Riverside Golf Club-1893

What Riverside Golf Club-1893 does

Riverside Golf Club, founded July 3, 1893, is a private, member-owned golf and country club operating on 125 acres along the Des Plaines River in North Riverside, Illinois, approximately 12 miles from the Chicago Loop. The club's core asset is an 18-hole W.B. Langford-designed championship course (originally laid out in 1917–1919, expanded in 1990–1992 with the addition of 25 acres acquired from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, and renovated in 2015 by architect David Esler to restore the original Langford grass-faced bunkers). Member amenities include a swimming pool with competitive swim and dive teams, five dining outlets (The Grill Room, The Veranda, two 19th Hole lounges, The Patio, and The Halfway House), TrackMan-enabled golf instruction and club fitting, wintertime indoor golf simulators, a practice facility, an on-site pro shop carrying premium brands (Peter Millar, Holderness & Bourne, Johnnie-O, G/FORE, FootJoy), a nationally recognized youth caddie program linked to the Chick Evans Scholarship (125 scholarships awarded since 1949), and event spaces comprising a 3,700 sq ft ballroom, three banquet rooms, a lounge and the Riverside Room.

The club's technology layer is conventional rather than differentiated: it runs on the MembersFirst private-club website and member portal platform (handling login, event and dining reservations, and privacy/data requests), with TrackMan radar launch monitors for instruction and standard indoor simulators for off-season play. No AI/ML capabilities, proprietary data products, mobile applications beyond a basic member app, or external integrations are disclosed.

Riverside generates revenue through a subscription-based private-membership model that is not publicly priced. Members must contact the General Manager (Will Herman) directly; prospective members and event clients engage via the website, phone and member referrals. Revenue streams include Golf Memberships and Social Memberships (annual, recurring), guest green fees, five F&B outlets and catering/events (transactional), pro shop merchandise, swim program fees, and donations tied to the caddie/Evans Scholars program. By 1988 the club had reached a maximum-capacity membership of 431 members with a waitlist, and the waiting-list dynamic remains the primary demand-side signal. As a non-profit, member-owned private club, Riverside has no parent company, no institutional investors, and no funding rounds; governance rests with the membership and a management team led by the General Manager, Food & Beverage Manager, Pool Manager and Grounds Superintendent. The club is a founding charter member of the Western Golf Association (1899), an original member of the Chicago District Golf Association (1914), and has hosted more than 190 significant golf tournaments including U.S. Open Qualifiers, the Illinois Open, USGA Senior Open Qualifiers and the Western Junior.

Name

Riverside Golf Club-1893

Legal name

Riverside Golf Club

Website

https://rgc1893.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Riverside Golf Club is a private, member-owned 18-hole championship golf and country club founded in 1893 on 125 acres along the Des Plaines River in North Riverside, Illinois, serving affluent Chicago-area families with golf, swimming, dining, events and a nationally recognized caddie program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Golf Club

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Golf Clubs & Tournament-Host Clubs (Professional/Elite Golf Clubs) (MPAKABAE)

Keywords

• Private golf club
• Golf membership
• Country club hospitality
• Event catering venue
• Swim program club

Headquarters

HQ city

North Riverside

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Golf Memberships: Private golf club memberships granting access to the 18-hole championship course, practice facilities, golf instruction, pro shop with member pricing, and all club amenities.
2. Social Memberships: Social memberships offering pool access, competitive swim and dive teams, private swim lessons, family dining, and ability to host special events without full golf access.
3. Green Fees (Guest Play): Members may host guests for golf rounds on a daily fee basis.
4. Food & Beverage: Five dining outlets (Grill Room, Veranda, 19th Hole for Men, 19th Hole for Ladies, Patio, Halfway House) generating revenue from member and guest dining, cocktails, and events. Operated by Executive Chef Jason Kurosaki.
5. Catering & Events: Event hosting including weddings, corporate events, golf outings, benefit auctions, and private celebrations. Revenue from venue rental, catering services, and custom menus across ballroom, lounge, and outdoor spaces.
6. Pro Shop Merchandise: Golf apparel, footwear, accessories, and Riverside-branded merchandise sold through the golf pro shop. Includes premium brands such as Peter Millar, Holderness & Bourne, Johnnie-O, G/FORE, and FootJoy.
7. Swim Program: Revenue from swim team participation, private swim lessons, and poolside F&B service during the summer season.
8. Caddie Program: A nationally recognized youth caddie program linked to the Chick Evans Scholarship (Western Golf Association). Members support and donate to the program; 125 caddies have received scholarships to date.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Riverside Golf Club is a private, member-owned membership club that sells annual Golf and Social memberships granting access to an 18-hole championship golf course, practice facilities, a swimming pool, six dining venues, and event spaces. The club generates additional revenue through member and guest dining, catering and event hosting (weddings, corporate events, golf outings), private golf instruction using TrackMan, swim team and lessons, and a pro shop carrying premium golf brands.

Product overview

Riverside Golf Club is a private golf club offering a comprehensive suite of recreational and hospitality services. The core offering includes an 18-hole championship golf course designed by W.B. Langford, complemented by a swimming pool, five dining venues (The Grill Room, The Veranda, The 19th Hole for Gentlemen, The 19th Hole for Ladies, The Patio, and The Halfway House), and extensive event spaces including a ballroom and banquet rooms for weddings and corporate events. Additional services include golf instruction with TrackMan technology, a pro shop, practice facility, caddie program, and winter simulators. The club offers two membership tiers: Golf Membership and Social Membership, each providing different access levels to the club's facilities and activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 18-Hole Championship Golf Course An 18-hole championship golf course designed by W.B. Langford featuring tree-lined fairways, grass-faced bunkers, and small undulating greens, spanning 125 acres along the Des Plaines River. Available to Golf Members and their guests.
• Golf Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 121 Chick Evans Scholarships awarded to date through the caddie program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• David Esler (Golf Course Architect)majorOthers · 1 January 2015In 2015, Chicago-based architect David Esler oversaw a comprehensive renovation of the golf course. All bunkers were returned to the original Langford style with grass faces, trees were removed, tee boxes were added, and some greens were expanded.
• Dick Nugent / Nugent Associates (Golf Course Architect)majorOthers · 1 January 1990Dick Nugent of Nugent Associates was contracted to design four new holes for the 25 acres RGC purchased from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County in 1990 to expand the course. The expansion was estimated at $3.7 million and completed in 1992.
• Forest Preserve District of Cook CountymajorOthers · 1 January 1990In 1990, RGC purchased an additional 25 acres of Cook County Forest Preserve land east of the Des Plaines River for course expansion. This enabled the addition of four new holes designed by Dick Nugent and Associates.
• Larsen-Wulff & Associates, Inc. (Architects)majorOthers · 1 January 1985Larsen-Wulff & Associates, Inc. were appointed as the architects of the new Clubhouse project on July 15, 1985. The new clubhouse was completed on November 1, 1986, leading to maximum capacity membership and a wait list.
• William Langford (Golf Course Architect)coreOthers · 1 January 1915William Langford was hired to layout and construct an 18-hole course on the property acquired by RGC in 1915. In 1917-1919, Langford designed a new 18-hole course reshaping Riverside as one of the top courses in the area. His original Langford design (with grass faces on bunkers) was restored in the 2015 course renovation.
• Chicago District Golf Association (C.D.G.A.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1914RGC joined the Chicago District Golf Association in 1914. The C.D.G.A. began in 1901 as the City Golf League. RGC has hosted multiple C.D.G.A. tournaments including the 1932 Championship, 1940 Amateur, 2008 Amateur Championship, and others.
• Western Golf Association (WGA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1899Riverside Golf Club was one of the original/founding charter member clubs when the Western Golf Association was established in 1899. RGC board member A.P. Bowen introduced and suggested starting the association to represent golf's ambitions in the western United States. RGC has maintained a historic and close affiliation with the WGA for over 100 years. As a founding WGA member, RGC also supported the birth of the Evans Scholars Foundation.
• Evans Scholars FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1899Riverside Golf Club, as a founding member of the Western Golf Association, also supported the birth of the Evans Scholars Foundation. The foundation awards four-year full tuition and housing college scholarships to deserving caddies. RGC has awarded 121 Chick Evans Scholarships since inception, with 125 caddies from RGC receiving the scholarship since 1949.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Medinah Country Club: Major Chicago-area private country club in Medinah, IL, with three courses and a history of hosting U.S. Opens, Ryder Cups, and USGA events. Directly comparable to RGC in scale, tournament pedigree, and member-owned private club economics.
• Olympia Fields Country Club: Chicago-area private club that has hosted two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003) and a PGA Championship. Closely comparable to RGC as a historic private member club with elite tournament hosting credentials in the same metro market.
• Indian Hill Club: Private club in Winnetka, IL founded in 1913 with a C.H. Muer-designed course. Comparable as a Chicago-area private member-owned club with family programming, dining, and event facilities serving an affluent catchment.
• Butler National Golf Club: Private club in Oak Brook, IL founded by the Butler brothers, serving a similar affluent Chicago-area membership with championship golf and exclusive amenities. Directly comparable in private club positioning and Chicago market.
• Exmoor Country Club: Private club in Highland Park, IL, founded in 1897 — near-contemporary of RGC. Comparable as a historic Chicago-area private club offering golf, dining, and social amenities with a member-owned governance model.
• North Shore Country Club: Private club in Glenview, IL with a classic 18-hole course. Closely comparable as a Chicago-area private member-owned club with similar dining, event, and golf programming serving affluent families.
• Chicago Golf Club: Historic private 18-hole club in Wheaton, IL — one of the five founding USGA clubs and a direct peer in the Chicago-area elite private club category, with similar heritage, member-owned structure, and championship golf focus.
• Lake Shore Country Club: Private club in Glencoe, IL, with a Donald Ross-designed course and a similar Chicago-area private member-owned structure. Comparable in market positioning, family-oriented programming, and reliance on member dues and F&B.
• Bob O'Link Golf Club: Private golf club in Highland Park, IL founded in 1916. Highly comparable as a Chicago-area private member-owned club with a Langford-era design heritage and a similar affluent family-oriented membership base.
• Skokie Country Club: Private club in Glencoe, IL founded in 1897. Comparable to RGC as a historic Chicago-area private country club with championship golf, member amenities, and tournament-hosting heritage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rgc1893

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Riverside Golf Club-1893