Hello everyone, I have enjoyed this site for the past few years and finally decided to email Ran about becoming a member. This site has really opened my eyes to great architecture, and because of this I have been fortunate enough to play some wonderful courses that go under the radar by most. if it wasn't for this site I would have never heard of some of my favorite course in the country; Camargo, Yale, Yeamans, Cheechesse Creek, Lost Dunes, and the list goes on and on. Rivermont Country Club also fits the bill. Chris Cupit's course is amazing from the 1st tee to the 18th green. It also helps that Chris might be one of the most sincere and generous men I have met in golf. From the limited time I have seen Rivermont I have been overly impressed with how Chris and his crew run the course and it is great pleasure to play Rivermont. The course plays fast and firm, and the greens are a blast to play. Defiantly some of the most unique contours I have seen in the Southeast.
Here are some pictures taken from about three weeks ago with on and off rain clouds throughout the day. Hopefully I will get back out to Rivermont before I head back to South Carolina for school, and will try to get some better pictures if the weather cooperates. I don't have the scorecard in front of me so I am trying to remember the yardage's for each hole from the red tees.
1st hole. Par 4. 442 yards. This is a great opening hole in my eyes. Straight away but still a challenge if the player isn't warmed up.
Approach to the 1st. Notice the yellow wicker basket pins. Just one of the little touches that make Rivermont special
2nd hole. Par 5. 540 yards. Dogleg left but anything straight off the tee is fine. Notice the gaudy hole markers next to the path.....
Fairway approach from about 175 yards. The picture really doesn't show much but behind the bunker there is a ridge that will either feed the ball into the green or kick down into the collection area on the left. Great design feature for a risk reward par 5.
2nd green from 3rd hole white tee box. Just a taste of the great contours in these greens.
3rd hole. Par 4. 440 yards. This might be one of my favorites on the course. The predominant slope in the fairway is left to right and the green is heavily contoured. This hole might not have the wow factor but is just a great hole with many options on how to play it.
Approach to the 3rd green. with the firm conditions it is very easy to run the ball to the green or carry it in.
4th hole. Par 3. 195 yards. I have been fortunate to play a lot of the great redan holes in the U.S. and I put this one up there with the best. Both times I have played this hole I have had the great fortune of putting it in the front bunker. I don't have any shots around the green but I could easily spend all day messing around on this hole from 10 yards and in.
5th hole. Par 4. 450 yards. Pretty straight away with a creek running just shy of the green. The green is huge and very well contoured. No solid pictures of the green though.
fairway bunkering on the 5th. The rectangular bunkering is not seen to often around Atlanta
6th hole. Par 3. 170 yards. Great par three in my eyes. The green makes it pretty special. Half pipe on the back of the green. Bring a skateboard next time out. One thing I enjoy about Rivermont is that the par threes from the tips aren't overly long, but the course still stretches out to over 7000. It gets tiring playing 200+ par threes all day that are all the same.
Picture of the 6th green. Couldn't get a great picture of the contours but this will do. Picture taken from the 7th tee.
7th hole. Par 5. 580 yards. This is one tough par 5. Can't see to many people reaching this in two. second shot is difficult as well, tight shot with sand around the landing area. Probably the tightest feeling hole on the course.
this shot is taken from about 170 yards out or so. Fairly skinny green with an L shape bunker surrounding the left and backside of the green. The back part of the green is very unique, almost like a tee box was cut right into the back of the green.
8th hole. Par 4. 420 yards. good hole after the challenging par 5. Straight away slightly uphill to the green. Green is extremely fast but doesn't look it.
Fairway on 8. Many different playing options going into this green. Three small bunkers guard the left side of the green.
9th hole. Par 4 380 yards. One thing I enjoy about Rivermont is that none of the holes feel gimmicky where you only can hit a certain club off the tee. On every par 4/5 you can hit just about anything in your bag and be in play. The ninth is probably the only hole on the course where driver isn't the best play for a longer hitter. the ball will just fall back into the flat part of the fairway about 125 to the green. And hitting the fairway is a good idea on this hole with the very elevated punchbowl green.
Picture taken from about 130 yards out. Probably my favorite second shot on the course. great blind shot into a massive punchbowl green.
Best attempt at getting a good shot of this green.
Alright time for the back nine.
10th hole. Par 5 530. The day I took the pictures we played through a group on 10 so I was unable to get any pictures of the hole. But in essence it doglegs right with a bunker at the dogleg which is right around landing area for your drive. After the corner it kicks back to the left. With a good drive you can easily get to the green in two. Hopefully in the future I can take some pictures of this hole.
11th hole. Par 4 315 yards. Great drivable par 4, seems like the green might be the smallest on the property and is quite undulating so Par isn't the easiest task.
Picture of the tiny bunker just off the green on 11. Needs to be a little hairier and deeper, right Chris?
12th hole. Par 5 545 yards. Tough driving hole if you don't play a draw. If you are a longer hitter you need to hug the tree line on the left, and if you go right you might be down in the creek.
From about 200 or so out on 12. green sits above the bunker. Very tricky green just like the rest, but was deceptively fast and I could see many people putting off the front of the green if you are above the hole.
13th hole. Par 4 380. Very cool hole with a pretty special green.
3 little bunkers about 30 yards from the green on 12. Notice the huge false front on the green. Had about 90 yards into the green and landed at the peak of the false front, hung up for a second at the top and quickly fell to about 10 yards off the green and you end up with a knee knocker pitch shot.
Looking back on 13 from the top of the green.
14th hole. Par 3 150. Little par three that has a tough green to put some teeth into the hole. Go a touch right and good luck, wind adjustment is important on this one.
15 hole. 420 par 4. So far this hole has ate my lunch. I love the look of the blind tee shot, but I love hitting snap hooks into the trees. The right play is down the right side and will feed to the fairway
about 80 yard to the hole. Unique front bunker guarding the hole.
Example of the old CB McDonald and Raynor lines on the greens. Just nothing like it Atlanta and is a great change of pace. Don't really have any other pictures, but a lot of the edges on the greens have the round squared edge look.
16th hole. Par 4 thinking around 440. Really strong hole where two good shots are needed. Tee balls really fall to the left towards the bunker.
Approach to the 16th. Long is not the play. really need to hit a solid 2nd shot or your in trouble. There are bunkers on the right side that will catch some wayward shots.
17th hole. Par 3 195 yards. Very picturesque hole. Seems like a 2 club difference in distance, but still a challenge to hit that giant green.
18th hole. 480 yard par 4. This is one serious finishing hole. Beautiful hole that is a bear. One of the strongest finishing holes that I have played and if a match is coming down to this best of luck.
Approach to the 18th. Pond on the left side that ramps up the intimidating second shot.
Looking back on 18.
So there it is. Hope you see the excellence of this course in the pictures. Such a special course among the elite in Atlanta. Rivermont to me is one of the few courses I think I could play every time out and never tire of the course. With the great green contours and how large the greens are you can play a completely different course every time out. Thank you Chris for taking that big step and renovating the course, you really have something special. I hope to call Rivermont home in the near future.