# MacDonalds Portal



## Fish (Jul 19, 2016)

:rant:


Well, where do I start, I was playing and staying at the above named resort and I won't be hurrying back!

I wasn't due to play until 14.15hrs on Sunday, but due to meeting many people I'd not met before of which some had flown in from Norway, Sweden & Denmark, and knowing they had stayed the night before, I wanted to arrive in good time, have a breakfast and be well prepared for a round with plenty of fuel in me due to the hot weather.

I went straight to the restaurant on arrival just before 10am Sunday, I was duly sat down in the reception whilst they prepared a table for me, I was then called through after about 10 minutes.  I was then asked if I wanted toast along with tea/coffee and a cooked breakfast, after confirming my order I went down to the buffet for cereal, fruit juice etc.  I returned to the buffet area for a second visit due to the wait for some more juice and on return to my table my tea & toast had been left on my table, but, I had to wave down a waiter to get me some butter, and then a teaspoon along with some sugar all of which was missing from my table!

The cooked breakfast then arrived which consisted of the smallest sausage I've even seen, unless it was on the end of a cocktail stick, a desert spoon of beans, a cremated black pudding, a poached egg and a mini rasher of bacon, again I had to ask for some salt & pepper as it was missing off my table, they then put the bill in a nice leather wallet on my table and duly charged me Â£21.50 

I then drove the small distance (5 minutes) to the Premier course which I didn't realise was actually at another site with its own clubhouse away from the main resort.  On arrival some of the people I'd played with before 2 years ago in Chepstow were there along with some newbies, I ordered a drink and asked for my 20% pre-arranged discount but was informed that only applied at the main hotel/course and not at the Premier course! Why? it's 1 hotel/resort and 1 booking 

2pm was looming so I popped into the Pro shop and there's no water, just a few sugary bottles of pop left which I didn't want!  2 of the big lads asked about a buggy and were firmly told with a "I don't really care attitude" that there were none available, although there were about 8 outside that had been returned from the morning rounds and not even put back on charge! 

I was now at the 1st tee, I'm in the last group so I wasn't expecting a quick round to be fair but there was far too much flaffing about going on in front of me at times, and it didn't take long to realise that the Premier course was the runt of the litter! 

The greens were possibly the poorest I've ever played on, they pushed Mentmore for the title, they were that slow and bobbly I needed to use my putter like a croquet hammer, the fairways needed a shave, no sorry, they needed a serious cut, in the middle of the fairway and it felt like 2nd cut with patches and clumps of grass here and there!  

It was very rowdy out on the course, people shouting from the tree's and nearby fairways from other groups (not ours) with no thought that you were teeing off only 25 yards away!

There were some interesting holes to be fair but with it being quite hilly, which felt even tougher and longer because of the 5 hours we were out in the sweltering heat, who wants to finish with a par 5 all uphill when you're flagging & knackered! 

Anyway, off the Premier course and headed straight back to the main hotel to book-in and then meet in the bar.

My room was excellent, superb big bed and excellent ensuite facilities, quick shower and then headed to the bar for the stories to be told of the day.

After a few beers we all then headed to the restaurant for our pre-ordered meal, we ordered some wine as we sat down and had to chase it at least 3 times as we had finished our starters and still had no wine, only then to be told they had no glasses!! It's a hotel FFS, where's the wine glasses? 

The wine eventually arrived as I just started my main meal, I had pre-ordered Beef Bourguignon with seasoned vegetables, what I actually got was some flaked beef put in a round cup and turned upside on my plate, dry, and with 2 shavings off a carrot and a shaved parsnip placed on some creamy mashed potato, so they can shave the veggies but not the fairways  My Banana Parfait was nothing to shout about either, so a very disappointing experience in the restaurant again!

A late night ensued, fines (by drink) were issued out for various things and it was very unusual for me but I was the last to go to bed at 02.30hrs  :cheers:

A good night's (few hours) sleep and up for breakfast with a slightly sore head, as I was sat down again I was asked if I wanted tea and toast, I went and got my cereal & juice from the buffet, my cooked breakfast arrived about 20 minutes later, I'd finished everything before my toast & tea arrived which was just as I about to leave the restaurant and duly told the waiter & waitress it's a bit late, isn't it?!

I was in the first group on the Monday morning at 09.20hrs so at 08.30 I went into the Pro shop for some water, but there was none, nothing, not a drop! again it was going to be a very hot day and they couldn't supply any water to take out with you, so we were scrapping about for empty bottles to fill up with tap water!  We were told that there were vending machines in a halfway house that should be full though so we only had to make it there with our initial water supply, but they lied, why say that if you can't back it up, the vending machine was empty and we were out early, not late in the day, luckily we spotted a tap and topped our water up otherwise I think some of us could have walked in because it was bloody hot and I was starting to struggle and run out of gas myself, even though I was having a great front 9 being 2 under handicap!

I started to walk to the 1st tee on the Championship course at 09.00hrs for our 09.20 tee time and there were 4 groups of 4-balls queuing up already and counting how many there were, we weren't going to be teeing off on time or before 09.30!? No starter so no control 

Immediately I was far more impressed with the Championship course, the greens were much better, quicker with no bobbles, the early greens still had a lot of dew on them so they don't swish them first thing so you had to allow for a few speed boat putts early on but they were miles better than the Premier.  The course was a bit more open but I liked the general layout and some of the views were stunning because of the hilly terrain and there was some nice _on the eye_ holes standing on some tee's, but like all courses you play for the first time you were a little blind at times and with a lot of our overseas players not having course planners, because the Pro shop didn't have any, and the GPS not telling the whole story of what was ahead of you or the best side of the fairway to be, you could constantly find yourself blocked out by a few stand alone trees in the middle of some blind fairways! Some nice par 3's with water as a defence and overall I enjoyed the Championship course, but, due to the fiasco at the hotel, which wasn't isolated and the very poor Premier course, the damage was done and I wouldn't hurry back!

OK, for Â£130 for bed, breakfast evening meal and 2 rounds of golf you can say it's very good value, although I paid Â£170 as I had a single room, but, I'd have paid more to not have all the issues I experienced in the Pro shops, out on the courses and in the hotel, it has the ability to be great, but quite simply it isn't managed from the ground level up and so you're left with more stories of disappointment than positives!  


:rant:


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## stokie_93 (Jul 19, 2016)

Nice lengthy review mate, only ever played golf there as I only live 30 mins away so can't anything about food/hotel but i've always preferred the Premier course.
Sounds like it isn't great at the moment though, always thought the greens were good and the fairways always okay.

Only ever had a pace of play issue there and that was due to a group in front not allowing us through as a 2 ball.

As for the last hole I don't understand the uphill comment cause you tee off from an elevated tee down hill and then the rest of the hole is flat so unsure how it's uphill. There's only really 2 really hilly points and that's climbing up from the par 3 6th to the 7th tee and the 11th hole which is all uphill, other than that never really considered it too hilly.

Never been massive on the Championship, find it quite plain and boring for a champ course but each to their own.


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## TheDiablo (Jul 19, 2016)

Fish said:



			The wine eventually arrived as I just started my main meal, I had pre-ordered Beef Bourguignon with seasoned vegetables, what I actually got was some flaked beef put in a round cup and turned upside on my plate, dry, *and with 2 shavings off a carrot and a shaved parsnip placed on some creamy mashed potato, so they can shave the veggies but not the fairways*  My Banana Parfait was nothing to shout about either, so a very disappointing experience in the restaurant again!
		
Click to expand...


hahaha actually lolled at my desk, which doesnt often happen :thup:


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## Karl102 (Jul 19, 2016)

Wow, what a shame about the Premier course. I last played it about 5 years ago and it was in decent nick then with some good holes.... Shame they have let it go down hill.....


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## louise_a (Jul 19, 2016)

Not a great experience for you 

Interesting what you say about the respective courses, I was talking to a lady who is a member at Portal this afternoon, she said they play all their comps on the Premier although membership allows them to play on either but they prefer to play on that course.

I played there in an interclub knockout 3 years ago and the premier was in nice condition then.


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## Fish (Jul 20, 2016)

I can understand the comments regarding the Premier, but it obviously doesn't like or is able to cope with the traffic/footfall as well as the Championship course!

With that said, it doesn't detract away from how poor the greens were, the length of the fairways, the constant rowdiness not only from societies on the course but large groups of members outside the clubhouse which is overlooking and close to the 18th green with no thought of those playing to and on it!

I agree, if I was to look past the negatives I experienced I can see it's appeal, but from the minute we arrived at the Premier site, the attitude displayed in the clubhouse and the Pro shop put you on the back foot immediately as it wasn't welcoming, so it was far easier to find even more fault out on the course!

The difference in just playing experience of the 2 courses was night & day!


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## Hobbit (Jul 20, 2016)

Played and stayed there a few years back. I found the courses reasonable but would echo every single sentiment about the hotel. It was dire. The food wasn't even up to the standard of a greasy spoon. The staff, in the main, couldn't give a toss. 

There's plenty of choice in the UK, and Portal isn't on my Stay and Play list... might play it again but definitely wouldn't stay.


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## Snelly (Jul 20, 2016)

This has a not been my experience on the six times I have visited to play in an annual AM-AM.   The staff, rooms, bed and breakfast have all been fine.  I rarely eat at a hotel for an evening meal as invariably, better fare can be found locally. In fact, the Piste wine bar in Tarporley is superb and I have always had a great dinner there. 

In terms of the golf, I have only played on the Championship course and have always found it in excellent condition with notably good greens.   For a course of this kind, I think it is a reasonable test. 

Perhaps give it another go?  Eat at the Piste, just play the Championship and go with good company.  This recipe has worked well for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed it on every occasion.


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Jul 20, 2016)

Oh dear - I've never heard of the place.


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## Jates12 (Jul 27, 2016)

I played on the Champ course on Friday and found it a very good test of Golf, course was in cracking Nick but the issues with the proshop were similair, no course planners, no water and a stinking attitude. Dinner was pretty awful too, Roast Beef Dinner with all the trimmings, was a small piece of beef, 3 roast potatoes, 1 piece of broccoli and some Courgette?! with water like gravy. Pudding was a distinctly average chocolate cake.

Course Yes, Hotel restaurant No unfortunately.


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## Marshy77 (Jul 27, 2016)

We must have got lucky as we had a great time when we stayed a couple of years ago. Only played the Championship course but really enjoyed it. The hotel was excellent, food was decent and staff really good too. 

However we did play the 9 hole which was terrible


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