There are two types of golfers.
Golfer A is the type that plays to improve his score. He takes the game seriously and truly upholds the character of theme.
Golfer B is a totally different type of golfer. He’s the type who’s out on the course to not keep track of the score, but rather enjoy the warm weather while drinking a cold one with friends.
What makes the RiverRidge Golf Complex in north Eugene so special is that it’s the only golf complex in the Eugene/Springfield area that truly makes itself available to both types of golfers. From the 18-hole course for Golfer A to a par-3 Course for Golfer B, RiverRidge offers something for everybody.
“RiverRidge, to me, is one of the top courses in the area because it’s so diverse and you’ll find something for everyone here,” local golfer Nate Larson said. “I can play with my buddies who are really good or play with my friends who are bad. No matter what, though, we’re still having fun.”
Opened in 1988, the RiverRidge Complex has three different courses that sit on a portion of the Ayres Family farm, homesteaded in 1851.
RiverRidge is an 18-hole, par 71 course that takes up 107 acres of the complex. With a unique layout, it’s the type of course where golfers play if they want to be challenged with every club in their bag. From a par-3 hole — where you use your pitching wedge in the tee box — to five par-5s that all exceed 500 yards in length, every club in the golfer’s bag is guaranteed to be used.
What makes RiverRidge so difficult, apart from the length of the course, is the precision it requires from golfers.
The first three holes of the course leave no room for mistakes. If a golfer fades a ball to the right, it’s guaranteed to get lost in the brush or the river.
The back nine has a similarly rough three-hole stretch. Golfers are trapped all around high brush and trees that make it impossible to find the ball if you’re not on the fairway or green.
“Its such a rough beginning because you have no time to warm up before you start the challenging holes,” Larson’s friend Garrett Johnson said. “If I can get through those three holes (in the beginning), I usually have a good round. If not, oh boy.”
For the experienced golfer who doesn’t have enough time to play 18 holes, the SuttonRidge nine-hole Executive Course is perfect. Possible to play in under two hours, SuttonRidge plays just like the front-nine of the main course but with no par-5s, making it much easier to walk instead of paying for a cart.
The final golf course on the complex is the ShortRidge par-3 course. Nine holes that are all under 100 yards in length make it the perfect golf course for the starter who just wants to relax during a round.
ShortRidge isn’t just for the beginners, though. Experienced golfers can play the entire course with just their wedges and putter to practice their short game.
With the three courses at the complex, RiverRidge stands alone as Eugene’s do-it-all course for all types of golfers.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter: @Ryan_Kostecka