Riviera Golf Course Trees: What Are They? (Explained)

riviera golf course trees

Meet Jake

Jake was a competitive golfer for over a decade dating back to the days of being the Captain of his high school golf team. He has played more than 200 courses across 32 different states in the US. Now semi-retired, Jake continues to golf 3-4 days a week with a current 2 handicap, gives golf lessons to his friends and family, and provides a wealth of knowledge to Golf Circuit from his competitive playing days. Jake combines practical expertise with technical knowledge to create golfing strategies and training techniques for both beginners and scratch golfers.

Watching professionals play golf on television goes way beyond witnessing what they can do with a golf ball. In fact, some of the reason we watch is just to see what the golf courses look like. 

Most of these golf courses, like Riviera Country Club, we will never have the chance to play, and it’s interesting to take in the landscape and the design to learn from it. 

At the Riviera Country Club in California, there are some unique trees, and many golfers think that these trees are in trouble.

The good news is they are not; let’s look at what kind of trees are on the Riviera golf course. 

What Kind of Trees Are On The Riviera Golf Course?

Unique trees at the riviera golf course

The trees at the Riviera Country Club are California Sycamore trees and the Eucalyptus trees. 

These trees are huge, and they both have white bark making them stand out and look entirely different than other golf courses in the area. 

Riviera Country Club has been there for close to 100 years, and it is known for these trees that have been preserved and taken close care of throughout the years. 

Do The Trees Come Into Play At Riviera Golf Course? 

The trees are very much a part of the design of the Riviera golf course. Golfers have to carefully navigate these trees, even though they may not seem like they take up all that much room. 

One thing that we have seen throughout major golf events that have been held at this golf course is that a golf ball that gest up into the branches may not come down. 

The 11th and 12th holes seem to be the area of the course where the trees cause the most trouble. In addition, the 13th hole has several large Eucalyptus trees that were installed to help with drainage. 

Do The Eucalyptus Trees At Riviera Country Club Smell?

Riviera golf course eucalyptus trees

The trees at Riviera Country Club don’t only look great, but they smell great as well. When the trees are in bloom, the scent is strong, and it is noticed throughout a good portion of the golf course. 

When you look at golf courses like Riviera and think about how the trees come into play, it’s often hard to picture how a few strategically placed trees can impact the golf course that much. 

However, after playing a round or two here, it’s easy to see the difference that these trees make in the way the course plays. 

Why Were The Trees Planted At Riviera Country Club? 

Many of the trees at Riviera Country Club were there when the golf course was built. However, over time the golf course actually decided to add some to the 13th hole where there were issues with flooding. 

Read More: Best Public Golf Courses in Arizona

With the way that heavy rains can come in and impact a golf course like this with its wide and rolling hills, it’s important to adequately prepare the terrain so that it can function properly and drain water. 

These beautiful trees are there to keep the course looking and smelling great and to ensure it stays in great shape. 

Are The Trees At Riviera Golf Course Dead? 

Several years ago, California went through a very cold winter. This cold winter made it difficult for the Eucalyptus trees to come out of their dormant season. Therefore when the event was played, the trees looked dead. 

Of course, these trees are not dead; they will eventually have the leaves grow back in, it’s more about the fact that the winter was rough, and the trees are not used to it. 

Read More: 14 Must-Try Public Golf Courses In Michigan

Most parts of California have mild weather, and when the weather stays mild, the trees may never even go into dormancy. Depending on the time of year that you get the chance to play Riviera Country Club, it could look entirely different. 

However, we highly suggest you take up any offer to play the golf course! 

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you can now rest assured that there is nothing killing all the trees at Riviera Country Club. The Eucalyptus and California Sycamore trees are still in great condition. These trees have always had the iconic white bark. 

When the winter weather comes around, they will sometimes go into dormancy and have you wondering why the golf course looks entirely different. In the end, Riviera Country Club is what it is because of the impressive layout, design, and landscaping.

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One Comment

  1. I live in west Tennessee and watch this tournament every year mainly because of those trees lining the fairways.They are amazing this time of year. we hike in the fall of the year after the leaves are gone just to see the true formation of the entire tree.

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