A Few Things I Learned After A Better-Than-Most-Week At Riviera

Adam Scott en route to winning the 2020 Genesis Invitational

In no particular order…

—Green reading books are less of a thing. Adam Scott said he’s trying desperately not to look at the pages of arrows, and when he does it’s to recall contours as he approaches from the fairway. Rory McIlroy still regularly consulted his and Dustin Johnson appears more devoted than ever to his. Tiger Woods did not consult his at all (then again, after finishing last, maybe he should have). Either way, compared to a few years ago, the cheat sheets appear to be on the decline. Whether that’s because of changes in the rules, or grown men realizing that a page full of minuscule arrows is no way to read a putt, I do not know.

—Rough is only necessary to defend a dreary design. With only light afternoon breezes all week, sunny skies and very light rough, Riviera was able to give an incredible field a stern test. Maybe the final round hole locations were a tad relentless in difficulty, but green speed and firmness were more likely responsible for only one player finishing double-digits under par. Sunday’s 72.000 scoring average included 23 doubles and 9 others. Saturday’s third round yielded a 70.397 scoring average with 211 bogies and just nine doubles. All of it without the artificial intrusion of rough.

—Rough is not the answer to distance. With the recent distance study still fresh on minds, the most common golf pro answer involved advocacy for harvesting taller grass along sides of fairways. Riviera demonstrated again that architecture coupled with firmness is the answer. Of course, this was still after years of lengthening and other elements to keep the place relevant.

—A wedge approach to 18 just doesn’t seem right. Watching Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott hit wedges into the iconic 18th hole Saturday and Sunday—even after the hole had been lengthened years ago to 491 yards—reminds us they are essentially superhuman talents. Particularly given the 50-foot rise over the hill. But we’d still feel that way about them hitting 7 or 8-irons as approach clubs following a long drive.

—Never let your caddie place a Trackman on the roof of a car. Those soft cases just don’t stick like you’d hope.

—Printed pairing sheets are still necessary. In a sustainability effort, the Genesis no longer gives out printed pairing sheets. I could have sold my printed press center versions for good money, especially to Verizon customers who had no reception in the canyon. I get that it’s a Live Under Par way to be, but sometimes you just want to pull out a piece of paper and see who the players are before you.

—Short grass, even when it’s kikuyu, makes a great hazard. Something to remember when the anti-regulation folks want to grow rough: look at Rory McIlroy’s round-killing triple bogey Sunday when he was just a little too cute with his shot behind the fifth green. He was presented options to lob, run or pitch his shot. Had McIlroy only been given one way to play, who knows how things turn out.

—Just when putting with the flag in was no longer a thing, Adam Scott brings it back. Compared to a year ago when this new toy was employed by almost all players, flagsticks left in while putting are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

—Tradition still matters. Even with another new name and no open status, the L.A. Open and Genesis Invitational of the present succeeded this week on the back of ideal weather, an incredible field, a beautifully prepared golf course, and a tournament exuding a sense of permanence. A whopping 94 years of history and a design players love always helps. The week showed how dependent professional golf is on venues whether to lure a top field or put on a good show. The sport at its best returns to the places that matter. And it’s a shrinking list with every jump in distance gains.