With the panoramic view sitting atop the 9th and 18th greens, very little else needs to be said about this majestic piece of golf history, better known as Riviera Country Club.
The test that awaits the players this week will be graded sharply on ball striking and the ability to work the ball, unlike most other West Coast Swing events that offer straightaway holes with plenty of room for error. That will certainly not be the case this week, as the field will see a plethora of trees and shortish fairways that demand a premium on distance control and accuracy. Not that a long hitter can’t win here, as Phil Mickelson enjoyed back-to-back victories in 2008 and 2009. But this course is generally more befitting of a player who can meticulously plot his way around the numerous tree-lined fairways and stay out of the Kikuyu rough, a player like Steve Stricker, for instance, who prevailed here last year and will be defending his title this week.
Speaking of the field… all of the players who have already carded early victories this season will be there, looking to add their names to the trophy alongside Ben Hogan’s: Mark Wilson, Jhonnatan Vegas, Bubba Watson, Jonathan Byrd, and last week’s winner at Pebble Beach – D.A. Points. Early season notables who’ve been close to cashing in but not quite, include Phil Mickelson, Bill Haas, Hunter Mahan, Jason Dufner and Steve Marino. For a complete rundown of the field at Riviera this week, click HERE .
Riviera’s “I did not know that” factoids:
Obviously it’s a private facility, and to get on one has to play with a member. And also fork over the $350 guest fee. And don’t change your shoes in the parking lot.
The back tees for members stretch to just shy of 7000 yards, but the course setup for the pros measures 7298 yards. For a neat, animated tour of Riviera, click HERE.
Ben Hogan referred to the par3 4th as “The best par3 in America.” But the par3 6th earns the distinction of being the only hole on tour with a bunker dead-center in the middle of the green.
The short par4 8th is also a rarity for tour players, as they have two fairways to choose from off the tee. (Or if you’re like most weekend players, aim for the trees in between them and act like you hit a good shot, providing that you don’t hit the ball where you aim…)
One of the many trees surrounding the 12th green is named “Bogey’s Tree” – named after Humphrey Bogart. (Anytime a tree on a golf course is named after you, it’s probably not good. That would also include small creeks and ponds…)
The course record at Riviera in professional tournament play is 61, fired by Ted Tryba back in 1999. I’ve never spoken to Tryba, but I would gather that it’s probably the most memorable round of golf he’s ever played.
No, those aren’t cough drops you smell. They’re Eucalyptus trees, which emit a menthol-like odor. And unlike just about any other tour stop in the US, they can be found at Riviera.
It sounds like an exotic coffee bean…. it’s also wiry, gnarly, and downright unpredictable as far as rough goes. But it’s also the predominant grass on the fairways at Riviera. It’s Kikuyu Grass.
Riviera CC was established in 1926, designed by a fellow by the name of George C. Thomas, Jr. Thomas designed several other courses, including Whitemarsh Valley CC near Philadelphia (1908), Los Angeles CC North Course (1921), and Bel-Air CC (1927). But Riviera was by-far his most prized accomplishment, as most of the features from his handiwork (unlike many other storied courses from back in that era of golf course architecture) are still very prominent characteristics some 85 years later.
Also known as “Hogan’s Alley”, Riviera played a significant part in Ben Hogan’s career. He won the LA Open at Riviera 3 times (1942, 1947, 1948) and would win his second major championship (US Open) held there later in 1948. Riviera is also the backdrop of a cameo appearance from Ben Hogan in his made-for-Hollywood biography, Follow The Sun.
Television Coverage: Thu-Fri, 3:00-6:00 p.m. EST – TGC / Sat-Sun, 3:00-6:00 p.m. EST – CBS
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