WilliamGabbard

A beautiful, COOL and breezy Padre Island morning...and NO ONE out on this course. What does that tell you?

I read several reviews from a couple of different sites, all negative. Still, I wanted to give this place a chance, especially since it's right across the street from my daughter's house, and I've been driving by it five or six times a day on our current visit. Tempting!!

The staff are super nice, and the rates are very reasonable at this PUBLIC course (you don't have to be a resort guest to play).

Then you go outside.

I love the layout, distances, challenges, etc., the long hole fairways are beautiful. It's the turf conditions and the woeful surfaces of the greens that destroy this and most other reviews.

Better turf management, period. That will bring this course back to five stars. There is no reason that a resort course in this location, and with this layout, can't be an amazing golf experience. Hope it will be on our next visit!

I think what frustrates me most about the review that I am about to write is that none of this need have happened. It bespeaks poor management, inconsistent maintenance of simple things like the answering machine, etc. Poor monitoring of groups and tee times, pace of play, I could go on...

We called and got a recording that said that the seasons were changing and that the green fees starting on 1 Nov were going to $35. Fine. We showed up at 8:00 for an 8:48 tee time, time enough to practice a bit before the round. First pothole: the lady charged us $65 for the round. We told her about the answering machine recording. She walked back to talk to the manager. She returned, "Sorry the rate quoted on that recording was incorrect. The manager is willing to let you play for $55." After we had already unloaded out bags, etc and were getting ready to head to the range. Okay, whatever.

Second pothole: The range only had mats and a 200yd limit. Really?

Third pothole: We were scheduled for an 8:48 teetime. There was a group of 9 in front of us, a group that originally only been six, but had three added to it at the last minute. So we waited for them...seventeen minutes. We finally teed off at 9:08. And were backed up throughout the round. Not a marshal in sight.

The course is pretty and well kept. Thank goodness. But there was not a lot of good customer service going on this morning. Highly disappointed. Our foursome is traveling together on business (active duty military) and we like to play a round every now and then. We got NO TLC from the office staff at Hibiscus.

It's a pretty place to play...but I don't think we'll be back. And you had best think twice about playing here. There are too many other nice places to play in Naples.