Riverside Golf and Country Club

General Course Description

The Riverside Golf and Country Club is a private, 18-hole course in Northeast Portland with a classic design and a relaxed feel. It has many mature trees of differing varieties that line the sometimes narrow and often turning fairways.  Many traps and a few water holes add to the difficulty. Fairways are mixed and well cared for, greens are good, hold well, and are true (provided you accurately read the many undulations). Riverside Golf and Country Club is in the path of planes landing at Portland International Airport, so it can be noisy (you also glimpse a correctional facility that is not noisy). Forward tees provide shorter distances and easier angles. Flat and compact, it is a very nice walk.

Course History

First 9 opened in 1926 and the second 9 in 1928. It suffered some setbacks early. In 1929, the clubhouse burned down and in 1948, the nearby Columbia River submerged the course and the clubhouse (which took several years to recover). But the course has held numerous tournaments over the years including the Oregon Amateur in 1940, 1954, 1962, 1972, 1982, and 1993; the Oregon Open in 1952, 1958, 1965, and 1981; the Northwest Open in 1962 and 1984; and the LPGA stop under a variety of names — Portland Ping Team Championship in 1980 and 1981, Portland Ping Championship in 1984 and 1985, and the Cellular One – Ping Golf Championship in 1989. The course has also annually hosted the Eddie Hogan Cup for the best junior golfers in the Western United States and Canada.

Why It Is There

A group of Portland golfers (including C.L. Swain, Kenneth A. Scott, and Claude M. Johns) did not appreciate the existing country clubs in the area, with Columbia Country Club just a half mile to the east and Alderwood Country Club two miles to the west. The objective “was to have a first-class golf course at a price within reach of the average player and family.”  That niche continues to make the club popular.

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Played

Although there are many doglegs, the course is generally in front of you. The par-5, 15th hole is fairly straight, but the driving area has several traps on the left in the landing area.  About 150 yards from the start of the first trap, a pond starts to come in from the left and covers the fairway providing more room on the right. There are about 30 yards after the pond to the green (which has a trap in the back you cannot see). On the par-4, 16th hole, the water you see is not in reach (unless you are a really big hitter), but marks where the the fairway turns severely right (starting about 125 from the hole and ending about 100 yards from the hole).

Did You Know

In 1990, Tiger Woods became the youngest (14!?!) winner in the history of the Eddie Hogan Cup at Riverside. In 1991, The Oregonian named the approach shot on the 14th hole as one of the hardest approach shots for all of the Portland area courses.

Why Play This Course

A solid, classic course that is nicely maintained with a surprisingly laid-back atmosphere (based in large part by the friendly members).

General

• • Type: 18-hole private course
  • Price: Private
  • Phone/webpage: (503)288-6468/www.riversidegcc.com
  • Address: 8105 Northeast 33rd Drive, Portland, Oregon 97211
  • Owner: Riverside Golf and Country Club
  • Designer: James Henderson (first 9), Chandler Egan (second 9); John Steidel (remodel)
  • Pros: Aaron Wells (PGA)
  • Practice Facilities: Driving range on grass and mats, two putting greens, and pitching and sand practice area; there is also a short iron practice area with a 120-yard hole, traps, and an additional practice green
  • Pro Shop: Nice size with a good amount of clothing and equipment
  • Food: Full-service restaurant and grill in the clubhouse (open to members and guests), with the grill open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (hours for the restaurant are subject to change)
  • Yardage Markers: 200, 150, and 100 in-ground markers; yardage on most sprinklers; pins color-coded for position
  • Clothing: Proper golf attire
  • Walkable: Fairly flat and compact, a nice walk
  • Spikes: Soft only
  • Shoe Cleaning: Air hose and brush
  • Rentals: All
  • Open all year