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Rating Index Rating
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4.2
449 Reviews (449)
5 Stars
134
4 Stars
216
3 Stars
71
2 Stars
21
1 Stars
7
Conditions
3.9
Value
4.2
Layout
4.7
Friendliness
4.5
Pace
4.4
Amenities
3.6
93.9%
Recommend this course
409 out of 449 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
8 Reviews (8)
5 Stars
3
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.6
Layout
4.9
Pace
4.9
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.9
100.0%
Recommend this course
8 out of 8 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
24 Reviews (24)
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
14
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.2
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.5
Amenities
3.6
StaffFriendliness
4.6
95.8%
Recommend this course
23 out of 24 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
The Great Blue course delivers a cleverly designed layout with water features that reward strategic play, making it a favorite among Portland-area golfers. Well-maintained fairways, true-rolling greens, and efficient pace of play offer strong value at this accessible municipal track.

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Municipal
Style Links
Par 72
Length 6902 yards
Slope 139
Rating 74.0

Heron Lakes Golf Course was opened for public play in 1972. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and is located off of I-5 next to the Portland International Raceway. It was named after the Blue Herons that inhabit the many lakes and ponds around the course. There are two courses, the Great Blue and the Green Back.

The Great Blue has been rated for years as the most difficult golf course in the Portland Area. It is a links style course with water, tall rough, narrow fairways, and sand everywhere. Most fairways on the Great Blue narrow to small greens that roll and pitch in several directions.

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Course Details

Year Built 1992
Fairways Winter Rye Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
GPS No
Pull-carts Yes
Caddies No
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Shirts must be worn on the premises at all times.

Food & Beverage

Bar, Snacks

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in Oregon (2023 #17)
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Reviews

4.2
449 Reviews (449)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 11
Watching the Game 7
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 24
Bunkers 22
Undulating Greens 13
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 15
Locals 15
Walkers 13
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 22
Near the Airport 16
Worth the Drive 11

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Tough course!

This is a very tough course that is well laid out. The only thing was it was backed up when I played and the Marshall came to us to pick up the pace. Go figure.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 86
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played

Par 3’s

No sand to fill in the divisors on the par 3’s

Looked like war zone so manny divots

Please send someone out to fill them and all tee boxes need help

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 155
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

Hot afternoon golf

Thanks to a slight breeze we played in hot conditions and enjoyed it. There are dry spots as to be expected but overall the course was in good shape for mid summer. Thank you.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 86
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

Par 3's

The par 3"s needed sand in all the divots, no real good place to stand because of all the divots holes

Looks like they arent being maintained at all!

Grass over growning the cart path, just a sloppy look

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Best value in town

These are 2 totally different 18 courses at one spectacular location! The greenback is a tree lined tight course & the great blue is an open links style course which is harder but more fun.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 27
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 15
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

A round at Heron Lakes Great Blue course

Nice golf course. I'd first played it 18 years ago, and recall its many water features as being both very "natural" -- and very beautiful as well. Now, the water features have been "let go" -- Mother Nature appears to be reclaiming them; to marsh and wetlands. I'm all for Mother Nature, but I think that course management should have done a lot more to keep the beauty that once existed, versus letting green algae-type plants overtake the waters. The waters of Heron Lakes aren't nearly as attractive as they were in the younger days of the course.

Also, people need to be more responsible in fixing their ball marks on the greens. Far too many weren't fixed well, and many not fixed at all.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Great except for the raceway next door

I really love this course. It's such a nice contrast to other courses in the area, because of it's links style play. It's very well maintained. The only thing is that when they are allowing cars to race at the race track next door, it's very distracting. Great though for a public course.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 17
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Walked
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 59
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 25
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked

Well maintained course

The course was full but managed well. We didn't have to wait to hit until 13th hold then a few minutes each hole until we finished. They spread tee times out to avoid being too crowded, smart idea. Course was in very good shape .

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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