Heron Lakes Golf Club - Greenback Course

The greens keepers have got to do a better job! I know we have not had any rain lately but it looks like all the watering has ruined the bunkers. Mud and washed out sand, even some standing water in them. Nobody even bothers to rake them. The course is turning into a second rate muni. Not the gem it used to be. I've asked Kemper many many times to put more effort into course maintenance....EXCUSES EXCUSES EXCUSES. Won't be playing it again anytime soon.

Slowest course ever. Expect to play 4:30+
12/13 is a death trap (fairways/landing areas very close) so keep your head up! Or down?
Still the best public course close in pdx!
No break Heron Lake!

Usually play as a single and starters are very friendly and will work to get you a game or even start you a bit early if space is available. Greenback course is a very nice layout with fairly wide fairways for the most part with lots of trees and a number of water features. Greens are very large and of moderate speed. Pace of play is very good. Range is grass (weather permitting) but there are a number of mats and a covered hitting area if weather is wet. Big practice green and additional chipping practice area as well. Facility has two courses with Greenback being the easiest of the two. Lots of wildlife roaming the course and surrounding wetlands.

I realize the greens were just done, I get it. But the tee boxes were beat up and muddy? The fairways were not in the shape we are used to either… Overall, not what we are accosts too on the Green Course….

Check-in easy, staff was fast, friendly and efficient. Course is beat-up, Course maintenance seems to be at a bare minimum, good lies in the fairway were rare, hard pan, dry spots everywhere. Greens were bumpy, grainy and soggy on the surface, but firm on approach shots. Greens were inconsistent. Most bunkers were firm and wet, Front bunker on hole 8 was terrible, deep soft sand with deep foot prints. I’ll never play this course again. They get lots of play because of location, anywhere else they’d be bankrupted. Way overpriced.

So for starters I love the setup here. Great options for multiple levels of golfers. I chose to play greenback this day. Got there almost 1.75 hours before tee time (4pm) with my lovely gf who enjoys to ride along with me. Chris at the front desk could not find my reservation. He said I could go out at 4:10pm if I’d like. I showed him the confirmation from golf now & Chris tried explaining to me that was not the confirmation but I had another step to do before I booked the time. (Chris was wrong as my gf had paid for the round the confirmation was in her name but my name was the tee time.)So a little confusion and we got it squared away or so I thought…. Chris then charged me 162$ for a cart, a bucket of balls and 2 golfers (I told Chris only 1 golfer). Chris’s counter part told him how to fix it but Chris was clueless. Making it awkward as possible for me and my gf. After fixing it they still charged full price for everything, except my gf playing golf they took off that single charge. No accommodations were made for the hassle or embarrassment. I was extremely displeased. After letting that go on my walk to the dinner I go to order and the girl behind the counter is not paying attention at all, I had to repeat myself multiple times and it was just bottom of the barrel customer service.

The Greenback course can be considered the step-child course when compared to the Great Blue. Both were designed by RTJ Jr, however, the Greenback course always gets lets maintenance.