Bill Hornstein
Carlos Amoedo
Taku Miyamoto/Courtesy of Riviera Golf and Tennis, Inc.
Bill Hornstein
Carlos Amoedo
Carlos Amoedo
Taku Miyamoto/Courtesy of Riviera Golf and Tennis, Inc.
Carlos Amoedo
Taku Miyamoto/Courtesy of Riviera Golf and Tennis, Inc.
Bill Hornstein
Bill Hornstein
Riviera Country Club
Pacific Palisades, CA • Private
Riviera Country Club
1250 Capri Dr
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272-4099
United States
Overview
A compact and shrewd design by George C. Thomas Jr. and associate William P. Bell, Riviera features everything from a long Redan par-3 to a bunker in the middle of a green to an alternate-fairway par-4. With its 18th green at the base of a natural amphitheater, and its primary rough consisting of club-grabbing Kikuyu, Riviera seems tailor-made as a tournament venue. It hosted a PGA Championship in 1995, a U.S. Senior Open in 1998 and a U.S. Amateur in 2017, but no U.S. Open since 1948. Riviera was recently awarded the 2031 U.S. Open, and it will also host the 2028 Olympics. But it’s the site of an annual PGA Tour event, which is even better exposure to the golf world.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked since 1969.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 18th (highest ranking, along with 1985-'86).
Best in State: Ranked third, 2011-'16. Ranked fourth, 2017-'26. Ranked inside the top 5, 1977-'85, 1995, 1999-2003, 2009-'10. Ranked inside the top 10, 1987-'93, 1997, 2005-'07.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 4th.
Watch our exclusive drone tour
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“An iconic golf course for sure and has many great golf holes. However, I as surprised at just how flat the golf course is. The typography was not great for golf. George Thomas did an amazing job to create interest on this golf course."
Read More2025
Review
“* 3 par 3's run in same direction as well as all par 5's playing toward the same direction. No downhill approach shots and little in the way of downhill holes. Most holes play level with slight uphill approaches to greens when slope is involved. Heavily guarded short right greenside bunkering. * Some very strong holes of shot options at 6, 8 & 10. * The kikuya is very easy for the scratch player to spin wedges with ease around the greens. Very little roll in the fairways."
Read More2025
Review
“The greens at Riviera don't look particularly challenging but contain subtle contours that make speed control particularly difficult. The Kikuyu is an interesting departure from the norm and makes the course play longer than the scorecard indicates."
Read More2025
Review
“Classic Golf Course that has stood the test of time. The course requires the golfer to hit every club in their bag as well as to fade/draw your shots to get the best results. Great variety of holes that can play L to R or R to L, downhill, uphill, etc. Very well protected off the Tees by bunkers, huge eucalyptus trees or challenging rough. Greens are not overly large, are very quick annd offer many pin positions to create more challenging approaches. Bunkers are very deep around the greens and in the fairways making escape/ability to save pars challenging. Many epic holes like #1, #4, #6, #9, #10, #15, #16 and #18."
Read More2025
Review
“Excellent conditioning and great, fast greens (despite playing a month after the Genesis); long and difficult course, but typically not a lot of choices to make in how to play the hole; kikuya grass for the rough is difficult to play out of, as the ball sits up and leads to unpredictable shots -- this is a real defense of the course, but I wonder about how fair it is given the variety of ways the ball comes out?; nice variety of short and long holes, but a lot of brutes; more of a corporate feel than private country club feel to it"
Read More2024
Review
“Excellent conditioning and great, fast greens (despite playing a month after the Genesis); long and difficult course, but typically not a lot of choices to make in how to play the hole; kikuya grass for the rough is difficult to play out of, as the ball sits up and leads to unpredictable shots -- this is a real defense of the course, but I wonder about how fair it is given the variety of ways the ball comes out?; nice variety of short and long holes, but a lot of brutes; more of a corporate feel than private country club feel to it"
Read More2024
Review
“Rivera is the quintessential Los Angeles golf course, with an incredible tournament history, Southern California landscape, and an incredible variety of holes from the diminutive 10th and 16th to the ball-busting holes at 2-3-4-12-13-15-18. Given that we get to see the course on TV each year, most avid golf fans are familiar with Riviera, but to play it is a true treat."
Read More2024
Review
“Another George Thomas classic.....Riv is such a treat to play and fully deserving as one of the Top 100 in the Nation. Challenging and fun, the layout provides for an excellent walk through a beautiful canyon in the LA suburbs. Fairways and greens were fast, firm and fair, which reward a well placed approach throughout the course. Summer has arrived in LA and the course gets warm in the mid-morning to late afternoon. This means less play during that time and course reflects the wonderful conditioning! Riv is loaded with character and Mr. Thomas chose to tie into this personality by providing interesting shot options on virtually every hole. Risk v Reward abounds but the rough outside of the fairways and the fast / firm greens offer ample protection on misplaced shots. A wonderful golf course and a must-play bucket list experience when in Southern California!"
Read More2023
Review
“Fantastic course to play with a member. Caddies are a must."
Read More2023
Review
“Located in Pacific Palisades, this beautiful, George C. Thomas design opened for play in 1926 and hosts the Genesis Invitation in mid February each year. It's always in pristine condition and features Kikuyu fairways, poa greens, challenging green complexes with deep bunkers and a great variety of unique hole designs. The short par 4 tenth holes is one of the best short 4's in the world and the sixth hole its unique for it's bunker in the middle of the green."
Read More2023
