A Quick Nine at “The View”

Being a golfer in the coal fields of West Virginia nowadays is difficult. There is nowhere to play or practice inside of 30 miles and that’s just too far just to get 9 holes in after work. With golf courses shutting down nationwide, especially a handful of courses in West Virginia, the game seems to be dying in the more rural areas of the country. Up until the late 2000’s when I was growing up, I was blessed with playing Riverview Country Club. It wasn’t just a golf course or a country club, it was home for me for many summers and home to many others for over 40 years.

Once you pulled off Route 17 and saw the “Riverview Country Club” sign with bullet holes blasted in it, you turned right off the road onto an old bridge that crossed Spruce River. Just on the other side, you got a view of the old club house. A frame, circular structure that was unique and iconic to the area. I remember days walking through that door and welcomed as if I had entered Cheers, you know, where everybody knows your name. Early in the morning, you would see the regulars drink their coffee and settle up the groups for their upcoming money game. As a kid, my friend Harry and I would partake but only bet hot dogs and Coca-Cola. I feel this helped us for tournaments growing up. Feeling pressure for something, even though it was just a hot dog. That was just $1.35 more than I planned on spending out of my allowance for the day. Lynn, Missy, and Diane were hard at work cooking up breakfast and take money at the register. Still to this day, I believe they had the best bacon, egg, cheese sandwiches.

The Front Nine

The course wasn’t the best in the state or sodded in premium Bermuda or Bent grass. It was a native grass with bits of clover and crabgrass, which made ball striking premium. The layout between the two nines were completely different. The front nine was flat with a couple of hidden ditches and tight holes putting a premium on hitting fairways. It was actually a fine layout with the room they had to build. I give this place credit for how good my driving is still to this day. The front nine opened with a par 5 where your drive must be threaded between a row of large trees to the left, and a large tree to the right center of the fairway. If your drive traveled longer than 300 yards, your ball was in danger of finding a ditch running down the middle of the fairway. With a fairway hit, you’re looking at somewhere around 200 yards for your second. My favorite holes on the front was the par 5 4th hole and the par 4 8th hole. The 4th was a stern hole with trees lining both sides of the fairway, and incorporated Spruce River to the right. I wouldn’t want to count the balls donated to the river. I myself donated quite a few throughout the years. If you were too far right in the fairway or rough, you had to hit a pretty big fade if you wanted to reach the green in two. There were a small group of trees roughly 100 yards from the green just to the right of the fairway that protected the green. So a drive on the left to left center of the fairway gave you the best chance for eagle. The 8th hole was a somewhat drivable par 4 with a ditch roughly 80 yards from the green. I know some people who have carried the ditch, but most take a fairway wood or iron and lay up to the flat part of the fairway.

The Back Nine

The back nine was a different story. It was built on a hillside behind the front nine and was a short, devilish par 34. To be honest, the only hole I enjoyed was the par 3 10th. A 160 yard shot over a pond to one of the best greens on the course. Then the goofiness was cranked up to ten. The 11th was a par 5 with a large landing area. After that, the fairway narrowed to about 10-15 yards and a narrow green. The par 4 17th was definitely my nemesis as a kid. This hole was about 330 yards with the left being down over a hill and to the right was hillside. Your drive HAD to be in the fairway or you were staring double bogey in the face. The fairway veered to the right, then flowed downhill with an elevated green. Not only was the green severly undulating, it was 2-tiered which made it extra difficult. I hope to go hole by hole on a future podcasts with some local guests to remember the glory days of this course. The course finished with a 150 yard downhill par 3. If you flew the green only 5 yards over, you were either over a cliff and on a train track, or hitting the cart barn. The tee box was so elevated, the 150 shot turned into about 120 yards, so you had to be careful of back spin or cratered golf balls.

The 19th Hole

After the round, you would see the regulars talking about their best shots, the bad breaks they got, and settling up their bets while drinking a cold beer. Lynn had burgers on the grill and fries in the fryer waiting on the guys to finish. Some would go out again for double or nothing, while others had grass to mow or honey-do lists to complete. After putting and chipping for awhile, Harry and I would go back out for more, sometimes playing 36-54 holes a day. Some evenings, our dads would join us and play where we would team up and have our own games. It was a great place to play golf and socialize, whether you wanted to play a competitive 18, or simply play 9 after work. It fit the mold for many occasions. On the weekends, it was booked with benefit scramble tournaments for local teams, charities, and sponsors. The largest events being the West Virginia University Alumni & Friends outing and the Boone County Open. I’m not completely sure when the course officially closed it doors, but the writing was on the wall throughout the 2010’s, as the golf course was on the market to be sold for years. Everybody who has played it has their opinions and views on this place. It was home to many golfers young and old. It was practically a glorified daycare for many aspiring golfers and a place where we could be safe and just play golf. My parents never worried for a minute about me there because they knew I would be in good hands. If I acted up, they knew someone would put me in my place. It was special place to a financially fluid community where we could relax and have a good time and play some golf. While writing this, I’m getting teary eyed just reminising about Riverview.

In closing, I want to give a special shoutout to my parents. Both had 9-5 jobs throughout their lives where they weren’t able to take off much, except for family vacation. They spent a bunch of money on me for clubs, lessons, memberships, whatever I needed to get me where I am today. No I’m not on the PGA Tour or making millions in this industry, but when I apologize for having them spend that much money, they ask, “Did you have fun?” I would reply “it was the best time of my life.” That’s all they ever wanted was for me to have the best childhood possible and they achieved that. I got to travel all over the state and the east coast playing in golf tournaments and it was the most fun I’ve ever had in my life. Playing some of the best courses in the country and traveling with a good friend of mine. Which brings me to my next dedication. I want to thank the Howell Family for hauling me everywhere and treating me as their own. On the times my parents couldn’t take off work, the Howells would invite me to travel with them and so I could play in tournaments. Living in hotel rooms and playing junior golf was every teenage golfer’s dream and they made it a reality. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything!

If you have a special place like Riverview Country Club was to me, let me know about it. I love to hear about stories like these. This idea was the basis of Range Revival; to share great stories in the game. Stories of home golf courses, historic rounds, or memorable times with your buddies.