The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California plays host to the Northern Trust Open from February 19-22, 2009. ASGCA staff recently sat down with Tom Marzolf, ASGCA of Fazio Golf Course Designers to discuss the course. Marzolf, an ASGCA past president, has worked on several projects over the years including recent restoration efforts at Riviera Country Club.

Hole 6: The Green-with-a-Bunker-in-the-Middle

ASGCA Staff: Thanks for joining us today, Tom. We are excited to hear a bit more about the upcoming Northern Trust Open held at one of golf’s classic sites, Riviera Country Club.

Tom Marzolf: Thanks for having me. As excited as you are to hear about the tournament, and specifically the course, I am equally as excited to talk about it. And you are correct – Riviera is a classic and one of my personal favorites. George Thomas, Jr. and his onsite designer, Billy Bell have crafted, in my opinion, the most interesting and unique combination of distinctly individual golf holes ever assembled in one 18-hole routing plan. The tenth may be the most celebrated, reachable par-4, in the world. The sixteenth is a short par-3, yet is a frightful menace. The par-5 eleventh was one of the longest holes ever, when the course first opened.

ASGCA Staff: And that opening took place just over 80 years ago in 1927. Can you talk a little bit about some of the balancing act of keeping the course timeless, while still making the necessary adjustments to account for new advancements in golf equipment and technology?

Tom Marzolf: Great question. First off, the course has been lengthened several times since opening in 1927, most often with the intent of forcing a strategic second-shot club selection. Aside from basic lengthening, the passing of time has also seen the evolution of Riviera’s original turf from bluegrass, red top, and Cocoos bentgrass to Poa annua greens and kikuyu tees, fairways and roughs. And as many golfers and architects can attest, kikuyu is a very vigorous turf that may be the most difficult grass on the planet on which the game is played.

ASGCA Staff: And how does kikuyu grass impact the game exactly?

Tom Marzolf: Well, specifically speaking, the infamous knurly kikuyu rough at Riviera, in combination with the closely shaved kikuyu green collars, can create a loss of control of the club at impact, often resulting in an unpredictable bounce as the ball approaches the green. The grass at Riviera may be the single most challenging obstacle to low scoring.

ASGCA Staff: About 10 years ago, an effort was made to get back to the intended design by Mr. Thomas. Could you talk a bit about that?

Tom Marzolf: Sure. As it so happens, a great flood in 1939 altered several holes (7, 8, 13 and 16) at Riviera. In 1999, Riviera owner, Mr. Noboru Watanabe, commissioned a methodical restoration Master Plan to restore the original design. The character of these iconic holes is, once again, in place. In fact in the summer of 2009, the club will move forward with the final step in restoring the famous "double fairway" eighth hole, to pre-flood conditions.

ASGCA Staff: In addition to this year’s Northern Trust Open, Riviera has hosted several majors over its illustrious history. What makes the course such a desirable host for PGA TOUR events?

Tom Marzolf: It’s really a combination of two things – first is excellence in golf. Ben Hogan won the LA Open twice at Riviera, first in 1947 and again in 1948. Later that same year (1948), he claimed his first US Open, with a record score of 276. A statue of Ben Hogan overlooks the eighteenth green and forever renames this course as "Hogan’s Alley." The PGA TOUR has played here since the early days, and all the great champions want to win here. Riviera is respected as a great design, and winning here means you have a complete golf game. The field for Riviera events, like the Northern Trust Open, always draws the best players.

ASGCA Staff: And the second reason?

Tom Marzolf: The second reason Riviera is so popular is because of its historical association with the pageantry of Hollywood. Several movies have been shot here, featuring Spencer Tracy and Riviera Club Member Katharine Hepburn. The late Humphrey Bogart, another Riviera Club Member, even has a tree named after him that still guards the entrance to the twelfth green. Past members also include Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Greta Garbo, Will Rogers, Howard Hughes and Olivia de Havilland. The "who's who" of Hollywood have always had a strong affinity for Riviera. So the TOUR and its players want to be here and enjoy the setting.

Hole 17: Home of the "Whale’s Tail"

ASGCA Staff: If you don’t mind, let’s change gears and talk specifically about a couple of holes. At 578 yards, the slightly uphill seventeenth is one of more impressive par- 5’s on tour. As an architect, what is the thought with respect to strategy for the hole?

Tom Marzolf: Number 17 really is your basic risk/reward opportunity. The Pacific Ocean breeze blows down this hole, and can really help out at times. The tee shot must favor the left side, avoiding the famously named "Whales Tail" bunker on the right. Just ask Tiger Woods, who got swallowed up by "The Whale," a few years back. The second shot begs the longest hitters to carry the left side cross bunker, allowing a run out onto the green, for an eagle putt. Most players will play it safe, however, laying up to the right side of the fairway and leaving an 80 to 90-yard approach.

ASGCA Staff: And the green?

Tom Marzolf: Well, the newly restored green features a repositioned front, right bunker guarding tough hole location options. The putting surface has subtle breaks that are often a tricky read. A realistic birdie option, hole 17 may very well have an impact on determining Sunday’s winner at the Northern Trust Open.

ASGCA Staff: The eighteenth, a par-4, is often considered among the most satisfying finishing holes in the game. Can you talk a little bit about the hole’s layout and what makes it enjoyable as both a player and as a viewer?

Hole 18: Riviera’s Clubhouse Overlooking the Green

Tom Marzolf: The memorable "closing hole," features an all uphill climb, across a left to right hillside setting. It’s framed on the right by tall eucalyptus trees. This difficult driving hole demands your ball hit the fairway. The cross pitch of the landing area cannot be seen from the tee. Lining up this tee shot is a challenge. If you miss the short grass with your drive, you won't get home from the kikuyu rough. With the stately clubhouse gracefully overlooking the second shot, this is one of the prettiest finishing holes on Tour. The ideal gallery slopes surrounding the upper left half of the green set the stage for a dramatic finish. The second shot cannot be left, or you will be stuck above on the down slope leaving an awkward pitch across a narrow green. Hard to reach in two, this small, linear green has been the downfall of many Sunday-leaders who wound up placing second.

ASGCA Staff: Tom, we’ve spent the past few minutes discussing some of the back nine, I would love to finish by getting your thoughts on some holes from the front half of Riviera.

Tom Marzolf: That’s the great thing about Riviera – it’s blessed with excellent variety. The front nine features some fantastic par-3 holes. The fourth hole, into the wind off the Pacific, can be a driver on a cold morning. Ben Hogan called this hole the best par-3 in America. Number 6 is golf architecture's famous green-with-a-bunker-in-the-middle. Putting around the bunker, on the steeply banked slopes, really tests a player’s creativity. And it’s just a great visual.

ASGCA Staff: So tell us, do you have a favorite hole at Riviera? Or is it too hard to pin down just one?

Hole 7: Tom Marzolf’s Favorite

Tom Marzolf: Without a doubt, there are really great holes throughout Riviera, but if you absolutely pressed me to pick a favorite, it would be the par-4 seventh. This hole has all you need to know about golf design. You might even say that studying this hole will earn you a PhD in golf course architecture. The tee shot requires you to think before you pull a club. A driver is not always the best play. The barranca on the right drains the golf course out to the sea. The bunker on the left sets up a converging angle that collects any wayward shot. While not a long hole, number 7 demands precision. The green is tiny, and protected by closely mown swale that angle away to the left. Miss this green and you have a delicate chip, from a tight lie, to an elevated small green. This really is a great hole!

ASGCA Staff: Thank you Tom for taking a few minutes with us. We look forward to watching things play out at Riviera during the Northern Trust Open.

Tom Marzolf: You and me both. It should be a fantastic event at one of golf’s classic courses.