Deer Creek South Course - Emerald

I have been playing at Deer Creek for a while now and always loved the course. However, from time to time, myself and the individuals I was playing with would interact with staff members that had little to no customer service skills whatsoever. After each interaction, I thought to myself, it's alright he's probably having a rough day, seeing all these people come in and golf while they are stuck in a little hut wishing they could be. But after yesterday's experience, I just couldn't hold back anymore. After playing 18 rounds and feeling good, the group I was playing with decided to do a replay. Why not right? Great day, shooting well, fun course and a great replay rate. We went into the pro shop, asked the rep and he looked at us like it's the first time he's ever heard a group of individuals ask to do a replay. "Replay!?! Replay!?!?" He began to chuckle at the thought and made it seem like once you pkay 18 holes, you should not expect or even ask to do a replay. He very smugly then told us the next tee time available was close to 7pm, with this look on his face like he was glad he could say "no" or "nothing available". I guess when he's heard no as much as he has, he wants to take out that frustration out on as many people as he can? Either way, I'm not sure what his problem was that day, but the way he responded made it seem like we just stepped in his line for his first ever par putt. The kid was just horrible. He should not be working a job where his primary responsibility is to work with and treat customers with respect. He should be cutting the grass, raking the bunkers, or cleaning out the port-o-potties they have set up outside the clubhouse. It will be a while before I golf at Deer Creek again. If you're looking for a great course in the Durham region and would also like to be treated with respect, try Watsons Glen.

Greens air rated and covered in sand - putting terrible

We played the south course very impressed with the greens and fairways all in good condition. A very picturesque course well laid our only problem is the power pylons which detract from the course. Once again slow play and greens have many pitch marks. Certainly play again, staff very helpful

Course was in absolutely amazing shape. Greens have a few kill spots but they keep the holes away from them so they don't affect your game, unless you put it somewhere you shouldn't (i.e. 45 + feet away from the hole).

I was absolutely blown away by how picturesque and beautiful this course is. It's like walking in a painting on every hole. The course design is beautiful and challenging for all levels of golfers. My only complaint is the length of the course. I wish it was a little longer but for the average player it is great. However, they make up for the lack of length with lots of hard bending doglegs and sloped blind shots.

The staff were extremely friendly and made us feel like members. We felt like big shots for one day playing this beautiful course. I really want to come back soon.

From my experience today, I felt that this is more a course cater to their members than a public golfer. The check in process from the beginning was a pain (though partly it was golfnow’s fault)

Our tee time was 7:08am and I booked through golfnow. When I check in, I was told that my rate was walking rate, but when I book through golfnow, it was shown to me that cart was included (and I had a picture on my phone to show them) The staff there was unwilling to help resolve the problem, the only thing they tell me is, there was nothing they could do but to charge me regular rate (oh really? So you assumed the customer is wrong, and have no solution... maybe a free cart or even a discount on the cart fee will make your customer feel a lot easier?)

Anyway, as it was 35 degree at 7 in the morning, our group paid full price for the cart. We tee off at the emerald 9, and was told to play the sapphire on the back, which was a bad decision.

Front 9 was fine, generally no complain, our foursome breezed through it less than 1.5 hours. Back 9 however was a nightmare. After we tees off the first hole (blind tee shot) we found a group for four in front of us on the green. We figured that the starter must have started another group there, which was fine. So we waited for them to finish. When we got to to second green, the group in front of us were still teeing off. We took a quick look and noticed that there were no one in front of them. After about 10-15 minutes of waiting, finally a Marshall came by and talk to them. The Marshall mentioned to us that this group are all beginners and in the tail end of the tournament, and seems like they don’t know how to play scramble. The Marshall then mention that the pace should speed up, and he will come check on them again in a bit (that never happened)

Basically from the second hole to the fourth hole, it took us another hour and 15 minutes. At that point, we just decide to leave as it was pretty pointless, you lose your rhythm, momentum and overall interest already.

We call the club house and told them about the situation, they told us we would receive a rain check for the back nine, and the third issue came up. When we got the rain check, we noticed they they only gave us the refund for the remaining holes. We try to state to them that the we did not consider the first three holes of the back nine was ‘playing’, no one plays golf in a way that every shot you have to wait 10-15 minutes, and if deer creek consider this ‘playing’ golf, then there’s an issue. At this point, one of a more senior staff (or at least he looks more senior) came out and suggest that that’s the way they operate there, and if we don’t like it, we don’t have to go back and can use the rain check at their sister course glen cedar. We play around 60-80 rounds a year, this is by far the rudest team of staff I’ve ever met. If you guys want to stay private, so be it. If you are opening it up to the public, treat them with some respect. Same for their members, they look at you with an angry face, almost feel like you are destroying their course.

The course itself was ok, condition was decent. Fortunately you can probably pay less and experience similar condition, good lay out and more friendly staff nearby. Personally I would never go back, and if you wanna be treated with some respect, I don’t think you should neither.

My little suggestion for the golf course, Customer might not be ALWAYS right (though we thought we were), but being accommodated to your customers goes a long way.

A 5+ hour round on a Thursday! Afternoon!

Why do they have marshals????