The River Club of Mequon

Reviews for The River Club of Mequon

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com

The Golfin Guy rated 5 out of 5

Reviewed Jan 9 2025

A Casually Elegant Private Club

I’ve always had a fondness for golf clubs with three 9-hole layouts, it’s like having 3 18-hole golf courses at your disposal. Each course seems different when played as the front nine one day and the back nine the next. And for me, the course never plays the same way twice, whether I play it every day or once a year.

Such is the case with The River Club of Mequon, a private club in the northern Milwaukee suburb of Mequon, Wisconsin. River Club offers three distinct nine-hole layouts with numerous challenges and Midwestern beauty amidst the southeastern Wisconsin scenery. The course opened for play in 1963 and was built on 338 acres. Golf course architect David Gill was the original designer with recent renovations and tweaks by Bob Lohmann. The River Club at Mequon has received many accolades and hosted numerous events including the US Open Qualifiers, the Wisconsin State Open, and the WSGA State Junior.

Gill incorporated existing lakes, streams, and ponds into the design along with the rolling terrain and wooded areas. The result is 3-nine hole courses that are enjoyable and challenging for all golfers regardless of ability. Each course offers 5 sets of tees so finding a suitable yardage is easy. The scorecard also lists two hybrid yardages for a total of seven playable yardages to choose from.

The Woodland Nine underwent a mild renovation at the hands of architect Bob Lohman, making it even more unique and difficult. Woodlands is easily the most wooded of the three layouts and winds through some heavily wooded areas. Many consider it both the most scenic layout and the second most difficult because of its narrow and bending fairways. The 354-yard, par 4 third hole is a Member favorite. It’s a slight dogleg left that requires accuracy and restraint off the tee as the fairway slopes dramatically from right to left followed by an accurate mid-iron approach shot into a narrow, angled green protected by a large bunker on the right and trees all around. On the green, putts don’t break as much as you think.

The River Nine features six holes along the Milwaukee River, adding to the beauty and difficulty. The first hole is a double dogleg par 5 that will test your mettle to make par or better. The tee shot is best played towards the trees on the left side with a slight fade. That will give you a view up the fairway to see what lies in wait! The last thing you want to do is push your tee shot right. Once you catch a glimpse of the tree in the middle of the fairway about 100 yards from the green, you can decide how you want to approach it. The green is long and narrow and receptive to well-struck approach shots. It’s a hole that can set you up for a good day or a bad one!

Highland is the newest of the three layouts and features wide fairways with rolling terrain. You’ll find this nine to be very open with few water hazards and a fair amount of bunkering. For most golfers, this gives them more options on what type of shot they want to play. The course winds through a local residential area with many homes on the peripheries of some holes. The 3rd hole may be one of the best par 5s in the state, with strategically placed bunkers in the fairway on both your tee shot and layup. Your approach shot is played into a well-undulated green complex with trees on the right and water short left. It’s a fair yet challenging hole.

During the cold Wisconsin winter, you can keep your golf game sharp on one of The River Club’s two state-of-the-art golf simulators. With several practice modes and a variety of famous courses from around the world including Whistling Straits, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Pebble Beach, Harbour Town, Spyglass, and the TPC at Sawgrass or Scottsdale, Members can busy themselves for hours. Non-golf entertainment includes putt-putt, Darts, beer pong, and cornhole.

The River Club’s professional golf staff can assist you with any part of your golf game. They offer an array of instructional clinics year-round regardless of age or skill level and their junior camps and clinics have been rated as the best in the area. Whether you’re new to the game or trying to get to that next level, individual lessons, and lesson packages are available and individually tailored to meet your needs. Inside the golf shop, you’ll find the latest in golf fashion and equipment from companies such as TaylorMade, Callaway, Ralph Lauren, Travis Mathew, and adidas. They can also repair any damaged clubs you may have and also help with fittings.

Besides golf, The River Club at Mequon has something for everyone. The Fitness Center offers Members access to the Club’s Fitness Series which includes everything from a relaxing yoga class in the Grand Ballroom to snowshoeing across the beautiful Wisconsin terrain. They have a full array of the latest weightlifting machines that will help with both your strength and stamina. If you’re more old school, there’s a wide selection of free weights and several incline and horizontal benches.

The pools at the River Club are a beehive of activity from when they open around Memorial Day to the last day of the season somewhere around Labor Day. Members can kick back and relax around the large Junior Olympic-sized, L-shaped pool or find solace in one of 8 pool cabanas. The full-service bath house offers towel service, lockers for the day, and showers. Lunch and your favorite adult beverages are available seven days a week on the canopied patio deck.

Kids can’t get enough of The River Club’s spectacular Technicolor Splash Pad. They run about, daring the buckets of water circling above them to spill. There are 32 fountains and geysers, plus a tot slide to keep them busy. For those more daring, they can fly through the air on the Zip Line and make a water landing in the pool.

In addition to a couple of tennis courts, The River Club now has 8 Pickleball courts with private and group pickleball lessons available for those who want to enjoy the fastest-growing sport in the world. The full-service Tennis House offers a full line of demo racquets, services, accessories, and stringing for your entire racquet sport’s needs. They can help any level of player achieve their tennis goals with summer junior programs and adult classes.

One unique feature at The River Club is the Playdium. It's an arcade that features a variety of games like Skee ball, Buck Hunt, racing games, Basketball Pop Shot, virtual shooting games, and foosball. The Playdium is located on the eastern side of the facility next to the Nines Bistro. It’s a place where parents can drop their kids off to be with friends and then enjoy a nice relaxing meal by themselves.

When it comes to dining, Members of The River Club have plenty to choose from. For their fine dining needs, Members head to The Aftermath, where they can enjoy a brick fireplace, multiple flat-screen TVs, and comfortable seating while they enjoy plenty of food and beverage options. The Club’s Executive Chef creates tempting dishes from locally sourced fresh produce.

Oasis, the Club’s new outdoor patio area provides a more casual area where dining can be enjoyed outside. The gas firepits create a warm and inviting atmosphere that can be enjoyed even during the cold Wisconsin weather.

The Nines bistro is very popular during the winter months and offers seasonal favorites. All dining venues are best shared with family and friends!

The River Club continues to strive to be recognized as a uniquely inclusive private golf club that offers the finest recreational, banquet, and dining facilities in Southeast Wisconsin. Their goal is to be a true asset to the community through charitable outreach, activities, and support.

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com