People hype exclusivity and reputation, and it feels like no one wants to question the “established” takes
Maybe it’s just me cause I grew up playing mountain courses, so an elevated tee shot doesn’t automatically blow my mind but I don’t really get how hole 1 at Riviera is considered one of the best opening tee shots in golf
I mean look at it, yeah it’s clean but feature-wise? Pretty straightforward
Not hating on it at all, I’m just saying if this fairway wasn’t at a famous private club, people would probably judge it way differently.
by UltimateStar1
18 Comments
What you don’t get from this look is the HUGE clubhouse with a million windows looking at you, the amazing flowers all around, and the starter saying your name aloud whether you’re a tour pro or a weekend hack.
From this picture alone, I agree with you, it’s not super special. But to experience it is very, very different.
Played there once in high school, it got the nerves going
Do you appreciate anything in life at all? You come home from a great dinner at a restaurant to say that you could have made it better at home, or a corn dog from the microwave is just as filling? It’s a glorious hole, it’s golf, why hate on it?
It looks like a penis on this pic
Technology has neutered this hole so the club’s solution was to halve the fairway. Not the club’s fault but the USGA’s.
If you play the course you’ll feel differently. Love playing the Riv, have friends who are members and it’s amazing to play such a course in Los Angeles, a smoggy, ugly city.
That first tee has an amazing sense of occasion. You’re announced, you have a clubhouse with a wall of windows staring you down. It’s an imposing course, not well captured in photos.
The geometry of the place doesn’t come through in a 2d format like that. It’s impressive and a pleasure to play.
What separates golf from every other sport from a fan experience perspective is that you can watch the pros on tv and then go out to the same course next weekend and play there. I’m sure your local mountain course is fun and maybe just as fun as riviera, but it’s not the same.
Imagine if you could watch the NY Knicks and then go play a pickup game the next day at Madison square garden. People would literally pay thousands upon thousands of dollars to be able to do that. Same thing here.
A lot of yapping going on in the golf community. not that deep of a game
The funny thing is that the opening tee shot is the same at Bel-Air CC par 5 and Hacienda CC par 4…all designed by George C Thomas. LACC opening tee shout is incredibly ‘ normal’ 🤷🏻♂️but LA is my favorite 🤩
There’s group think at my course too, which is relatively new. One guy said the greens are real hard because they’re brand new and will soften up with time, so now everyone says that like it’s a thing. Its definitely possibly a thing, but the course is built on road base which is common soil in the area, so years on, they’re still saying it. First year it was “oh these greens will soften up in 4 years” well it’s been 6, they’re the same. Firm as hell, don’t take a lot of spin, and run just as fast as day 1. Now they’re like “oh 4 years from now and these will be soft as a baby’s behind” and the sheep all nod and agree. Its gonna be like this forever.
I honestly feel the same about the Old Course when you see it without context. It’s kind of boring looking, but context matters and that’s the most important part for the PGA IMO that other sports don’t have. History is critical.
I’ve hit this shot, and agree and dislike most elevated tee shot designs, however this is the best use of one I’ve ever experienced. The view is of the masterpiece that lays before you, and as traditional with George C Thomas, it is the gentle handshake par 5 opening hole… then it gets real. It is also really small up there, butted up to the club house, for all members to witness.
this is the definition of why I don’t understand players who obsess about architecture and insist that setting is irrelevant. It’s only the course they say
First tee at Riv is iconic part of golf not for the hole design but for the experience and piece history … it has meaning
Of course it’s group think. Everyone’s trying their best and just emulate everyone around them because if they’re unique it confuses headless Chads.
Reminds me of Firestone CC. Not a dog leg to be found on that course.
You should go see it in person. The whole course is incredible, including the first tee. I like the simple straight fairway layout because IMO it exhibits the old school style of the William Bell golf courses around Southern California, from battered munis like Rancho Park (still a great layout tho) to the really great ones like Torrey Pines. Also it is very elevated, must be a blast to rip a driver down there and actually hit the fairway
This picture doesn’t at all capture what it’s like to play there. Like not even a little bit.
https://preview.redd.it/y3jgpvlawkkg1.jpeg?width=1856&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7428bdcf50a56d86a9d8c58d012bd1e6b03c6eb
You posted a photo in the wrong direction for why it’s famous, duh.