Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf & Spa
A view of a hole at Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf & Spa.
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Rating Index Rating
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4.2
209 Reviews (209)
5 Stars
87
4 Stars
85
3 Stars
18
2 Stars
10
1 Stars
9
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.1
Layout
4.6
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.1
82.2%
Recommend this course
176 out of 209 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
16 Reviews (16)
5 Stars
4
4 Stars
10
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.3
Layout
4.6
Pace
4.0
Amenities
4.1
StaffFriendliness
4.0
93.8%
Recommend this course
15 out of 16 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.1
31 Reviews (31)
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
17
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.1
Layout
4.5
Pace
4.1
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
4.3
80.6%
Recommend this course
25 out of 31 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
The course layout consistently earns high praise, with the back nine offering a particularly impressive and challenging experience. Friendly staff and solid course conditions make this a compelling and well-valued round.

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 73
Length 7037 yards
Slope N/A
Rating N/A
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Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf & Spa - Championship Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1990
Golf Season Year round
Architect Donald Steel (1990)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Pull-carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Bunker Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes - "Lee Westwood Golf School"
Golf Simulator Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Indoor Practice Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Walking Allowed Yes

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Banquet Facilities, Spa

Available Activities

Swimming, Billiards

Available Sports

Fitness
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Reviews

4.2
209 Reviews (209)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

enjoyable round

Played here a few times before, a long challenging course, but enjoyable. Some of the tee boxes were a bit scruffy and need improving. Fairways were well cut, but like a little less semi rough, as it was difficult to find your ball sometimes if it wondered of the fairway. Greens were good but a slow for my liking. Staff were great, stopped at the halfway house for a burger and beer. After the round sat outside in the gardens for another beer and snack. Look forward to playing again

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

Great course

Amazing greens, well designed course, long but not too many hazards or rough.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great course

Played on first day out of lockdown.its a lovely layout.

We found the greens very slow but at the end of march is not the best time for greens.

Good value for money

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0

Single round

Course was very very wet but a a good effort on keeping rough shorter and clearing leaves. Greens soft but true. Overall conditions much better than expected. Played as a single and 3 ball in front we’re happy to let me play through. Will be back.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
1.0
Previously Played

Slow Play

We played at 12:08 and only got to 13. The men in front wouldn't let us through and then we had to walk to the 16th were a rude man said he wouldn't let us play through too. They were playing scramble and are hitting shots. We had a 25min wait for them on one hole. They need telling!! The course is great!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great course

What a great course even with all the rain we’ve had and barely any leaves either. Only down side was coming down the 18th near the car park was about 10 women all chatting loud like fish wives while you are taking your shot. You can be clearly seen from the car park and only a few yards from it. They just couldn’t shut their traps for 30 seconds. Other than that it’s a fantastic course better than portal premier

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

5 HOUR ROUND AGAIN

As last visit we had a bunch of 4 balls ahead of us (or was it 5 balls?) which got so slow that we abandoned our round after hole 14 and 4 hours and walked in. Clearly no guidance given to first time visitors on either time or etiquette which is detrimental to regulars who wish to play at normal speed.

Disappointed again.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Shocking pace of play

Got to course for the 2nd week running 12-16 players waiting at the first tee because of over booking,5 and half round last week because of slow play,yday got stuck behind a four ball that didn’t hit the ball more than 50 yards a shot and refused to let us play through so we walked off after 12 hole after 4 1/2 hours it would have been 6-7 hours if we had stayed on,we won’t be playing there again

I went into the shop to make a complaint but got fobbed off

Conditions Good
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Portal - Championship

Course is in great condition. It’s long and fairly wide with plenty of bunkers protecting greens and fairways. Greens are quick but in excellent condition. Only negatives are it can be a little slow when busy and a couple of the marker posts on blind dog legs can be misleading.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Course, Good condition, Quick Greens.

First time playing the course, Very impressed with the course conditions, well kept, greens pretty good and quite quick. A long course but mainly wide fairways so not really tough.

Some great signature holes teeing off overlooking the Cheshire Plains down towards the green and a par 3 with water at the front and trees either side.

A cart guy going round selling snacks & drinks was always welcome.

Only downside was lack of signage to the next hole and not too obvious where you were going, not a place for a quick round with lots of big groups however the views made up for that.

Hire buggies unless you like a good walk.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Good course let down by pace of play

I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the course - the fairways were in good condition as were the greens which were consistent. I really like the course layout and the location is superb. The pace of play was a major issue - were waiting on every hole and it took 4 hours to play 15 holes after which we walked off!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Avoid slow play

Course in good condition. Greens really good. But if you don’t want a 5 hour round avoid the weekend.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
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