Riviera or Los Angeles CC North? Our reviewers argue

What is in a number?

The new ranking of GOLF e Top 100 courses in the USA. is just that: a list of the best courses in the country, ranked in numerical order, with “1” being the best.

Sounds straightforward. Hard numbers, hard facts. But like anyone who follows order I know, while the list itself is cut and dried, the thinking behind it is not. It reflects the views of our course reviewers. Sharp-eyed and well-traveled, these people know their stuff. But ultimately what they are offering are their opinions. Which brings us back to the question at the top.

What is in a number? Or, to put it more directly, what makes one course “better” than another that happens to be ranked below?

To provide a deeper understanding of the considerations behind the ranking, we asked our reviewers to take sides in a series of “Which is better?” debates: a course comparison that aims to shed light on how our panelists think about design. We started last week with a discussion of two top 100 public access courses, Pebble Beach and the Pacific Dunes. This time, we’re looking at a pair of prestigious private courses, the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club and Rivieraranked 10th and 14th respectively on the new GOLF list. Which one is better? Read on.

LACC North is the best!

This debate is like choosing between your favorite child. I wouldn’t envy him George Thomas if asked this question, especially with how distinctly different yet excellent both of these courses are. That said, the North Course at LACC is a personal favorite and would be my choice if I only had one round to play.

For me, the case for LACC starts with its scale. It’s long and wide (though demanding), and navigates sudden, dramatic elevation changes. The Angles army rejoices here – you are faced with a series of shots in the prevailing strong conditions, which allow balls to find the full width of the property and thus presents a host of views on geometrically creative greens.

With its size and variety, you’re also playing thoughtful golf, with choices required at every turn: To challenge the mobile but menacing 6th; to take the second shot from a hanging lie on the par 5 8 for par; to go after the right front pin on the delicate 15th. And so on. From start to finish, the course demands your mental and physical acuity.

Riviera has great charm and quirkiness (I love the bunker in the heart of the 6th green), as well as plenty of teeth (for example, the par 3 4th and par-4 14th). But I’m not sure every hole plays today as originally intended, including the shrinking of the (theoretically) moveable 10th green and the sticky kikuyu before the par-3 4th, which precludes the use of tee slopes Redan. – Will Davenport

Riviera is the best!

This is a controversial question in Los Angeles golf circles. But I prefer to put it in a global context. To my mind, what separates the courses – both George Thomas designs that have proven themselves worthy of a major championship – is the number of holes that can be considered among the great holes in the world. In that head-to-head, Riviera gets the upper hand.

Let’s start with the first hole at Riviera, which Arnold Palmer called “the greatest starting hole in golf.” The spiked photo is an exciting and scary way to start your day. The second is a beauty and the beast, and a perfect follow-up to the “Escape Hole” opening, which Thomas used often. The fourth features the first Redan ever built on the West Coast. Ben Hogan said it was “the 3rd biggest game in America”.

The 6th is a par-3 with a bunker in the middle of the green, spectacularly shaped to get you around that trap if needed. It’s my favorite strategic green anywhere. The 9th is a fantastic par-4 that works back towards the clubhouse, with options to play boldly or safely off the tee. The 10th? Often considered the best short par 4 in golf.

The grind continues along the back nine, at the 15th (a long par-4 with a gorgeous double green); the 16th (fiendishly small par-3 green surrounded by George Thomas’ amazing bunkers); and the 18th — one of the best finishes in the game — just extended to 498 yards, uphill, restoring Thomas’ original tee angle. All the legends have walked this final walk.

The other holes at Riviera are excellent in their own right. There is not a weak one in the property. But the holes above stand out.

As for LACC North, the great holes in the world for me would be 2, 7, 8, maybe 11 and 17. The rest are a good to very good combination. Count the scores in this rarefied air of the 15 best golf courses and Riviera wins the game for me. – Michael Robin