Herons' Reach Reviews 

Eighteen of us on a on a five night golf break. This review is solely based on the golf experience.
The staff were superb very friendly and helpful. The course was in very good condition, again thanks to the green staff for there hard work on the course , The greens were in great condition. Didn’t encounter any slow play, which we have on previous visits. I thought the course was very interesting, no two holes alike, the par 3s were all about one fifty yards.
Overall an excellent time was had by all on the course. Again many thanks to all the staff

Attended Herons Reach for a golf trip with 7 friends. We were told there was 20% off drinks as part of the deal. When we arrived we were asked to select what we wanted for our evening meals which we did.
We played a round of golf that was good. Course was interesting, greens were OK if a little slow with some minor damage and the tee boxes were a bit of a mess but generally it was good, if a little slow.
We got back for the evening and asked for our 20% discount and was told we had to download an app for 5% off and get a code for the rest from the golf shop that was now shut for the day. We paid the price but kept the receipts. The food eventually arrived and it was OK but four of us had finished our meals before the other meals arrived! They called last orders just after 10pm as we were watching the end of the golf on the TV. They then came at 1030 to turn off the TV when the last pair where on the last hole. We asked them to leave it on for 5 minutes but they refused, saying we could go to the other bar, but there was no golf on. A strange choice for a golfing facility. In the morning we had breakfast that could only be described as 'adequate' with fairly tasteless sausages and bacon. The golf shop said there was nothing they could do about the discount on the drinks, apparently we should have been given a code to use when we arrived but we weren't, their mistake, our loss. We played the last round and left. The staff were not rude but none seemed cheerful or particularly helpful. Really disappointing from what could be a great facility. I would avoid this for a golf trip, there are far better places.

Sunday roast took over an hour to arrive, the roast beef was like 'Gandi's flip flop' and the roast potatoes were very hard.
It took even longer for a chicken wrap to arrive and the chips were not edible.

The practice facilities there are very good, big driving range, putting and chippings greens, aslong as the course get a bit of water on them they are absolutely fine, the staff in the pro shop are very good and helpful, and offer a brilliant fitting service with the good honest advice.

The course itself was really good and gives everyone a good challenge. Greens were in very good condition even though its been soooo dry and hot. Only thing to moan about was the speed of play. On our 2nd day the group ahead started a little early and we waited till our actual time which was 13 mins later yet we still had to wait on the 2nd tee for 5 mins this then went on all the way round. We will defo go back though

Lovely staff with great banter and happy to help in pro shop
Booked through 3rd party so didn’t get everything promised.
Course was awesome
Room was tidy and comfortable enough
Food okay but bar staff Dominick and Chelsie was outstanding witnessing dealing with rude people professionally with a smile and every customer exceptionally well. Best customer service I have received and witnessed!

Stayed here on a 2 round deal by golf breaks. Hotel staff and food were good. Hotel itself is in need of some Tlc. My room had the lamp hanging off the wall and the wallpaper hanging off. Otherwise ok.
Now to the golf.
What a total shambles. It was busy with a few big groups. At every other course I’ve been to when this happens the pro shop normally have a steward on the first tee to ensure tee times are adhered to and the course is managed. Not here it’s just a free for all, Tee times just get ignored and it’s a case of jump in when you can. So inevitably this just backs the whole course up.
At one point there were 22 players covering 2 holes.
I played 2 rounds and both were over 5 hours long.
The course itself is very good it’s just let down by horrendous organisation.
I won’t be back.

We stayed mid week on a two rounds dinner bed and breakfast package. We felt this was fantastic value the hotel and food were good and staff excellent. Richard the golf director came to greet us in the bar and was really welcoming even getting our room keys for us, he was an excellent host.

We enjoyed the golf, lots of water and some good holes a little wet but considering the weather we felt it was pretty good condition for this time of the year.

Overall a very good experience and fantastic value

This is a review of the golf only. We did not stay at the hotel.
Note: The bar staff are excellent, also not part of this review

I have played herons reach three times now since moving up north and whilst the course itself is well maintained and the facilities are perfectly fine, the people (golfers and staff) let it down to the point I will not return.

Herons reach is not a golf club per se, it is a gym, a bar, a hotel, and has a golf course and driving range attached to it. Which tends to get overtaken by naughty scummy teenagers running amok, stealing balls and in some cases hitting balls back toward those on the driving range! And interestingly it seems to attract upper middle class snobs who have an overinflated measure of their ability.

The day started well, until there was traffic at the first tee, the couple behind myself and my partner made an attempt to jump past us, stating the manager of the pro shop told them they would be following a four ball. The four ball in question were teeing off ahead of us. My tee time was 1149 and the couple behind were 1157. So there was just a back up and didn’t really appreciate feeling pressured.

After the second tee shot (a par 3) the same couple teed off as we we’re walking to the green. I was a little put out but let them play through.

Everything was fine for a few holes with us teeing off generally as those in front left the green. Until we got to the 7th tee.

Again we teed off and were making way to our balls when another couple, a man and his wife/mother/sister steamed onto the tee and teed off abruptly. Very very rude and this couple were not particularly good though I believe they were members. The man hit his ball directly next to mine and the lady shanked several balls down the fairway. The man also hit a bunker and just lifted his ball out and dropped it into the fairway.

We then proceeded to feel under pressure as more players arrived behind us. Bearing in mind I am an 18 handicapper and had hit plenty of greens in regulation and also parred most holes up to this point.

As we hit the 10th I hit a slice and ended up in trees. At this point the green keeper (time/date circa 14:30 / 23 may 2018) who was sat in a buggy on the fairway walked up to me and demanded we let the couple behind us play through, stating another couple had commented on our ability (the rude couple who barged through on the 7th I assume) and that perhaps we were not as proficient as the members here. I told him I understood though we had been keeping up the pace and I had hit several pars in good time. My partner then scuffed a ball because of the distraction and the green keeper threw it back at us.

We proceeded to then be held up by this same couple we’d been forced to let through For the remainder of the day, not their fault as they were happy to sit behind us. But hardly cause to force us to stand aside clearly.

The green keeper was then following us for at least two more holes (which I birdied).

In conclusion, the course is ok. Lovely in the sun. But if you have a double figure handicap and/or are not a member I would forget this course entirely and try Fleetwood/Knott End/Green Drive. These courses all value the spirit of golf and are far more welcoming. They are proper clubs with decent people who are very good at golf and value newcomers and community, not upper middle class snobs who exist on the pretence their status makes them better at golf and better people as they aspire to reach the upper echelons of society before retirement. Dare I say it I’d bank my score being better than those who insulted us and I’d also bank our take home is higher too! This club came across extremely cliquey and ruined our day. A shame after having enjoyed two rounds prior to today.

Furthermore we have been inundated with emails about becoming members and there is absolutely no chance of this happening now. The members we met today were horrid and disappointing human beings.

I hope the club manages to gain a more welcoming spirit in future else I suspect it will become another run down field filled with half cut men in tracksuits. And maybe that’s what it deserves.