Slaley Hall Hotel & Golf - Priestman Course

We booked a midweek twilight here upon the reviews and how well known this was. We regretted it on the first green when we realised the course was riddled with an infestation and all greens were being treated. It made putting useless for the whole course (except for the 15th onwards where they hadn’t even bothered to treat them and just had the infestation and moss all over).

No word from the pro shop about this beforehand. And it had long closed by the time we realised.

On top of this, they raised the green fee from £36 to £45 overnight and tried to charge us the higher fee! Even more insulting when you consider the state of the course.

Go elsewhere for the time being.

Course layout is lovely with well placed hazards. Greens had just been hollow tined which needs to be done but seems strange doing it right in the middle of summer. Tee boxes were a bit scruffy looking. But still fun and £45 on a saturday was fair value for money.

One of the best courses in the area with great views and facilities.

Pace of play was a little slow. I think there were some school competitions playing this week and lot of the kids were having practise rounds.

The course was generally in good conditions but I didn’t think there was enough sand in the bunkers.

Greens were poor due to hollow tinning, course was a great layout with fairways in good condition overall a bit wet in a few places. We played pick and place on all shots and worked really well as nearly every ball picked up mud but this action enhanced our enjoyment. Would love to return in summer when form would be a great experience.

We play the priestman course on boxing day, the greens were good and no winter greens, which I was happy about, all round course condition was good for time of year, will be back soon

9 handicap player

Great winter course in good condition, full course open no temporary greens or tees, loved it to be honest and will be back again, only issue I had was few of my long putts bounced up due to greens been full of sand etc but that’s not the courses fault, I shot 7 over and walked off happy, would be worth about £20-£25 with it being winter, not £36

Too many society’s and big groups of none/poor golfers. Took our 2 ball nearly 5 hours to complete the round. Play was so slow, the course Marshall had to come out twice to force the 2 slow four balls in front of us to let us play through. And when they were made to let us play through they just immediately hit into us from the tee box as we were walking down the fairway. Tee times are too close together, which guarantees slow play. Also because there were too many visitors, the bar wasn’t servicing food because they were struggling to cater for the size groups they had staying.

The course in general was good, the only thing that let it down was some of the bunkers. It's was like playing off a path, Rock solid. Course Marshall didn't appreciate myself commenting on it either...

Pace of play was decent but after my comment about the bunker to the Marshall he came back and told us to speed up as the course was busy and it was getting backed up behind us. Which it wasn't!!

This was the only downside to our round..

The course layout of the Priestman can’t really be faulted. It’s up and down and makes you think as it has been carefully designed around the prevailing wind.

The greens run true, my only real surprise was the amount of moss on them.

Views of Northumberland are spectacular.

My only gripe was with the pro shop, on arrival I went straight to the practice area to warm up and then reported to the pro shop 15 minutes before my tee time. The shop was locked, with no sign to say when it would reopen. Someone returned a few minutes before my tee time. I checked in and rushed to the tee, but forgot to purchase any drinks. There is no halfway house on the Priestman as I found, nor was there a cart service. Having completed 9 holes, I walked back to the pro shop (closest point but still a fair walk). On arrival at the shop, I was told that I couldn’t purchase a drink as he had cashed up (it was 15 minutes before the shop was due to close) even though I had the right change. Not the sort of service I would expect at a De Vere site, especially one that sells itself as the “Augusta of the North”.

Great course greens in fast condition.

Got there before 10to have breakfast but the chef not in so when hungry.

Need halfway house or food cart

Course in good condition, greens a little slow, groups in front of us unbelievably slow and ignorant, waited on most tees for them and waited when they looked for their golf balls off the tees.

Bear in mind if your playing here on a week end.

On a good note the weather was brilliant.

Very good course with some cracking views out over the countryside up into Northumberland but maintenance of the course and wider facilities needs a re-think. Some very rough / damaged areas especially in and around the greens need to be repaired or at least marked as GUR and the bunkers need some sand adding - also maintenance of intermediate and full rough needs reviewing - intermediate hadn't been cut in at least 2 weeks and full rough is simply a wilderness which made our round somewhat frustrating due to problems locating and hitting balls just off the fairway - the private road into the facility is now a cratered mess which lets the course and hotel down badly.

Myself and two friends played Priestman course on 23rd June 24, the weather was amazing and the setting of the golf club was delightful. This is where the enjoyment stopped. Our handicaps were 7, 12 and 24. The area 1m away from the fairway was 2ft high grass. If your ball goes anywhere near this, it’s history. I am not sure for the reasoning behind the masicastical course layout either golf ball collection, sustainability or designing to infuriate decent golfers. The undesired consequence of this long grass immediately adjacent to the fairways was extremely slow play. Looking for balls in the grass seriously slowed play and resulted in a round of golf of over 5h.

In addition, the bunkers were crusty and would not take the wedge, felt like a ball resting on concrete.

The reputation of Slaley Hall is one of the best course in the north east. Not for me. A 7 handicap golfer lost 9 balls and struck the ball well.

Think of the golfer experience, this was just pure brutality.