 14 day advance tee times, 7 day a week access
to golf course, walking privilege at special member times, special member golf cart rate
of $18 + tax, complementary range balls and USGA handicap card.
Family Dues ‐ $200 monthly
Single Dues ‐ $150 monthly

For the OP that would come to $1800 per year. It doesn't have unlimited walking, but it does allow at certain times.  Looks to be a nice course, too.

There are places like this all over Florida. I pay $1500 a year for my wife and myself, unlimited walking, unlimited range balls.

[MacDutch]

Played a lot in central Florida and the only course I actually saw people walking was Magnolia (Disney Course).

If I was planning on moving to Florida to play six rounds a week, I would want to play different courses in the surroundings before I'd pick one to become a member.

[meenman]

Add the 24 x $18 for the cart fee and you are above.budget. walking privileges are the back 9 before 7:30 and the front after 3. from experience I can tell you that walkers are treated like second class citizens and any tee time during the weekend you are looking at 5 and a half hours. Bloomingdale likes to live off its reputation from the eighty's. those days are over the course is not near as nice as it once was. in his budget, the op can choose quality or quantity and quantity is usually a mistake.

[OTTG]

It almost doesn't make sense to join a club in South Florida because the public courses are nice and they are reasonable.

[VegasRenegade]

As some one who lived and played golf in Florida for over 20 years.  Before you speak of playing year round be sure you don't  mind playing in 95 degree heat and 90% humidity.  Now North Florida might not be as bad but for me June-Sept sucked.  That being said you can play cheep those months. I prefer the dry head of the desert but it is still to much so next year I become a snowbird.

[x129]

And at the other time the website says it is at the discretion of the club. Normally that works out to if you can play in under 3:30 while walking, they will let you out at the couple of clubs I have been to. Now finding partners that want to play with a walker and if they  let singles out is a crap shoot at any club.  And of course  a lot of the development golf courses are not very walkable even if they allow it.

As far as being a member or not, lets do that math

150x12 = 1800

6x52x18 (assume cart every time) = 5616

range balls = 0;

so we have a total of 7416 for 312 round. Or just less than 24 bucks a round.  You are not going to beat that by being a free agent. Yes you can find some deals for less than per round but you will not get the quantity needed and you will still need range balls.  Now the guys is 2500 bucks over but if he can walk half the rounds he will be right on target.

That being said, I can't imagine playing that much on the same course.  I don't care how good the course is you are going to want some changes. Heck I am not sure if playing that much is even possible. I am sure you can play 6 days a week for a couple months but eventually i expect random things (being sick, taking a vacation, bad weather,....) to make it almost impossible to get in that much golf  in .

Originally Posted by meenman

Add the 24 x $18 for the cart fee and you are above.budget. walking privileges are the back 9 before 7:30 and the front after 3.

from experience I can tell you that walkers are treated like second class citizens and any tee time during the weekend you are looking at 5 and a half hours.

Bloomingdale likes to live off its reputation from the eighty's. those days are over the course is not near as nice as it once was.

in his budget, the op can choose quality or quantity and quantity is usually a mistake.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by meenman

Add the 24 x $18 for the cart fee and you are above.budget. walking privileges are the back 9 before 7:30 and the front after 3.

from experience I can tell you that walkers are treated like second class citizens and any tee time during the weekend you are looking at 5 and a half hours.

Bloomingdale likes to live off its reputation from the eighty's. those days are over the course is not near as nice as it once was.

in his budget, the op can choose quality or quantity and quantity is usually a mistake.

I was just trying to point out that there are many places where $5000 a year more than pays for golf. You don't like this particular course, but I just picked this course because it was close to you. The OP said he wanted to walk, and wanted to play other courses. This course seemed to fit the bill.

[meenman]

I was just trying to point out that there are many places where $5000 a year more than pays for golf. You don't like this particular course, but I just picked this course because it was close to you. The OP said he wanted to walk, and wanted to play other courses. This course seemed to fit the bill.

I get what you were looking up, but nothing is as advertised - of those 13 courses - 4 are in ohio, maryland and virginia, 3 more are in the palm bay area leaving 5 others nearby. The rates for those courses are anywhere from $20-$70 *cart fee* depending on the time of year. (walking is not allowed on reciprocal courses) Of those the preserve in bradenton and northdale in tampa have been in rough shape. 2 of the other 3 are private courses and the other is a *tourist* course so rates are high. His best bet for cost certainty would be to buy a home on a course (let's be honest - housing prices are still dropping), buy a cart and pay the trail fees. Example - where I am a member - full membership is $333/month. Trail fees for the private cart owner is around $150/month. (can not use a private cart without being a full member.) He could even use me as a referral and we both get a $35/month discount on dues. Without taking your cart home, I think trail fees are $250/month for them to store it there too - still not in budget but there is cost certainty No matter what, I would play a course a few times before joining a club (and try to get paired up with a member when playing each time) - they all have 1-2 year contracts. I say more than once because someone will tend to hear all the positive from me while hearing all the bitching from the old grumps. I would never join a public/semi-private course again. Membership is down everywhere so outside tourneys are bringing in the cash. Nothing worse than paying for membership and not being able to play when you can. oops - almost forgot about Lansbrook - the one other course I enjoy in the group - it's in Palm Harbor but has always been a pleasure to play

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by meenman

His best bet for cost certainty would be to buy a home on a course (let's be honest - housing prices are still dropping), buy a cart and pay the trail fees.

I would never join a public/semi-private course again. Membership is down everywhere so outside tourneys are bringing in the cash. Nothing worse than paying for membership and not being able to play when you can.

We are probably coming it this from two directions.  You are on the private club side, as you said.  I approach it from the public course w/annual membership side.  Since the OP wants to walk as much as possible (as I do), trail fees are not part of the equation.

He should first check out the part of the state that interests him, because there will be life after the golf round each day. Florida is a big place, with lots of sub-cultures. Beach communities have a different vibe than inland.  The further north you go in the state, the more southern you get. He might hate the Panhandle (Redneck Riviera)once he visits it.  Or he might dislike the the suburban sprawl around the big cities down south in favor of the country life. Connecticut to Florida is a big cultural change, besides learning about Bermuda greens.

[walk18]

Hey Guys, I have recently been thinking about making a move down south to Florida.  I currently live in Connecticut, but I'm ready for a change and something new in my life.  I just started playing consistently this year and have been bitten by the golf bug badly.  I can play golf in Florida year round and having no state income tax is attractive.  So here are my questions... Where is Florida is golf good?  Are there golf "hot spots"? I would like to become a member somewhere because I plan on playing 6 days a week.  Are there any memberships that are available for a group of golf courses? Last, but not least, I am not looking for a whole country club package, strictly golf only, and just an individual membership.  Are there golf memberships that are $5,000 and lower per year? Thanks for the help and hope it can aid me in making a decision!

Have you considered Scottsdale AZ? As has been mentioned, you will be in for a culture shock in many ways in SFL. Lots of unemployment means a lot of angry desperate people, large swaths of areas around Miami are like a third world country, even though some are right next to rich areas. There's the language barrier, drivers, humidity, and it rains often. At least visit before you decide to move. Good luck.

[dpgator33]

You wont be walking 6 rounds a week in the summer.  Either the heat or the rain will catch up to you eventually.   I'm pretty fit and fairly young and for me,  riding a round in the summer (May through September basically), even with a reasonable tee time of 8:30ish, and I'm pretty well done doing anything that requires energy for the rest of the day.

[montru]

I live here: http://rotondagolf.com/ We have 99 holes of golf, as a member I can book tee times seven days in advance, I get free range balls, and I can walk the courses in the afternoons after 2pm for free if I wish. The cart fees vary from course to course and the time of year, but I never pay more that $17 for a cart in peek season (Jan, Feb, Mar). My cheapest cart fee is as low as $10.

I get all these benefits for $2220.75 per year for single. We also have two sister courses is Orlando that are included if you want to have a drive up there (about 2 1/2hrs).

All five of our courses are within our one neighborhood. And about a 5-10 minute drive.

CHECK IT OUT  !!

[stuckionyou5375]

I am not from Florida, so I don't know the "hotspots", but I envy you moving down there!  Wish I could!!  Enjoy!!!

[JaxBomber17]

sorry to be gone so long. You can walk as long as you clear it with the pro shop. No problem in the afternoon, but in the mornings it's 50/50. Trust me though, in the summer you want to ride.

[Rick Martin]

Originally Posted by fgsurfcast

Hey Guys,

I have recently been thinking about making a move down south to Florida.  I currently live in Connecticut, but I'm ready for a change and something new in my life.  I just started playing consistently this year and have been bitten by the golf bug badly.  I can play golf in Florida year round and having no state income tax is attractive.  So here are my questions...

Where is Florida is golf good?  Are there golf "hot spots"?

I would like to become a member somewhere because I plan on playing 6 days a week.  Are there any memberships that are available for a group of golf courses?

Last, but not least, I am not looking for a whole country club package, strictly golf only, and just an individual membership.  Are there golf memberships that are $5,000 and lower per year?

Thanks for the help and hope it can aid me in making a decision!

Are you at the retirement age? If so, there are communities with memberships to multiple courses within the community.  I'm thinking of Sun City Center/Tampa - http://clubrenaissance.clublink.com/      No walking until later in the day. Annual fee including range balls, trail fee for golf carts $3600/single.

[JaxGolfer1]

NE Florida has tons of course and is a short drive to plenty more.

[PirateJim]

I was born in Florida and have lived around the state all my life.  Love it, wouldn't really wish to live anywhere else.  But what has been said about summer golf is true.  Walking in August is a good way to either have a heat stroke or get struck by lightning.  Or both.  Summer is the rainy season and many courses near the coasts are build on FLAT land and thus have some pretty tough drainage issues.  You'll find that a lot of these will make you keep on the paths and you will get in plenty of squishy walking even with a cart.

While there is golf available most everywhere in the state, there are definitely pockets where the courses are pretty thick.  The more affluent retiree heavy areas like Sarasota/Manatee County south of Tampa, Ft. Myers farther south, and Naples are all rich with courses both public and private.  You will find that real estate prices vary considerably too.  I'd suggest that you do some serious reading on the internet, including shopping some of the real estate web sites for the areas that seem to interest you, then come down and visit those areas.

Even if golf is your current goal, you still have to like living in an area and be sort of happy with your neighborhood, access to shopping, and with the traffic etc.  The bigger the town, the more golf, but also the thicker the traffic.  That is an important consideration because if you don't have a primary course close to home you will end up spending a lot of non-quality time in the car!  Once you identify a specific town to focus on, find a golf course you like and start house shopping.  A good golfing Realtor could be of immense help with finding a nice course and a home near it.

[Rick Martin]

Originally Posted by MacDutch

Played a lot in central Florida and the only course I actually saw people walking was Magnolia (Disney Course).

If I was planning on moving to Florida to play six rounds a week, I would want to play different courses in the surroundings before I'd pick one to become a member.

Something tells me that the wouldn't allow walking on the Magnolia but rather that little nine hole course beside Magnolia.  Magnolia, where they play a PGA event, is too high rent to allow walking, I'm sure.