Riviera Country Club. Just uttering the name conjures images of Hollywood glamour, timeless design, and some of golf’s most iconic moments. I’ve been fortunate enough to walk these hallowed fairways multiple times, and each visit peels back another layer of its genius. Designed by George C. Thomas Jr. — a name synonymous with architectural brilliance alongside the likes of Alister MacKenzie — Riviera is more than just a golf course; it’s a living, breathing testament to strategic design. Its bunkers are artistic hazards, its fairways undulate with subtle invitations and warnings, and its green complexes… well, that’s where the real conversation begins, especially after the opening round of the Genesis Invitational.
Los Angeles, known more for eternal sunshine than torrential downpours, saw a deluge ahead of the Genesis, and Mother Nature decided to add an encore during Thursday’s play. The result? Putting surfaces at Riviera that left even the game’s elite scratching their heads. I’ve played hundreds of courses worldwide, from the windswept links of Scotland to the desert gems of Arizona, and I thought I’d seen every conceivable green condition. But the reports from Riviera suggest a truly unique challenge, a meteorological and agronomic enigma.
“I honestly don’t know how they got it to this. Like I’ve never seen greens like this,”
That was Collin Morikawa, a two-time major champion, explaining his bewilderment after carding a solid 68. Imagine hitting a golf ball into a sponge that’s been stretched taut over a roller. That’s the closest analogy I can conjure for the paradox Morikawa described. The softness, he explained, allowed him unparalleled aggression, even from “flyer lies” out of the rough. “You could stop any club from anyplace on, you know, from the rough, flyer lies. Like, I mean, I think I had two or three shots today, flyers out of the first cut and rough and like I’m not worried about missing the green at all. It’s just purely hit and hope.” This fundamentally alters the strategic intent of Thomas’s design. Hazards meant to catch wayward shots or demand precision suddenly become less menacing when a ball plugs near the pin regardless of its trajectory.
But here’s the twist, the architectural riddle that has everyone talking: those soft greens were also running fast. Rory McIlroy, never one to mince words, echoed Morikawa’s sentiments, highlighting the “difficult” and perplexing nature of the conditions:
;)
‘Horrible change’: Rory McIlroy criticizes Riviera’s controversial par-3
“Yeah, it’s like they’re soft but they’re fast, I think that’s the hard thing. It’s like last week at Pebble they were soft, but they were slow because they’re worried about the wind. Here, they’re so fast.”
This duality is the architectural equivalent of a Gordian knot. Thomas designed Riviera’s greens with significant contours and pitches, demanding masterful approach shots and precise putting. The iconic 6th hole, with its bunker in the middle of the green, or the severely sloped 18th, are prime examples. Normally, soft greens would negate some of the severity, allowing players to land shots closer to pins. But combine that softness with speed, and the ball simply won’t behave as expected. McIlroy’s 9-iron on the 18th, designed to counter a 25mph tailwind, still spun back 30 feet. This isn’t just a challenge; it’s a recalibration of a player’s entire approach, fundamentally altering how they attack a course where precision and nerve are usually paramount.
The most illustrative moment of this bizarre phenomenon, however, had to be Adam Scott’s tee shot on the 165-yard par-3 16th. Scott hit what should have been a perfect ace; his ball tracked directly for the flag, landing just seven inches from the cup. Any other day, on any other green, that’s a dart that bounces and rolls its way to glory. Instead, the ball simply plugged, embedded in the saturated turf. A hole-in-one became a tap-in birdie, a moment of delight turned into one of head-shaking disbelief for Scott and everyone watching.
;)
Riviera is a private club, making access somewhat challenging for the average golfer, but it’s a course every architecture enthusiast should aspire to see. Its routing, flowing effortlessly through the canyons and elevation changes of the Santa Monica mountains, speaks to Thomas’s genius for using the natural topography. The strategic bunkering, often cut directly into the hillside or artfully framing greens, makes each shot decision a calculated risk. The kikuyu grass, unique to this region, adds another layer of complexity, gripping the ball and requiring a different touch than the more common bentgrass. When it’s dry, this grass promotes a fiery roll and demands precise chipping. When it’s soaked, as it was on Thursday, it turns into a different beast entirely.
The course truly comes alive through its strategic elements. Take the iconic par-4 10th, driveable for many Tour pros, but guarded by unforgiving bunkers and a small green. Or the par-3 4th, with its multi-tiered green and deep bunkers. These are holes designed to test a golfer’s intellect as much as their swing. Thomas’s philosophy was about creating holes that offered multiple lines of play, rewarding both conservative and aggressive strategies. However, when nature throws a curveball like “soft yet fast” greens, even the most meticulously planned architectural intent can be temporarily upended.
While the bizarre green conditions made for compelling drama and some truly unique challenges for the world’s best, it also offered a rare glimpse into the resilience of a classic design. Even when stretched to its limits by unprecedented weather, Riviera still commands respect and bewilderment in equal measure. It remains a masterpiece, proving that some architectural gems, like fine wine, simply evolve under pressure, showcasing new facets of their brilliance and vexation.
Nearly an ace for Adam Scott! 🥵
But his perfectly struck ball unbelievably plugs just inches from the hole at the par-3 16th. pic.twitter.com/f4bQ4yJzP9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 16, 2024
