The heritage of the Riviera Country Club makes it an indelible institution in the golf world

The proliferation and ubiquity of American culture often lead to the creation of renowned icons that transcend beyond their borders. Prominent artists and athletes such as Michael Jordan, Dean Martin and perhaps even Lady Gaga have appeared in various mediums, spreading their unique brand of Americana from United Kingdom to New Zealand. The Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge are some of the most iconic symbols from America, and they certainly need no introduction. In California, the heritage and history of Los Angeles’ Riviera Country Club have similarly captured the imagination of golf fans all over the world.

The Riviera Country Club was opened in 1927 on the back of golf ’s rising popularity. A gentleman called Frank Garbutt, along with a syndicate, gathered the land and resources necessary to create a world-class golf course. They engaged George Thomas, a renowned course architect who was also the mastermind behind the renovation works at Los Angeles Golf Club’s North Course - the venue of the first ever LA Open, which was then a celebrity-filled, star-studded tournament with roots in the PGA Tour. While its neighbour hosted the inaugural edition, the truly great moments in golf happened when the LA Open moved Riviera Country Club.

Legends of the game played and won at the Riviera. The big three icons of golf - Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan - lifted the trophy in 1945, 1946 and 1947 respectively. In 1948, Hogan defended his title successfully at the same venue. Five months later, amazingly, he returned to the Pacific Palisades club and won the U.S Open. He was so dominant in LA, the Riviera Country Club was affectionately known as Hogan’s Alley. To commemorate the club’s affinity with the American golfer, they erected a statue of him at the front lawn of the clubhouse. Other notable winners at the Riviera comprise the who’s who of the professional game. They include Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Fred Couples and Phil Mickelson.

The appeal and standing of the club will always be elevated when they have a close association with an important and prestigious tournament. Since its inception, the Riviera Country Club has hosted many LA Open tournaments. Then in 1973, the event (later known as the Northern Trust Open in 2008) found its permanent home. Every single tournament was held there except in 1983 and 1998. In those years, the organisers wanted to preserve the golf course - regarded as one of the country’s best by many.

Most notably, Sam Snead said, “Riviera is one of the best tests of golf you’ll ever play. It isn’t tricked up, it’s fun to play, and it rewards good shots, as far as I’m concerned, those are ingredients of a great course.”

Golf Digest Singapore had the honour of playing a round on the Monday after the 2011 Northern Trust Open. In short, the golf course looks absolutely incredible, worthy of hosting the US$6.5 million or any other world-class tournament for that matter. The layout truly engages the mind, offering many shot options and approaches. With just slight pin adjustments, the strategies will change dramatically and so will the difficulty.

The par-five first is teed off from an elevated position and it is a rather friendly introduction to the golf course. From the top, you can see the hole’s layout in its entirety, which is rather direct and uncomplicated. It is straight, with little undulation and the green is fronted by a deep bunker. Perhaps something unfamiliar to golfers in Asia is this feature called barrancas. These are gullies filled with nasty long grass, rocks and sand - definitely things to avoid. One of many barrancas on the course stretches across the first fairway, before the approach. It should not pose too much problems for most golfers. Maybe, the first hole is George Thomas’ way of whetting the golfer’s appetite for more.

Things get a lot more difficult at the 463 yard (off the championship tees) par-four second, one that is rated annually as one of the toughest par fours in the PGA Tour. You often tee off into the sea breeze, with OB on the left and trees on the right. A long approach is required to get onto the elevated green that is protected by two deep bunkers. This writer got into all sorts of trouble, wrote down a double par and simply moved on.

Water is nonexistent here at the Riviera. The course architect used the barrancas, varied elevations and different layouts to create a course that is high on shot values and playability. The eighth hole features split fairways, each with its pros and cons that corresponds to the pin placement. The 10th is a short par four that tempts the better players to get it on from the tee. 315 yards is not far, but the dance floor is extremely narrow with bunkers running down the front, back and sides. The 18th requires you to drive up a steep, slope of Kikuya turf onto a hidden fairway. Aaron Baddeley, this year’s Northern Trust Open champion (the LA Open was renamed Northern Trust Open in 2008), finished his round to a cacophony of applause here, the centrepiece of a natural amphitheatre.

With that, the golf course is one that is difficult to get tired off even after repeated rounds. However, getting a game is not just a matter of just sending them an email or two. The golf course is opened only to members and its guests.

“It is very rare to have unaccompanied guests playing at the Riviera Country Club,” explained Vice President, Satoko Stachowicz. In addition, like most iconic American clubs the Riviera Country Club has stringent requirements on membership.

She added, “To be a member, the applicant requires a sponsorship from a member as well as three recommendation references. Also required, is another three references from people outside of the club. Therefore, a total of seven references are needed,” added Stachowicz.

Once the application reaches the club, one is expected to for wait three to five years for an interview. There will be a second interview before membership is approved. The initiation fees for individuals cost US$250,000 and the annual dues are US$13,620. Obviously, membership application is a pretty lengthy process, but it is definitely worth the effort. In fact, the owner of the club, Noboru Watanabe, sees Riviera Country Club as a bridge to Asia and he is inviting individuals from the continent to be members.

“I am extending an invitation to people with intelligence and good character to be members,” said Mr Watanabe. “Here at the Riviera, we provide our members a place where you can appreciate and celebrate the finer things in life.”

Mr Watanabe, being Japanese, received much scepticism from existing members when he bought the iconic American club back in 1988. However, through his leadership, confidence and penchant for keeping things traditional, everybody at the club took to the new Japanese owner. He also reinvested most of the earnings back into the club.

Throughout the 1990s, the greens and bunkers were upgraded, sub-air drainage systems were installed and the course was lengthened to accommodate the modern game. On the tournament front, Northern Trust became the title sponsor of the LA Open when the deal was struck in 2007, along with basketball legend Jerry West being named as the tournament’s Executive Director. That brought even more relevance, clout and celebrity pizzazz to the event and the club.

“For many reasons, the tournament faded over the past 10 years or so. The PGA Tour and Northern Trust, along with Mr Watanabe and Riviera Country Club saw this occurring and felt that we need to take a different approach to bring it back to its stature, which is only appropriate for one of the great iconic golf courses of the world,” said David Pillsbury, Executive Vice President, Championship Management for the PGA Tour. “This property deserves one of the best events in the world.”

Geographically, the Riviera Country Club may be a little hop across a large pond from Singapore. However, its heritage and significance cannot be denied. If you love the game, the Riviera Country Club is a golf institution that is surely worth a visit, and membership, a worthy consideration.