Riviera Golf Course’s 4th hole may become even more challenging in 2024, following a difficult showing at the previous year’s Genesis Invitational. Only 15.35 percent of tee shots found the green on this par-3 hole, prompting the addition of a brand new back tee measuring 265 yards. This change was confirmed by the PGA Tour after being revealed by golf podcaster and writer Andy Lack. Chief Referee Steve Rintoul mentioned that the new tee at No. 4 has been a topic of discussion for several years and offers a variety of tee yardages ranging from 210 to 265 yards.
According to Rintoul, the new tee placement up into the hillside and its strong right-to-left movement allows the hole to be played more like a ‘redan.’ The setup length for the hole will depend on the weather conditions, especially considering the Genesis Invitational’s usual February spot on the calendar, which tends to be wet and cold in Los Angeles. The grass around the green, primarily sticky Kikuyu grass, complicates shots that roll short, making it challenging for players to find the putting surface.
The hole’s difficulty was highlighted by PGA Tour pro Adam Schenk’s criticism, labeling it as “terrible.” Despite this, the hole did not rank among the top 10 hardest par-3s on the PGA Tour in 2024. Rintoul emphasized that changes to the grasses around the green were not mentioned, but players will have to wait until the 2025 Genesis Invitational to experience the new tee for themselves.
In addition to the changes at the 4th hole, Riviera Golf Course also made adjustments to the 15th tee and the 18th tee. The 18th tee was moved back and to the left, extending the scorecard yardage to 490 yards. Meanwhile, mature sycamore trees were planted around the 15th tee to prevent players from taking an alternative route to the 15th green by playing down the 17th fairway, as Viktor Hovland famously did in the past.
Overall, the changes at Riviera Golf Course are intended to enhance the challenge and strategic play for professional golfers. The modifications to the 4th hole, in particular, aim to test players’ shot-making abilities and decision-making under pressure. With the addition of new tees and strategic design elements, Riviera Golf Course continues to be a premier destination for competitive golf events.
