River Bend YMCA Golf Course

Greens & Bunkers were in excellent condition.

Some places were hard-pan & need to have grass planted, but that's only due to trees that have been cut down & understand that will take some time.

Some places need to have the grass cut, as in some places the grass is extremely too high...but that, too, I'm sure is due to past [extremely] wet weather, and thus the ground's probably too soft to get equipment in there to cut at this time.

But OTHER THAN THAT.....a wonderful course, and the greens....I'd put them right at the top of any "premium/country club" course! :)

I play River Bend regularly for 2 reasons. The greens are always in great shape and Phil and his staff do a great job taking care of you and the course. Played on a warm afternoon that was busier than normal. So pace was a little slow. But I had my 11 yr old daughter with me and this allowed her to play most of the holes that she wanted to as well. Phil really encourages junior golf and the course has a great First Tee Program as well. As I mentioned the greens are in great shape. They are smooth and the fastest I’ve played so far this spring. I mean really really good. The Bermuda on the greens and fairways has started to come in. It’s still thin in spots but for the most part the tees and fairways are good. They had just been cut on Thursday is seemed and generally weed free. The rough probably not as far along. Some places still bare and some places really thick grass and weeds. But you are supposed to hit it in the fairway anyway. It’s a great place to play and they are constantly trying to improve the place and make it better.

River Bend is a long drive from Charlotte, but worth it for a change of pace. The layout is fun with lots of doglegs, elevation changes, and well-placed water hazards. It’s a neighborhood course, but doesn’t feel too narrow. May be best to avoid after it rains though, it rained on this day and there were puddles and lakes EVERYWHERE, even on the greens. On a normal day, though, the greens would be fantastic! Not much in the way of amenities, though the staff was very friendly.

OVERALL: 7.3/10

Really nice course,nice layout,but pace of play was awful. Literally had to wait up to 10 min to tee off between shots. They need to work on tee times and have a bigger gap in between tee times.

Was visiting family in the area for the Holidays and came across what i thought was going to be a great deal on a very nice course. Listed as $44 at regular price and found a hot deal for $28/person. At arrival i could tell this was a 2 star course at best. I will say that the staff was very friendly and welcoming. Other than that, the course was a dud. Greens rolled better than I expected but were very square and plan. Tee boxes were worn out. It is not a terrible course but, when trying a new course and relaying on the rating system to make your choice it was disappointing. I have played course rated 3 stars that were head and shoulders above this one. If i would have had to pay full price to play I would have left and let the serves fees be a lesson learned.

If you're in the area this course is a must play. The greens are better than any private club I've played on. Fairways were very hittable but just didn't look the part. Good lies, just doesn't have the plush look to it. If they would plant shubbery and make the course look better this could easily be a private course. Once again, best greens I've seen in years.

great greens.best I have played this year. . Greens were fast contrary to the pace of play!!

Got a good deal on GolfNow with an early tee time. It rained. ( stormed.) the day before and they didn’t get finished punching the greens due to the storms. They had put sand on all but maybe 2 greens and #2 was playing as a par 3 instead of a par 5. Not sure what they were doing to that fairway. We didn’t find all this out till we arrived. The gentleman in the Pro Shop told us what was going on and gave us a free round of golf on our next visit. After starting on 1 and when we go to 4 they told us to start at 10. After our round (21 holes) the guy in the Pro Shop told us we could play as long as we wanted for no charge. And of course I had to be somewhere @ 1pm or we would have played some more. Great staff, nice course but I would call them directly to see how the course is before booking in the near future !!!!

It’s was well worth the drive from Belmont. Couldn’t ask for a better price for how good the course is kept up. We played before it got too hot and had a lot of fun. You can’t hit over 200 yards on the range though or chip on the practice green. We will go back plenty.

Me and the wife played this course for the first time and a good time. Course e was very challenging for us as we have been playing a short time. Fair amount of water, fairways were a little long, but greens were great. Will play again. Staff were very nice.

First time playing this course. I came here from South Charlotte and it was a bit of a haul. Was very happy I made the trip. The greens were some of the best I've played this year. Tee to green the course was in good shape. Course also had a very good layout. Only problem with the course is that Hole # 2 which is a par 5 is playing as a par 3 with temporary tee boxes while they work on the tee boxes and fairway. Pace of play was good on a Sunday morning as we were the first group off the tee and finished the round in less than 2.5 hours. Course is priced just right. Will definitely come back.

You cant beat the River Bend YMCA course for a great local, public course. Phil and his staff do an awesome job. They are glad to see you, the run the local First Tee Program and actually encourage youth golf and the growth of the game. The course itself is in really good shape right now. The bermuda greens are extremely nice, they are rolling very smooth and fast. The 5th green does seem to have some damage on it from the winter but its out of play. They are also redoing the irrigation on the Par 5 second hole, so it is currently playing as a temporary par 3 which makes the front a par 34 and a stretch of 4 holes (2-5) with 3 par 3s. The fairways and tees are cut and have full coverage and are in good shape. The sand traps are full of sand, and alot of work has been done to improve the course as well. If you are there in the area go play. You'll be glad you did,

Greens are in excellent condition, they are doing some drainage and maintenance around the course but it’s still in really great shape. Phil and the staff are 5 stars all the way. I’ve never been treated better at any golf course than the way the staff at Riverbend perform. They make you feel at home and are very friendly and accommodating. 5 stars all the way around.

Course is always in great shape and a challenge for any skill level. I drive 40 minutes to play and have no regrets

Greens are always in EXCELLENT condition. Found a nice surprise on hole #2, when we saw they removed the large tree guarding the green. Makes your approach shot in more managable. Staff is always so friendly and helpful. Had so much fun on our intial 18, we decided to squeeze 9 more holes in. Quite an enjoyable day out on the course! Thanks.

Even though sections are under repair the greens are fantastic. #5 green is spotty, but the other 17 are in great shape. Upgrades still going on, but well worth the money.

Someone needs a medal for the idea of taking down the tree on #2.