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Riverside Golf Club

Austin, Texas
Public
Par: 71
Phone: (512)386-7077
website

Men's Summary:
Tees Yards Rating Slope
Back 6189 69.0 123
Middle 5744 67.2 113
Forward 4877 63.1 105
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Riverside (Austin)


205 yard par 3 #1


Short par 3 #2 - stay right of the tree in the middle


Final approach to the par 5 fourth hole


#5 - pretty as a picture...


Par 4 #7


Intimidating tee shot on the par 4 eighth - sharp dogleg right past the trees


Par 3 #11


Approach shot to the par 5 #13


#14 - short par 4 - any 200 yard tee shot will suffice


#15 - awkward dogleg left


#16 - long straight wide open par 4 - grip it and rip it!


#17 - SHORT straight wide open par 4 - grip it and rip it!


#18 - short par 5, but you really have to pound your drive to fly to the top of the hill -- otherwise, there's no rollout.

Click on one of the thumbnails above to see an enlargement.
The Bogey Golfer © Course Guides

Riverside Golf Club - Overview

The Riverside Golf Club in Austin, Texas, is an interesting, if short, municipal course. I played there in early February, which is certainly off season, and while the fairways were baked-out and brown, the greens were in excellent shape. Originally, Riverside was The Austin Country Club, and was where the legendary Harvey Pennick tuaght Ben Krenshaw and Tom Kite (and countless others) how to play.

The course is a nine-out, nine back layout. There are restrooms and water out on the course, but bring your own food...

The front nine is only a par 34 (three par 3s, one par 5), but the back is par 37 (three par 5s).


Riverside Golf Club Detail

The opening hole is a wake-me-up 205 yard par 3 (a little bit uphill to boot). Hit the longest club that you can hit straight, and then get the rest of the way with a wedge. Bogey is a good score on these 200 yard pard 3s.

#2 is a short par 4, playing 343 yards. It's wide open, but you cannot hit your driver because of the creek that runs in front of the green. As far as that goes, my three wood actually rolled into the creek too. The key on this hole is to hit your tee shot out to the right of that tree that sits in the middle of the fairway. The reason to stay right is because the creek runs away from the tee that direction and you have more room.

The third hole is a short par 3. The scorecard said 116, but the tee marker actually said 125 yards. There's a stream between the tee and green. Pretend it's not there, commit to the shot, and knock it on.

#4 is a short par 5 at 493 yards. It's a little bit tight for a driver, but if you're going to go for it in two, you pretty much have to use it. On the other hand, a three wood, a five iron, and a wedge will pretty much guarantee you a par.

#5 is perhaps the prettiest hole on the course. It's about a 200 yard par 3, down the hill, into a green surrounded on all sides by trees. You wouldn't be surprised to find a wedding ceremony going on here. It's kind of tricky, since the chute off the tee is kind of narrow, and there's a cavernous bunker on the left, and it's long enough you need a long iron to reach it. But you can't beat it for gorgeous.

#6 is kind of a letdown visually, after #5. It's 390 yards, straightaway, wide open. Take out your driver and pound it.

The seventh hole is kind of a repeat of #6. It's got plenty of room for your driver, so flail away!

#8 is handicapped as the hardest hole on the course. It's 431 yards from an elevated tee, with a dogleg right around a clump of trees. You get the feeling that if you hit your driver straight, you'll run out of fairway. And yet it's a little too long for just a three wood... Decisions, decisions... Well, a good rule of thumb for the Bogey Golfer is that if you get to choose between long and straight, always go for straight. I went with the three wood, flared it out right anyway, and came down in the middle of the clump of trees. Six strokes later I found the hole.

#9, 377 yards, is mostly a straightaway hole. It's not very long and begs for a big hit from your driver. I made a big hit into the trees on the left.

#10, which is nowhere near the clubhouse, is the first of two back-to-back long par 3s. #10 is plenty roomy, and is fronted right and left by sand traps. A smartly struck four iron to the middle of the green sets up a possible birdie, and an easy par. On the other hand, you could shank the damn thing into the only tree within a hundred yards...

#11 is pretty much the same shot coming back the other way. Pay close attention to the wind. What I thought was a crosswind slightly against me was in fact slightly with me, and my shot wound up way long.

Number 12 is a 520 yard par 5. It's wide open and straightaway. Great place to air out the driver.

#13 is a shorter par 5, at only 488 yards. It has a little more interest than #12, in the form of a pond near the green, and the green tucked up on a knoll to the left. Driver is still the right play off the tee, but be careful with yardages on your second shot.

#14 is a short 322 yard par 4. Almost any 200 yard shot off the tee will leave you well positioned to approach the green. Anything longer brings a bunker into play.

The fifteenth hole is a long par 4 (428 yards). It's the most difficult hole on the back nine, and is a tight dog leg left. Driver is a dicey play here because of the trees on both sides. It's important on these long holes to keep the ball in play...

#16 is a 448 yard par 4. It's wide open, so driver is the play here. Hit it hard, follow up with a solid long iron, and it's easy, right?

#17 is a short wide-open par 4 (337 yards). Grip it and rip it.

The final hole is a short par 5 at 469 yards. However, it plays much longer than that because of a steep short hill right where your tee wants to come down. If it hits on the upslope, it will stop cold with no rollout, and you're still 250 yards out. Driver is still the play though. Anything landing shorter won't get any rollout either.

This course is a relic of bygone days, but which still has elements of crafty strategy as well as brute strength. A few of the holes are a bit bland, but all in all, it's well worth your time. Very enjoyable.

Background photo: The par three twelfth, at Cherry Hills, Englewood, CO

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