https://instagr.am/p/Ctwh7dtrWiqwifeisafurd said:
I grew up on Rivera. I find the golf course better today, than it was in my youth, despite the removal of the barranca, the reshaping of many golf holes, etc. The course has gone through several evolutions, and really looks less like the original design, and a lot of that is keeping up with changes in golf, There is a reason the guys on TV kept saying this is the pros' favorite course on the PGA Tour. The other thing about Rivera is you hardly ever see the other holes, and essentially each holes is separately framed by his use of topography, tee location and use of large trees.
Thomas tried to put as much architectural eye candy into his golf courses as possible, and the Hollywood crowd behind developing Rivera was prepared for that by funding what was the most costly course build-out of its time. What Thomas did was put a lot of different stuff to distract the average golfer, while developing one of the most strategic courses for good players. Every hole has several options in how you play it (another example of this is his LACC North Course). He probably is the most underrated architect in his ability to make a course strategic. My favorite short Par 4 in the world, number ten, is the premier example of this. It just freaking kills the pros every year. The testament to Thomas, is that so many later architects copied holes from Rivera. I'm a member at a David MClay Kidd course, and David put a freaking trap in the middle of the 18th green to honor Thomas. The history at Rivera is nice and everything, but the underlying course really places a premium on shot making, which is why the pros love it so much. Us mortals will focus on the eye candy, which also is okay. The idea was that members play a different game than Ben Hogan, and they should have their own challenges.
And to date myself, when I grew up, Oakmont was associated with pain and suffering inflicted on the pros, a lot of it owing to the impossible greens and the bunkering.
alec, that's a terrific narrative & very enjoyable to read...the usga agrees with ur sentiments & is bringing the us open back to riviera in 2031!
my take is that tom fazio has left his fingerprints at riviera with his non faithful to george thomas ruinivation work, he also did the same modernization **** at bel aire until the club wisely hired tom doak to restore the original thomas features...bel aire has never been more FUN & authentic to its original design with ground game options in play on ever hole except 1 or 2 of the par 3s...fellow golf course architecture enthusiast (and riv member) geoff shackelford is leading the charge for the japanese ownership of the riv to fire the fazio group & bring in someone more qualified to reimagine the original features
https://instagr.am/p/CvueQBBsVtH
this is the era of outstanding restorations to the golden classic days of golf course architecture around the world and particularly in southern california, gil hanse magnificently reworking both the north & south courses at Los angeles country club in a prime example of the return to minimalism
https://instagr.am/p/Cte2vXMSCf_
also a big fan of the work david mcklay kidd did at rolling hills (ur club), kyle phillips stepping back in time vibes at wilshire & the gil hanse polishing the underrated gem at hillcrest
and for those of you that wanna just tee it up tomorrow without any headaches, rustic canyon is one of shocky's favorite public courses on planet earth, it's an amazing design for something like 40-50 bucks walking on weekdays with multiple strategic shot options on every hole with wicked greens
