Riverbend Golf Course Review
Designer: Gene Bates (1994)
https://slco.org/golf/riverbend/
Phone # 385-468-1460
12800 S 1040 W Riverton, UT 84065
Utah Golf Guy Grade
| OVERALL | 6.75 |
| BEAUTY | 7 |
| VALUE | 7 |
| PRACTICE FACILITIES | 4 |
| CLUBHOUSE | 4 |
| PACE OF PLAY | 5 |
| CONDITIONS | 8 |
| FRIENDLINESS OF STAFF | 7 |
| FUN | 7 |
| NOT INCLUDED IN OVERALL: DIFFICULTY | 5 |
| TEES | OUT | IN | TOTAL | RATING | SLOPE |
| BLACK | 3437 | 3439 | 6876 | 71.7 | 130 |
| BLUE | 3198 | 3241 | 6439 | 69.9 | 125 |
| WHITE | 2923 | 2932 | 5855 | 67.3 | 113 |
| YELLOW | 2560 | 2521 | 5081 | 68.3 | 122 |
Course Summary
Welcome to the Riverbend Golf Course review. This course has beautiful views of the Traverse Mountain Range and runs along the banks of the scenic Jordan River. This links-style layout has 9 holes that play on top of the bluff while the other 9 play at the bottom, offering 2 completely different layouts. This course is diverse with sand bunkers, wetlands and water throughout.
Elevated tee boxes are found on holes 8, 10, and 18. This course is not particularly long or difficult but does require accuracy on each approach shot. The rough is short and the ball sits up making it almost a non-issue.
Specifics
The facilities (namely the driving range) need an upgrade. The putting green is good and allows for a variety of different putts and chips.
Fairways – Fairways were in decent shape with very few large brown or dead areas. The majority of the holes are straight and are built on a rolling terrain.
Greens – The greens are large, fast but relatively level. The greens are in decent shape (for the end of October) with a few exceptions. The greens broke about 15% less than what my original read was on each hole.
BEST HOLES
Signature Hole - #10 Par 4 398 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
A beautiful, high elevated tee shot with the Traverse Mountain Range in the background showcases the signature hole. Fairway is a bottleneck shape that gets extremely narrow about 290 yards off the tee which does come into play as this hole plays much shorter due to the high elevation. The smart play is a 250 yard drive leaving you with a simple pitching wedge into the green. No need to get greedy with the driver no matter how tempting it appears. A 140 yard sand bunker runs along the right fairway. OB runs along the left side. Green is small and relatively flat. This hole is all about the tee shot!
Most Beautiful - #10 Par 4 398 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
See Signature Hole
Birdie Time - #9 Par 4 369 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
This hole plays much shorter than the 369 yards suggest. I put a good drive with a slight fade and I reached the front of the green. I believe it plays closer to 310 yards. Stay left if possible as trees and a sloped hill line the right side. Bunker on the left but big hitters will be able to clear it without a problem. No bunkers around the green allowing for an aggressive approach shot. Large green with large slope leaving a top elevated shelf on the ride side. Hit up to the green, attach the pin with a simple pitch and roll one in for Birdie.
Likely Bogey - #12 Par 4 497 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
This hole is an absolute monster. The longest Par 4 on the course, it takes a 230 yard drive to even reach the fairway from the tips. The fairway is flat and wide. Water is found on the left side of the long, skinny green. No bunkers or wasteland, just length. Wind is usually at your face making this hole even longer than it already plays.
Best Par 3 - #15 177 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
Brush is found everyone on this hole. 120 yards to carry in front of the green, left, right and back. Green is large and relatively flat with one little ridge that runs from front to back. If you are going to miss, right is the play as a bank runs along that side and might aid your ball in trickling back down towards the hole. Green is 2 feet away from the brush on the left side.
Best Par 4 - #10 398 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Bogey
See Signature Hole
Best Par 5 - #11 577 Yards
Utah Golf Guy score - Par
A long hole from the tips, driver is necessary to post a birdie. Fairway is much wider than it appears but there is OB on the left so be careful. 2 sets of fairways. The first ends at 380 yards. Aim for the left side of the front fairway to take away any fear of your second shot. If you hit in the middle or right you will need a big ball to carry a large area filled with bushes, weeds and long grass that has already collected quite a few balls. This ball collector is 90 yards long and over 60 yards wide.
Golfing with locals, they claim that regular oftentimes choose to hit right off the tee. Way right, as in the adjacent hole’s fairway to get a good angle away from the danger area. Not sure I can condone ever hitting into another hole’s fairway but to each their own. Even with a 300 yard drive off the tee you are still left with 261 yards to the middle of the green. Safer to hit long, layup 100 yards short and pull out the wedge for a chance at birdie. A bunker protects the hole on the front left. This is a really fun hole that requires 3 good shots to have a chance at a tweeter.