Riverside Golf Course

Riverside Golf Course sits along the Portneuf River in Pocatello, a city in southeastern Idaho's high desert valley at roughly 4,500 feet elevation. The course was designed by George Von Elm, a notable amateur golfer of the 1920s who won the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1926 and later turned professional. Von Elm designed a modest number of courses, primarily in the western United States, during the mid-20th century. His work at Riverside reflects the practical, straightforward design approach common to municipal and daily-fee courses of that era. The routing follows the natural terrain along the river corridor, with mature cottonwoods and other riparian vegetation framing several holes. The Portneuf River comes into play on portions of the layout, adding both scenic character and strategic interest to an otherwise relatively flat property. The high desert climate means firm conditions are common during the summer months, and the course serves as an accessible public facility for the Pocatello community and visitors to the region. Riverside functions as a traditional municipal course, offering straightforward golf without extensive modern amenities or championship length. The layout provides a mix of holes that reward accurate placement over distance, typical of Von Elm's design philosophy and the constraints of the riverside property. It remains a local fixture for recreational golf in southeastern Idaho.