Riverview Golf Course (Newton Falls, OH)

Riverview is located just off the turnpike in Trumbull County. It has held the Ohio Left-handed Golf Association Championship several times, an impressive distinction considering this is a mom n pop course that was once a potato farm. 

(The double dogleg par five fifteenth follows the natural curve of the Mahoning River.)

Riverview was designed by Ed Gintert in 1962. He was a property owner who decided to build a golf course. [Things must have been different back then because the Mahoning River runs right next to the course, and with today's regulations, I'm not sure it would have been so easy to do.] 

Gintert did a nice job routing the course. Three tee boxes sit on the edge of the river and two holes play alongside it. A tributary that feeds to the water is put to good use, and a couple ponds on the property are too. There are no sand traps. The greens are very well done. 

(Look how the putting surface begins at fairway level before climbing up to a pad type tier. I'd love to know where Gintert learned this style.)

(The par five third is reachable in two shots. The tributary is used well to defend the hole.) 

(The long par four fourth has a green that is spread across the top of a ridge. The water is mainly visual unless one pushes his drive wildly to the right. It's possibly the toughest hole on the course.) 

The par fives get most of the attention especially since the fifteenth plays alongside the river, but both three and eight have water in play for the aggressive golfer. 

(The eighth is a good par five that doglegs right. One can shorten the hole but a block or cut can find the water...

...a good layup leaves this view. Note the different cuts around the green. They keep them in beautiful shape.) 

(The fifteenth looking back from the green.) 

The par fours have good variety to them. Some short, some long, a couple driveable, and doglegs left and right. I personally think the long holes are the best. Four, nine, and seventeen are all strong holes. Seventeen with it's two tier green is particularly keen. The fourteenth is driveable.  It's next to the river, and can be a big swing hole if one gets loose with the drive. 

(The ninth is 438 yards. The left side of the green is open to a run up shot, but note the pin in pic...

...it is hidden behind a mound. This view from the fairway shows just how difficult the approach shot is.) 

(The 328 yard sixteenth doglegs left between the trees. It's a layup hole but the green has some bite to it. Don't be above the cup.) 

This is one of the few courses that ends with a par three, a 224 yarder that plays into a slight breeze during the summer. It's a tough hole to finish on but since there's no bunkers, being just short leaves a chance to save par. [I have no good pics of eighteen]

(The seventh has a wicked green on this short par three. Note the curve from my bag to the pin. There are several great hole locations.) 

(The twelfth is a beautiful par three across a pond. The green slopes to the right, but front left and rear left have slight tiers. I believe this is the only hole that was remodeled.) 

If I had to make a comparison, I'd say Riverview reminds me of Maplecrest. The fairways are thin but the greens are very well kept. The Gintert family does a nice job planting flowers and such around the course, but mainly though each hole has it's own birdhouse. 

Riverview is home to five high school golf teams. Talking to the owner, this was a huge source of pride. They are committed to promoting the game and growing it. It's a fun golf course, and I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-40 min). I think it would be a good course for the Saturday league. It's within a suitable drive time, and, like Maplecrest, is very affordable. I paid $16 to walk eighteen holes!