Railside at Railside Golf Club

Railside Golf Club sits in Byron Center, a suburban community southwest of Grand Rapids in western Michigan. Designed by Jerry Matthews and opened in the mid-1990s, the course occupies gently rolling terrain characteristic of the region's glacial landscape. The property takes its name from the railroad corridor that runs along a portion of the site, a feature that adds both historical context and routing definition to the layout.

Matthews, a Michigan-based architect active during the state's golf development boom of the 1980s and 1990s, designed Railside as a public-access facility serving the growing Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The course reflects the era's emphasis on playability for a range of skill levels while incorporating natural features and water hazards that come into play on several holes. The routing works with the property's modest elevation changes and existing woodlands to create variety in hole character and shot requirements.

The course operates as part of the region's network of daily-fee facilities, offering golf in an area where the season typically runs from April through October. Railside provides a straightforward test of golf without excessive length or severe hazards, making it accessible to local players and visitors exploring western Michigan's golf options. The setting balances open fairway corridors with tree-lined sections, and the conditioning reflects standard maintenance practices for public courses in the region.