Image: Tee shot on the par 5 14th hole.
Spring rounds in the Northwest are always subject to the weather on hand. My visit to Riverbend Golf Course in Kent today was one of those rounds where the weather was just bad enough to make the day interesting. A gray cloud cover hung over the course when I arrived for my 7:21 tee time. Rain to the north and showers to the east were showing on the radar, but the clouds over the course were dry, right up until I was called to the first tee.
As our foursome hit the Par 4, 315 yard, first hole, a slight rain started to fall. A rocket 3 iron ripped down the left side of the fairway drifted just slightly into the left rough. A quick sandwedge left me just short of the green. A quick chip and a 2 putt and the round was off to a bogey start. Coming up to the 374 yard second hole, the driver came out of the bag and launched me deep into the trees on the left, about 5 yards into the rough. A punch out 3 iron, a chip and a two putt put me at 2 over heading into the third. The rain continued to move between a light mist and a decent pace.
Image: Tee box view from the 158 yard, par 3, 16th.
As we moved to the third, the 472 yard, par 5 with water down the right side of the hole, my trusted 3 iron failed me off the tee box. What started out as a perfectly placed draw, ended up being a 60 yard tee shot as it clipped a branch on the right side of the boxes and fell to the ground far short of its intended target. I ripped another 3 iron down the middle before a wedge to the green came up just short, leaving a chip and a putt for another bogey and a three over total after 3. The 376 yard par 4, 4th was up next and a blistering drive down the left side placed me at 80 yards in to the flag. This had been my 58 degree wedge all day at the range, but a slight flare took the shot off the green to the right. Again, a chip and a two putt scored me another bogey.
The par 5 5th hole has always been a trouble maker for me. Today, a perfectly placed wedge allowed me to escape with my first par of the day. The par 5 6th hole is a long dog leg left with a decent amount of trouble to the right. A gorgeous draw drive drifted a bit left again just into the left rough, but left me no shot with a tree directly in line with where I needed to go. I ripped a 5 iron down the left, just catching the tree branch and leaving me 175 to the flag. I pulled a 7 iron from my bag and proceeded to fly the green by 15 yards from a terrible side hill/down hill lie. A chip and a 2 putt let me escape this disastrous hole with another bogey and moved me to 5 over.
Image: Two balls tucked in close from the tee on the 175 yard, par 3, 7th.
The par 4 7th is usually no problem. At 295 yards, the hole is one of the easiest on the course. Unfortunately, my 3 iron struggles continued as my draw once again started off too far to the right and fell to earth under the trees. I played a gorgeous punch 3 with about a 40 degree slice out from under the branches and to the center of the green where a 2 putt earned me my second par of the front side. After a quick 7 iron to the green on 8 and other par, we moved on to the 9th to finish out the front. A gorgeous 3 iron off the tee was followed by a sand wedge coming up just short of the green. A chip and 2 putts later, I was 6 over on the front posting a 42 in the rain.
I made the turn and started off the 344 yard par 4 10th with a booming drive down the left center of the fairway. I caught the following shot a touch heavy and landed just short of the green. A quick chip and 2 putts later landed me a bogey to begin the back side. The long par 4 11th was next up and I played it about to perfection, except for a missed birdie opportunity. A big drive, good approach and a putt that moved about 9” in the final foot got me my first par of the inward nine. Disaster struck on the 12th. Normally a stronger hole for me, I pull/chunked/bladed a 3 iron from the tee that flew about 2 feet off the ground before nose diving into the lake directly in front of the tee box. That little oops cost me two strokes on the 12th, but the double wasn’t a round breaker by any means. Actually, the resulting “4” that I played the hole in after my penalty gave me quite a bit of confidence as I found my 3 iron on the next shot.
The short par 3 13th was up next. Normally, this hole plays a solid 136, but today they had the tees up and flag in the middle for a total of right around 120. It was directly between my pitching wedge and my sand wedge. For some reason, even after hearing the lesson a million times, I still have trouble clubbing down with my wedges. I pulled the SW from my bag and proceeded to come up about 7 yards short of the green – or exactly what my 54 degree carries for me. Again, a chip and two putts and we moved along to 14. The par 5 14th is one of those holes that, “doesn’t have much trouble, but has trouble everywhere.” To the right is a perfectly placed bunker to collect your drive. To the left is a wetlands that plays as a hazard. It runs the full length of the hole and is very unforgiving to those that draw the ball. My booming drive when slightly left, but was in a great position. I followed that with a slightly heavy 3 iron before hitting a strong wedge to the green. Two putts later, the par 5 was done and I was holding at 3 over on the back side. On the 382 yard, par 4, 15th, my booming drive went to the left side, but drifted into the rough with some trees to contend with. A punch out, solid wedge to the green and two putts moved me to 4 over on the back.
Image: Looking back at the 17th green and 18th tee box from the 18th fairway.
Another bogey came to me on the par 3 16th. A 9 iron that missed the green slightly right left me with an impossible chip shot to a downhill/side hill pin placement with no green to work with. I hit it about as good as I possibly could but the ball just worked its way down the hill to leave me a long par put which I left about 3” from the cup. Fortunately, the par 4 17th was up next and I ripped a 3 iron down the middle and long to get back on the par train. The long par 5 18th finishing hole at Riverbend is another one of those holes that isn’t all that hard if you just remember to play it smart. I, unfortunately did not do that today as I tried to play too much of the water and cut the corner too far on it. My drive sailed out into the water. After taking a drop, I ripped a 3 iron to an open area short and right of the green. A quick on from there and two more putts, left me with a bogey on the final hole after the drop penalty.
The 42 on the front and 43 on the back is far from a great round at a scoring course like Riverbend. Given the conditions during play, I don’t think it was a bad one either. The persistent rain and the slower pace of our foursome was definitely not helpful in getting a groove going. The few times I was able to get things going, someone posted an 8 or was doing so poorly that they actually just picked up their ball and walked away from the hole. Even still, Riverbend was is very good shape, and while the greens weren’t perfect, they are getting to the consistent stage very early in the year. This will only mean much better golf during the summer months and that the City of Kent’s course will be a great value later in the year. For now, with weekend rates at $28 when you tee off before 7:30 AM and $36 when you tee off after that, Riverbend is a perfect choice for the golfer that want’s a speedy round on a consistent course that will challenge you, without breaking your spirits.
Playing stats: Riverbend Golf Complex – Par 72 – 6015 yards (white) – $28 before 7:30 or $36 after 7:30 on weekends. Also has a 6701 yard (black), 6328 (blue), 5541 (gold) and 4513 (purple) layouts available.
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