
Riverside Course
Riverside Golf Course


About this course
Riverside Golf Course sits along the Colorado River in central Austin, where it has served the city's public golfers since the 1920s. The original layout was designed by Perry Maxwell, the Oklahoma-based architect known for his strategic bunkering and use of natural terrain, with later work by his son Press Maxwell. The course occupies relatively flat bottomland near the river, with mature pecan and oak trees defining corridors and framing holes throughout the property. The routing makes efficient use of the available land, with several holes running parallel to one another in a traditional out-and-back arrangement. Water comes into play on multiple holes, both from the nearby Colorado River and from creeks that cross the property. The tree-lined fairways require accuracy off the tee, and Maxwell's characteristic green complexes feature subtle contours and strategic bunkering that reward thoughtful approach play. As one of Austin's oldest municipal facilities, Riverside has introduced generations of Texas golfers to the game and remains an accessible option in a city where golf real estate has become increasingly valuable. The course reflects the practical, no-frills character typical of Depression-era public golf, designed to be walkable and playable for everyday golfers while still presenting legitimate strategic challenges. Its location near downtown and along the river corridor makes it a familiar landmark in Austin's recreational landscape.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in TX
Quick facts
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1950
- Holes
- 18
- Designer(s)
- Perry Maxwell, Press Maxwell
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,229 yards
- Difficulty
- 69/123
- Course Vaults score
- 5.6
Getting there
Most visitors arrive through Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, a straightforward twenty-minute drive northwest into the city's central corridor. The route follows the Colorado River upstream, tracing the same waterway that gives Riverside Golf Course its name and character. As downtown's skyline recedes and the landscape opens toward the river's wooded bends, the course emerges along East Riverside Drive - a municipal gem tucked into the urban fabric, where the hum of the city gives way to the quiet rhythm of a layout shaped by the water's edge.

FAQ
Common questions about Riverside
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Riverside has a Course Vaults score of 5.6 out of 10 based on 50 logged golfers.
Riverside was designed by Perry Maxwell and Press Maxwell.
Yes. Riverside is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Riverside is 72.
Riverside plays 6,229 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Riverside is 123.






