River Bend Improves Greens, Adds Programs
golf, golf course, recreation, river bend country club,
Time can take its toll on a golf course, but River Bend Country Club’s much-loved 18-hole course is looking healthier – and prettier – than ever as it marks its 50th birthday.
Widely considered one of the finest small club courses in the state, the George Cobb-designed course boasts improved greens and the return of its popular pro, Randy Helton, to River Bend.
“It’s your typical member-friendly golf course that’s in good condition with good putting surfaces,” says Helton, who returned from nine seasons at Stones River Country Club in 2008 to work on rebuilding club programs – such as ladies golf and junior golf – to make the traditional country club a family-friendly place to spend time.
“We want to have something for everyone, juniors, seniors, ladies, as well as your mainstay golfers,” says Helton. “In a few years our junior program will be second to none.”
As a full-service country club, River Bend offers more than good golf, a fully stocked pro shop, putting green, driving range and lessons. Members can also enjoy a large swimming pool and kiddie pool, two lighted tennis courts and an outdoor lounge and grill for informal dining.
Chef Antonio Thompson presides over what Helton describes as “the best food in town” in a more formal setting in the banquet room or smaller dining room.
The club, which has 200 golfing members and just over 300 other members, enjoys a busy schedule of tournaments and events from April through September, but it keeps its members’ needs in mind.
“We try to keep most of our tournaments in conjunction with regular play,” says Helton. “There’s nothing worse than coming out ready to play and having the course be shut down.”
The player-friendly course “doesn’t have a whole lot of trouble, even though we can make it hard depending on the mood our superintendent is in when he wakes up,” he jokes. “Members are going to be happier if they come out shooting 70 rather than 90, but it’s still challenging.”
River Bend is one of the first clubs in the area to install Ultra Dwarf hybrid Bermuda grass on its course, a heat- and water-loving surface that does uniquely well in this area in both winter and summer.
“I’ve been fortunate in my 25 years in this business to play on a lot of courses,” Helton says. “For a town of this size, I can say it’s the best golf club in the state. You have to travel a long distance to find a better-conditioned, more fun golf course.”
Story by Laura Hill
