Hole 1 at Riviera Country Club, The

Pacific Palisades, California
Par
5
Yardage
503 yds
Stroke index
17
Hazards
3 bunkers
Hole 1 aerial at Riviera Country Club, TheHole 1 map
Hole 1 green slope contour at Riviera Country Club, The

39 yd wide × 38 yd deep · 4.3 ft total elevation range

Light = gentler slope · Red = steeper slope
White lines: 1 foot of elevation. Arrows: downhill. General terrain, not a pin read.

Approach from bottom

Contour source

USGS 1 Meter 11 x36y377 CA_2025LosAngelesPostWildfire_C25 · collection 2025

Map source & reference

Mapbox Satellite composite · capture date not provided. Green at the top; the labeled map reference is below.

Scorecard yardage is for Championship tees. The aerial shows its labeled reference position; distance rings measure to the green.

Championship tees · Par 5 · 503 yards

The plan for No. 1

Use the elevated start to establish a position you can build on. The opening par 5 offers a scoring opportunity, but that opportunity depends on the landing area and lie after the drive.

Off the tee

Pick a visible fairway target and compare your likely finish with the trouble beyond it. Extra downhill distance is useful only if the ball stays in a position from which you can play the next shot.

Approach & recovery

The bunker at the front of the green makes the final landing area the key decision. If you cannot carry it with room for your normal miss, leave a shorter approach from a clean lie.

On the green

The putting surface wraps around the front bunker. Aim for a useful section of green rather than a flag that leaves little landing room beyond the sand.

Watch for

  • Front greenside bunker
  • Trouble beyond the intended tee-shot landing area

Hole 1 Green Complex & Slope

USGS 3DEP terrain analysis

Green Surface

Green size: 5,639 sq ft

Dimensions
38y Deep × 39y Wide
Mapped green boundary
Elevation Relief
4.3 ft
High-to-low drop
Max Slope
3.6°
Graded terrain

Course coverage

Tournament and creator videos about Riviera Country Club, The — shared course coverage, not hole-specific clips.

Tournament coverage

Genesis Invitational highlights

Genesis Invitational | Final Round Highlights

2025

Featured by these creators

Creator videos about this course

YouTube creators who filmed or featured Riviera Country Club, The. · Stats as of Oct 12, 2026 · 5d ago

Explore golf creators →

Key Holes at the 2026 U.S. Women's Open with a Former LPGA Caddie | Riviera Country Club

Fried Egg Golf6K views
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Frequently asked questions

Yardage reference: Championship tees · 503 yards.

Can this par 5 be reached in two?

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At 503 yards, Reachable in two for longer hitters. Consider laying up short of hazards if going for it is risky.

How difficult is hole 1?

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This hole is a good scoring opportunity for most golfers. Key challenges include: large green requiring good lag putting.

How big is the green on hole 1?

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The green is fairly large with multiple pin positions. Lag putting becomes important on longer putts.

What's a good score on hole 1?

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This hole is a solid birdie opportunity with smart layup strategy. Most golfers can reach in three. Position your layup to leave a comfortable wedge.

Research notes

  • Front bunker guards a green that wraps around the sand. (00:25–00:50 (inspected frame interval))[1]
  • The speaker describes laying back from trouble on the opening drive and then misjudging a kikuyu recovery. This is one historical round, not a tee-distance prescription. (0:15:43–0:16:28)[2]
  • George C. Thomas designed the course, which opened in 1927. (Opening course-history paragraph)[3]
  • Riviera pairs an inviting opening par 5 with a demanding second and distinctive par 3s at 4, 6, 14 and 16. (Starting holes / Par-3 holes)[4]
  • The 2018 firsthand account links lost strokes to automatic driver selection and unfamiliar kikuyu lies; it supports checking landing positions and the actual lie rather than copying club choices. (0:16:55–0:18:23)[2]

Sources

  1. 2026 U.S. Women’s Open Course Tour: Flyovers of Every Hole at Riviera Country Club — USGAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwVslv8sGAc
  2. Playing The Riviera Country Club — The 19th Hole Golf Show / Golf News Nethttps://audioboom.com/posts/7052694-playing-the-riviera-country-club
  3. Riviera Golf Club — course history — The Riviera Country Clubhttps://www.therivieracountryclub.com/golf-club
  4. Major similarities — The Genesis Invitationalhttps://genesisinvitational.com/news/major-similarities/