Hilltop Quad?

fathersymes

Has anyone had any experience with Pat Cooke and this place? I paid them a visit the other day enquiring about the clay shooting facilities and rifle range and was treated in quite a beligerent manner.

Mr Cookes manner was gruff and rude with monosyllabic answers to any of my questions.

He told me it was 600euros to join, never offered to show me around or talk about the clay stands, rifle range etc.

When I asked about the clay shooting stands etc. When I asked him about bringing my own cartridges to shoot some clays, he said 'you don't bring your own drink to a pub'.

Needless to say, I won't be back. The atmosphere was dreadfull! In total contrast to Courtlough where you are welcomed and the membership fee is 250 I think.

Rew

He's like that till he gets to know you don't take it personaly. He gets alot of tier kicking and dodgy characters.

fathersymes

Some way to treat a customer all the same! In all the grounds/ranges I have shot at, I have always received a welcome and friendly service.

Tallaght Rod & Gun got the same treatment, I took my business elsewhere.

Is his membership fee really 600 quid?

Hezz700

Rew wrote:

He's like that till he gets to know you don't take it personaly. He gets alot of tier kicking and dodgy characters.

I had the same experience the first time i showed up there, but he's grand once he knows your not a dodgy git.;)

Hezz.

Rew

fathersymes wrote:

Some way to treat a customer all the same! In all the grounds/ranges I have shot at, I have always received a welcome and friendly service.

Tallaght Rod & Gun got the same treatment, I took my business elsewhere.

Is his membership fee really 600 quid?

Only for the fist year, alot cheaper after that. Scares off the messers.

Sparks

Scares off the messers.

Fine line to walk, that.
What's the average age of members in the club?

Rew

Iv only ever seen guys in there 30's+ up there

garmac

It's true Pat can come across as quite blunt and curt but I have shot there many times and what the others say is quite true that once he gets to know you himself Marian & family are very decent people.
I bought my first ever gun from Pat and did a lot of research/ window shopping beforehand & discovered I'd rather buy from someone who told the truth instead of someone who would say mass to get you to buy a gun that didn't fit, purely for the sale.
He even sent a fax to the hotel at my wedding reception wishing us well. I never said where. Nice touch.
BTW I promise I'm not related, just a satisfied customer .

BOBTHESHOOTER

fathersymes wrote:

Some way to treat a customer all the same! In all the grounds/ranges I have shot at, I have always received a welcome and friendly service.

Tallaght Rod & Gun got the same treatment, I took my business elsewhere.

Is his membership fee really 600 quid?

Hi there fathersymes, seems like you are not having much luck in your travels. My experience with Pat and his crew is far different to that which you experienced, he is very helpful has put a load of effort into the provision of a super location to shoot for anyone with a rifle, shotgun or pistol.

With respect to joining fees, I would love to be advised of a golf club where you would be entertained for less than €2500K joining fee, I have seen so much money spent on guns and so much bitching about fees from some individuals......................

One thing I am very aware of is that Pat is a very good business man, he provides a great service and value for money. I am also very sure that he does not suffer fools and has no time for tyre kickers and I do not blame him.

Did fathersymes actually go there to purchase something or just have a nosy!

One persons experience is hardly a license to destroy the reputation of an individual. And no I am not related either.

Sparks

One persons experience is hardly a license to destroy the reputation of an individual.

True, but:
1) It shows how important customer relations are;
2) It's not the first time that these exact sentiments have been expressed about Hilltop - grand place, grand people once you get to know them.

Hezz700

Ah sure jayus lads, i'm horrible B*****ks until ya get to know me, and when ya know me i'm twice as bad.:D

Sparks

Was that a coming out?

garmac

never offered to show me around or talk about the clay stands, rifle range etc.

There is probably other reasons for this including, but not limited to liability/insurance issues.
Also, in Pat's defence he received a massive ammount of grief from other "locals" in their nice houses in the area about noise levels etc so maybe that too is why he's apprehensive about the grand tour.
Never mind that the is a gun dealer with large stocks living in a relatively quiet area.
persistence is the key!! It's worth it. IMHO anyway.

annoymous

fathersymes wrote:

Has anyone had any experience with Pat Cooke and this place? I paid them a visit the other day enquiring about the clay shooting facilities and rifle range and was treated in quite a beligerent manner.

Mr Cookes manner was gruff and rude with monosyllabic answers to any of my questions.

He told me it was 600euros to join, never offered to show me around or talk about the clay stands, rifle range etc.

When I asked about the clay shooting stands etc. When I asked him about bringing my own cartridges to shoot some clays, he said 'you don't bring your own drink to a pub'.

Needless to say, I won't be back. The atmosphere was dreadfull! In total contrast to Courtlough where you are welcomed and the membership fee is 250 I think.

You'll meet that grumpy person up there every week. Don't gv him the satisfaction. There's another club up the road from him. The Leeson's Land, Diamond Hill Farm, Roundwood: East Coast Shooting Club Formally (F.S.C.). Your buy in is €300.;) For that u get a Shotgun Range, Rifle Range and a Pistol Range. And very friendly members. And yes Hilltop is a €600 buy in. And every time u visit u pay range fees and paper targets. And now a €50 deposit to shoot on the pistol range. Wot a jip. Last time i'll ever go there. :mad:

Samson

annoymous wrote:

And now a €50 deposit to shoot on the pistol range.

When was that introduced?
I was up there shooting a couple of weeks ago (on a Wednesday evening), and there was no "deposit" required.

sidneyreilly

I use Hilltop an awful lot and know Pat well. It should be pointed out that Pat can be extremley busy, it would be a better idea to ring in advance and check a suitable time for a tour and no, he does not suffer fools or tyre kickers, he gets a lot of odd yokes walkin in off the street so he is very wary.

The €50 deposit was introduced to stop people shooting the timberwork covering the target mechanisms and roof beams in the pistol range.

If he knows you shoot straight he dosnt require it (he knows you Samson), an awfull lot of damage has been done to the timbers,mechanism etc. in the past.

Vegeta

sidneyreilly wrote:

The €50 deposit was introduced to stop people shooting the timberwork covering the target mechanisms and roof beams in the pistol range.

If he knows you shoot straight he dosnt require it (he knows you Samson), an awfull laot of damage has been done to the timbers,mechanism etc. in the past.

I do not know Pat nor have i ever been to this range so i will not comment on a man i have never met but at any club surely your membership should be covering this type of wear and tear.

sidneyreilly

To be honest vegeta. the target area is a large board which can be moved form out to twenty meters all the way in to the firing point.
Even a novice should not (and do not) miss these.
When the no shoot areas are hit it's because of (usually) people rapid-firing pistols and generally messing or accedental discharges. NONE of these things should happen.

Anonymous, cant help wondering, did you hit the no-shoots? was at a competition yesterday and someone had riddled one of them since last Wednesday?

thelurcher

Is the earlier comment true - that you can't bring your own cartridges??????
Is that common practice around the country?

... maybe people are shooting up the place because they have no respect for the guy.
There's obviously an 'in-crowd' that get treated right - but is he pissing off new members ... - then in come a new batch paying 600 :rolleyes:


edited to remove comment as below - sparks

sidneyreilly

Nver heard of the ammunition thing I think non-members pay a flat fee for clay shooting which includes ammo and clays though.

I think ... is a bit much when you have never encountered someone?

edited to remove comment as below - sparks

Sparks

sidneyreilly wrote:

I think ... is a bit much when you have never encountered someone?

Agreed. Relating something you've experienced yourself is one thing; comments like that are another (specifically, they're called libel).

For that reason, I'm editing both posts to remove the comment.

packas

All,

I've been at Hilltop twice. First time was at the FLAG shoot. I was very impressed with the whole facility. I had never met Pat before that day. To be honest with my impression was that's he's up front and honest with you. He doesn't give you the salesman bull. He's straight up.Membership is €600 initially but I think only €150 per year after that. To me that seems fair. There's a lot of people out there only wishing to join clubs to get pistol licences. The membership fee weeds these people out. I've no problem with that.

The second time I was up there was to do some practical pistol. As a non member of the club I paid my fee. €20 I think it was. I shot my own ammo but I could have purchased from Pat.

In general the Hilltop club is a great facilitiy & the shooting community should support it and other clubs around the country. It's tough enough us having to battle the government over our shooting rights without all us shooters having a go at each other as well.

I live in south Wexford & would love to have a facility like this close to home. Give the place & owner a break. We need these places as much as they need us.

Sparks

We need these places as much as they need us.

I'd agree with that statement in it's entirety.
By which I mean that both clauses have equal importance.

Rew

Its worth noting that Pat's ammo prices are very good. I buy ammo there even if im not shooting there.

fathersymes

If Pat had been pleasant, helpful and not rude. He would now have another member. He should have known by my terminology and shooting speak that I was not a 'tyre kicker'. As for the 600euro joining fee, this has no relation to a previous posters reference to a 2,500 golf club fee, As a golf club would have an investment of many millions and vastly larger running costs. Yes it may deter casual shooters but it also detered me, a genuine shooter who has a lot of other club membership fees, deer leases etc. to pay.

I will not listen to any defense of rude and beligerent customer service, it is simply not acceptable if you are running any type of business, full stop.

civdef

The damage to target holders and other range infrastructure is something nearly all clubs suffer from, never underestimate the stuipidity of others.

MRC used to allow non-members shoot the fulllbore range, but stopped this due to damage being caused.

sidneyreilly

civdef wrote:

The damage to target holders and other range infrastructure is something nearly all clubs suffer from, never underestimate the stuipidity of others.

Indeed. Funny how it's "the more experienced" that seem to be the culprits and not the interested novice?

Sparks

sidneyreilly wrote:

Indeed. Funny how it's "the more experienced" that seem to be the culprits and not the interested novice?

The learner driver syndrome I would suspect.

sidneyreilly

sidneyreilly wrote:

Anonymous, cant help wondering, did you hit the no-shoots? was at a competition yesterday and someone had riddled one of them since last Wednesday?

Just been inform that it was indeed annoymous that caused the damage I saw yesterday and that he is the only shooter out of all who shoot there to have incurred the penalty.

Further more he was refused memebership in Hilltop in the past and the only reason he was allowed shoot since was on strict terms.

It is one thing to miss the paper but quite another to miss the whole board entirely several times. This is not safe shooting.

Vegeta

sidneyreilly wrote:

Just been inform that it was indeed annoymous that caused the damage I saw yesterday and that he is the only shooter out of all who shoot there to have incurred the penalty.

Further more he was refused memebership in Hilltop in the past and the only reason he was allowed shoot since was on strict terms.

It is one thing to miss the paper but quite another to miss the whole board entirely several times. This is not safe shooting.

how do you know it was him. Is "annoymous" his first name or something

sidneyreilly

Only one person was EVER asked for €50!